Brompton Hinge Clamps! | Are They a Good Upgrade

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

Most all loose parts on a Brompton, handlebar, nuts, bolts, discs are now from titanium and carbon. Even the axle in front, and security parts, securing the axles for safety. My Selle Italia saddle is from slightly padded carbon! Finn. Denmark 😄

[@NewPolishScientist]

Can you do video about best front bags for brompton. Have ever used aftermarket one?

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Might be in the works and content schedule my friend 🤔

[@essendossev362]

I just lost my hinge clamp as I was taking my bike out of my friend's car trunk. Now I'm looking for a new one and stumbled across this video. It seems that another major plus to this other design is that it won't screw all the way out, fall out, and get lost while you're traveling, thereby making your bike literally worse than useless.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Very true and bike without the clamp is beyond useless! If you do get these I would strongly advise a little thread-locker on the limit screw to avoid it working itself loose

[@codak29]

I might try different hinge clamps, but I would never try different hinge plates. The plates are engineered by Brompton to be softer than the frame and wear the plates instead of the frame. Using a different hinge plate could damage the frame over time. The hinge plates keep the bike locked in riding configuration and shouldn't be modified for safety reasons.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Great input and you know what didn’t even really consider that 🤔. Very important piece of information to consider.

[@marchaywood9378]

Can i just add now helpful your content and community comments are; really really help me with my buying decisions and inspire me to ‘get out and ride’ 😊😊😊

[@otterspacejam]

This is the correct answer. The original plates are Al which is lighter and softer than steel or Ti. They are intended to be wear items to not damage the frame so you want them softer than steel. Ti is softer than steel but why bother when Al is lighter and cheaper? On the other hand the hinge clamp levers are not wear items and aftermarket items offer not just lighter weight but also better usability features like captive levers and the ability to keep the plate from spinning.

[@HolgerNestmann]

I think you overstate the work that brompton put in. If they would have put thought into the plates, they wouldn‘t spin out. As to frame-wear. It’s just material. Haven‘t seen a steel aftermarket plate.

[@HolgerNestmann]

Great Video. I can recommend the H&H ones, which feature the same longer clamp side. The hydrant version I have too on my second Brompton and it's alright - but the H&H ones are higher quality in my opinion. It closes easier and therefore one gets a better feeling when it's closed. If you are just worried about the plate spinning out - ezclamps are a good solution too.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I love the h&h brand. Very good quality indeed

[@ArthurGonçalves-c6p]

Loving the videos about accessories, keep 'em coming

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Thank you so much! means a lot. Always enjoying doing videos like these.

[@ayclarke1880]

I tried alternative clamps. I went back to the simplicity of the original clamp.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I’ve not tested it out in the field properly yet but happy for them to sit on my M Line. Tbh the hollow P line has always just worked and I would take light weight over practical for my P Line. Hope all is well mate 👌🏻

[@stolenorange]

It would be interesting to look a the quality of the cheap hinge clamps. Apparently theres supposed to be a gap when the plate is tightened which I can't see on the fire hydrant ones

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Interesting is definitely the word. I personally would always be consistently thinking i paid so little for this!! Will it hold lol.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

I use a "Paralleliser" from plastic, with a spring, to keep the clamp in place when unscrewed. They are to be bought from Asia in different colors, if wanted. I admit that Your version is Smart, but I assume for a price? I also have the "bottom wedge" from alu, and a fixing bolt for the stem-post from titanium! As my bolt in top of the stem is also from titanium. Finn. Denmark

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I mean the retail is £50ish upwards so definitely steep

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

@@TheBromptonGuy I saw that Your wedge for the stem post looks very nice. Mine is more rough and I tried to find one from titanium, but in vain. From where did You get yours? I know that the Joseph Kuosac versions of the clamp and wheel are up to intensely expensive! I found mine from Ali Express and for a much less price. Finn. Denmark

[@torinsall]

Can the new T line clamps be used on the P and C line bikes?

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Clamps yes but the T line plate will not! So best just to avoid. Hope that helps

[@torinsall]

@@TheBromptonGuy Too bad; they look great. Thanks!

[@arkwent2sea]

This is an interesting option. As this clamp is designed to stop the bike folding up while cycling, the idea of swapping it out with a knock off part from alibaba doesn’t seem wise. If the real company are selling it for over £100, one of the two companies are ripping us off, either it’s extremely over priced or the alibaba one is a knockoff. And with knockoffs it may look the same, but they may use a poor quality material or have made some errors when copying the design. On safety equipment you have to X-ray them to see if they have flaws internally in them, so it may not be so obvious with the naked eye. I agree the Brompton clamp is a little inconvenient but I think I’ll stick with the original design on this one.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Can’t really disagree with this statement at all. So far luckily these have been solid 🤞

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

If it has a Brand on them, like H&H it is a High End, Asian Brand! I lost one clamp when needing my Toolset in a wood, but luckily forund it again, so I changed to wheels, with an end-stop. They functions fine on my now much former than Superlight! It is - very close in weight to an original T-line, but for much less money (and with more gears)! Also Taiwanese, Joseph Kuosac is known for making High End and expensive parts for a Brompton. "Those who follow in the footsteps will never come first", but they are able to see when faults has been made, like the strange holes in the frame on a T-line, letting in gravel and water, inside the frame, to unwanted places as crank and bearings. I have just changed the Heavy Metal clamps on my mudguards to carbon, as much of my bike is now bought from the East, also original looking brake parts, from titanium. But it still looks quite as an Original, Flame Painted, Black Version, 2019 SuperlightM6LXBrompton. Finn. Denmark

[@TheBromptonGuy]

Solid in put as always Finn. Agree with the high end statement of H&H and JK, would love to try just about ever JK part 🤣

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

@@TheBromptonGuy I also have two clamps from carbon, holding the frame closed, and at least those don't interfere with the metal in the frame! I would have loved to also have the new interchangeable hinge-pins, as the T-line, but they may give other problems also? Time will show? Finn. Denmark

[@_Clemens]

Does anyone have any experience with wheel extenders? I have the problem that my Brompton tends to fall over and my rear rack already has some scratches from contact witch the ground. so I figured a wheel extender would be a perfect first upgrade for my bike. I am unsure where to buy a wheel extender (im living in Europe) and which one I should choose. Any help would be appreciated.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

I’ve been asked about wheel extenders a lot and might need to try and cover this subject! Personally since installing the large 72mm wheels haven’t had any issues but will do some digging.

[@_Clemens]

​@@TheBromptonGuy Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it!

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

I have used a Superlight Extender-version with a - Carbon Tube in the middle, and 10cm wheels, making my bike a Tank on most any ordinary surface. But it isn't/wasn't that solid, so in the end I removed it for Low Weight Reasons and also added a single new, extra quality, standard size wheel on my mudguard, from my originally mounted - double wheel set on the guard. I hardly use my bike as anything but transport, and with a T-bag in front for buying, it functions fine, also as folded in a shop, when - supported during that🙂! Finn. Denmark

[@supakat1835]

That clamp is a pass, I think a garden faucet knob would look better than that.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

🤣

[@madrian_hello]

I started to “downgrade” to original parts. I had enough problems with chinese cheap parts. Original parts are maybe not as nice looking, but reliable.

[@TheBromptonGuy]

For sure their is a sweat spot in terms of price to performance and you make a great point all the standard parts are perfectly fine, tired and tested but for sure lots of good quality third party parts available just need to do a little research when purchasing.

[@CiamilloDesign]

The B1 Ultras are 100% made in USA

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

Even when making a Copy, some are able to make a - better version also. Some Brompton solutions are very "British" (like the + to the frame in my 1966 BMC Mini! I do wonder why no one else got that bright idea?). I also use a much less complicated clamp for my saddle, which is also lighter, than the original! And some Chinese/Asian parts are actually of a higher quality than the original! I use a black titanium and Brompton shaped saddle pin on my bike, I suppose for a price round the original pin? It isn't Nuclear Science to make a functioning folding bike. Finn. Denmark

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

The rather well known British, "Brilliant Bikes" had an - original Brompton, titanium saddle pin, which had broken during use!! I honestly doubt very much that my black, Asian titanium version will - ever break during use? At least it feels very solid and in accordance with its told weight! Finn. Denmark