"It started with Brompton" Book

A week  ago I got a little package from overseas from Bella who asked me for a email interview and photos of me and the legend for a book "it started with brompton" she was writing for Korean Brompton users

Bella had asked me many moons ago and I quiet honestly forgot all about it. Bella said that she would send me a copy of the book when it was finished and here it is as well as other awesome stuff.

I have to say I was very touched and was a true honor to be asked to appear in print. It always surprises me when people ask for photographs or say that have heard of our adventures.

Package from Korea

Opened up the package and found a really good quality book "it started with brompton" with pop up cards with Bromptons & a leaf bookmark.

The quality of the print is the best I've ever seen.

These are photos my friends have taken while I have been at events in "full" Legendary mode as it where. I'm almost ready to order huge prints cause the difference from seeing them on screen to seeing in print is well LEGENDARY.

For any of my Korean readers I know there is quiet a few out there please take a look at Bella's websites and maybe even order the book.

To order the book: (Please note the book is in Korean but English version maybe coming soon)

http://www.yes24.com/24/goods/28180831?scode=029

Or 

http://www.aladin.co.kr/shop/wproduct.aspx?ItemId=85096358

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bliee_/

Photography Blog: https://brunch.co.kr/@bliee

till the next ride, bee safe.....

More legendary? Damn straight

Back in July I found out that Brompton had released the Black Edition Brompton parts that you could buy. Thanks to my partner in crime My Orange Brompton for giving me the heads up.

I always had the plan to change out parts on Bumble B to be black as soon as I saw the Black Editions.

As always Brilliant Bikes came though for the legend as always.

• Brompton BLACK crankset with 44T "spider" chainwheel
• Brompton BLACK brake caliper - front - dual pivot
• Brompton BLACK brake caliper - rear - dual pivot
• Brompton BLACK brake lever set aluminium (pair)
• Brompton BLACK headset 1 1/8", steel

I could have installed all this myself but I didn't have the proper time to spend doing it properly. Lucky my personal cycle engineer is near by and was happy to sort my boy out.

Within 5 mins of being in the shop my boy was on the bike stand and getting a worked on. I think they really love BBB and it shows in their work.

Original headset

I had to go back to work & leave my boy overnight but I knew he would be fine. I'd be lieing if I said I wasn't missing him badly. Hoping he wasn't missing me too much but we both knew it was for the best. 

Turned out he needed a little more work that planned. The bottom bracket was basically dead so needed replacing.

New black edition brake levers

Black edition Spider crank & matching 44T Chainring

My guy forgot my custom yellow chainring guard but I had an idea. Why not get black bolts as I needed slightly longer bolts for it to fit on the chain wheel anyways. Abit of digging & he found some. 

It's the little things that matter.

Bling Bling baby

Looking good there Bumble B but if I find some brake pad holders in yellow they will be changed out. ;)

Front Brake Caliper

Turned out the rear brake caliper was also pretty much worn out and dead so it was a good thing I was changing everything out.

Rear Brake Caliper

48hrs later my boy was ready. As always Mamchari Walthamstow did a AWESOME job on my boy.

His back and up to speed as always. I can guess that Bumble B is about 98% finished, just spokes, hubs & saddle rails to be done and the legend will be DONE ! 

til the next ride, bee safe

BBB

Death of another rim

Over the last few months I have been getting the sense that BBB's rear wheel rim maybe wearing out. Under braking I would feel a "pulse" as it were. It's happened before so I know the signs well. 

Ever since I got the new black AeroHeat rims I have been looking after them much more than the double walled original Brompton rims. Even with all the care I have taken with them the rear rim visibly split. 

I basically came back from meeting up with the LBC gang that was having a ride down to the Olympic Velodrome at the Olympic Park. I wasn't on the ride itself but needed to see a few folks as I had some Brompton bits from "Ben's Box of Goodies" (once again thanks Ben)

On closer inspection I could see the rim had actually split on both sides of the braking surface as you can see with the photos below.

Splitting Aero Heat

Opposite side also splitting

It was an emergency so I went straight to my local bike shop ran by Noah who now had his own bike shop just down the road from me. Noah was the first person to ever service BBB so I knew I could trust him with my boy.

Noah changed the rim over to a spare original Brompton rim I had but told me that the AeroHeat Rim had some structural cracks. I didn't know about this and thought I had just worn it out but check this next photos out for the true horror. Another 2 huge cracks *shock horror*

HUGE crack #1 :(

These cracks where on the opposite side to each other on the INSIDE of the rim where the rim tape goes. I wouldn't normally remove the tape to look so I wouldn't have seen it myself with my normal checks.

I thought damn I've been riding with that for at least a couple of months as that is when I noticed the "pulse" under braking. As you can see it hasn't been knocked or hit anything as the rim looks in good shape and lots of metal on the braking surface.

When I got the AeroHeat rims on BBB the original double walled rims where relatively new so I saved them. I didn't think I would be changing the AeroHeat rims so soon.

So the Stats I have for this Rear AeroHeat Rim:
Brompton BWR 6sp hub & Velocity
Born:     May 7, 2015
Died:      Apr 16, 2016
Mileage: 3,047.7 miles

Quick message to Phoenix Cycles and looks like I can get it changed under warranty where I got the AeroHeat rims originally so BBB is there now getting another AeroHeat so his all matching again. The whole reason why I got both rims changed back then when only the rear rim had worn out was that he could be in line with his color scheme.

I currently have a loan Brompton which happens to be black and yellow so not to much of a shock for anyone seeing me without the legend who should be sorted over the next few days.

til the next ride, bee safe....