A few weeks ago I noticed a little play in the cranks when cleaning my beloved Orange Special Edition. This was a sure sign that the bottom bracket needed replacing. This Brompton is the oldest in the fleet and has covered many miles and been on lots of adventures. With the sort of rides I go on, it pays to have a Brompton that is in excellent condition all the time. Having all the tools needed to replace the bottom bracket, I decided to have a go myself.
There are a few aftermarket options when considering what bottom bracket to go for, but I opted for a nice and new standard Brompton. At just under £20 they are more than good enough and as mentioned, it has served be well more several thousand miles.
After watching a couple of videos tutoring you in the art of all things bottom bracket, I placed my Brompton in the work stand and got ready.
The whole procedure was fairly straightforward. Having the correct tools is definitely a must before undertaking this. If you are thinking of ever doing this job yourself, there really isn't a great deal to fear. Just make sure that you know which direction loosens and which tightens and you cannot really go wrong.
It didn't take too long to swap out old with new and the bike really did feel better to ride. Having now done this, I have the confidence to do it again on my other Brompton bikes.
Until next time, stay safe out there people!
Could you let us know what aftermarket crankset you bought & bottom bracket ? I need to do the same with mine
ReplyDeleteNo aftermarket bits used. This was Brompton crankset just taken off and put back on, The bottom bracket was the current Brompton standard.
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