Braking upgrades on Brompton

[Bugsbunny]

Hi fellow Bromptoneers,

I have a 2017 model so mine didn't get the upgraded brake calipers from Brompton. Anyone got any suggestions on improving braking performance?

Bugs

[Brucey]

is there some reason why you don't just fit the later version of the brake calipers?

cheers

[simonineaston]

My Brompton is deffo pre upgraded brakes and I was conscious of rather average braking performance. I baulked at the cost of replacing the old ones with the new. Instead I simply fitted better quality brake pads when they needed renewal - from Brilliant Bikes, I think. And while the difference wasn't staggering, it was noticable.
You could argue that the cost of two sets of these pads would go some way towards the cost of the newer brakes...

[Bugsbunny]

is there some reason why you don't just fit the later version of the brake calipers?

cheers

I would go down this path but I can't find much info on their performance improvement. Are they noticeably better?

I've been impressed with Shimano RB dual pivot calipers so was quietly hoping someone could say they fit on Brommie.

[simonineaston]

Brainier bunnies than me will comment soon, I s'pect, but I recall that there's something special about Brompton brakes that means you can't just pop on brakes from other makers... something to do with the cable pull.

[Brucey]

If you wish to preserve the cable routing (in the interests of the fold) then the brake calipers have to allow for bottom entry of the cable. I'm not sure that there are many other brakes that allow this and have a long enough reach to fit a Brompton....?

Not sure what is meant by shimano RB calipers?

FWIW the Dahon Curl uses conventional top entry calipers, and (coincidentally or otherwise) the cables don't nestle well in the folded package; in fact they stick out and are liable to get snagged on anything nearby;



I know folk have used different (top entry) calipers on Bromptons, but I have not seen a bike so modified folded, so I don't know how good (or bad) it is.

cheers

[simonineaston]

Online comments regarding the latest Brompton brakes seem largley complimentary... expensive choice, compared with other approaches, but probably the way to go with respect to the frustration : efficacy ratio

[SA_SA_SA]

If you wish to preserve the cable routing (in the interests of the fold) then the brake calipers have to allow for bottom entry of the cable. I'm not sure that there are many other brakes that allow this and have a long enough reach to fit a Brompton....?
........
cheers

1 The Tektro 810c looks like it might suit the brompton front drop of 62mm.

2 An improving bottom entry brake performance idea printed in an old velovision* was to use a (135degree it would seem) V noodle at the caliper end so that most of the tight 180 lower cable bend is in a rigid lowfriction lined v noodle.

*June 2009 Issue 34 page 43

[SA_SA_SA]

Online comments regarding the latest Brompton brakes seem largley complimentary... expensive choice, compared with other approaches, but probably the way to go with respect to the frustration : efficacy ratio

Has anyone done a comparison of a front nos/unused/refurbished Brompton bronze pre2018 caliper with an unused current black (post2018) one with same non fancy *pads (eg pre2018 Brompton fibrax slipin ones):

The new post2018 ones just look cheaper to me (and needing a pointless change to an allen key fit requiring a change to the front fork manufacture ), hence my question.

*The expensive swiss stop pads would presumably make differences harder to notice.

[Brucey]

re V-noodles.They didn't seem to me to possess any special low friction properties, but what they do have is a thicker liner than most other bits of cable housing. So it is not clear to me if there would be much if any real benefit. One of the standard problems with any V-noodle install is water ingress. Any water running down the cable outer finds it easy to get into the noodle, meaning that you might actually be making things worse rather than better by adding one.

[SA_SA_SA]

re V-noodles.They didn't seem to me to possess any special low friction properties, but what they do have is a thicker liner than most other bits of cable housing. So it is not clear to me if there would be much if any real benefit. One of the standard problems with any V-noodle install is water ingress. Any water running down the cable outer finds it easy to get into the noodle, meaning that you might actually be making things worse rather than better by adding one.

The progenitor claimed it was an improvement (and Steve Parry also). I thought the improvement would come more from the V-noodle rigidity compared to flexible bowden cable. I suppose most peoples Brompton cable will now have a (thinner) form of the noodle liner so I suppose it is irrelevant until worn (sooner?).

I suppose some tape could seal up the noodle entry.

[plancashire]

My LBS overhauled the brakes on my 2004 Brompton M3 when I had the hinge bearing replaced. They replaced the cables and used long Shimano brake pads with adjuster screws to change the front/back contact angle. They work well enough for me riding on the flat at sub-breakneck speeds and with an experienced eye out for hazards.

[Brucey]

it isn't a bad idea to fit a short length of heat shrink insulation at the joint to a V-noodle to keep the water at bay. All my V-brake bikes had this fitted.

[plancashire]

it isn't a bad idea to fit a short length of heat shrink insulation at the joint to keep the water at bay. All my V-brake bikes had this fitted.

What joint do you mean, Brucey?

[drossall]

The new post2018 ones ... needing a pointless change to an allen key fit ...

My Brompton is a 2012 model, so probably similar to that of the OP. It's the Allen key issue that held me back. Not sure whether it would be possible to rebuild using a JTek convertor to avoid that? The noodle idea is interesting.

Confusingly, Condor's say you need to adapt both front and back of bike to take the Allen-key bolts, which is what I had understood, but Brilliant only mention the front. I haven't worked out why drilling a mudguard would be so hard.