Brompton Pentaclip Question

[bykerouac]

Hi all, I have a Brompton M6R and I love it. I am slowly modifying little bits here and there to have a more efficient ride, and several weeks ago I changed my saddle - the original basic Brompton saddle just doesn't agree with my butt. I found the Pentaclip to be a bit too expensive, so I used a generic saddle adaptor that I got from an LBS for 2 bucks. It seems to work fine, but I can't help thinking about the pentaclip - am I missing something? I am sure it is a whole lot lighter than my adaptor (which is a bit heavy), but aside from that, are there any other differences? Thanks!

[LWaB]

Pentaclip is micro-adjust, the standard clip has fixed options for saddle angles.

[somnatash]

... I am sure it is a whole lot lighter than my adaptor (which is a bit heavy), but aside from that, are there any other differences? Thanks!

The pentaclip is 106 g and I would think it gives finer (that is: "step less") adjustment than a normal clip - maybe also a little more. back-rear adjustment.

[mulleady]

Hi Somenetash, did you get your Brompton yet from Kinetics?

Hope it worked out. Just picked up my new Brompton on Friday!

[somnatash]

Hi mulleady,

congrats for you nice brompton! Sorry, to hear it does not roll properly. The bromptons I tried in one shop all did roll - not very easy and quick though and much better with rack and eazy-wheels.

[folder fanatic]

Hi all, I have a Brompton M6R and I love it. I am slowly modifying little bits here and there to have a more efficient ride, and several weeks ago I changed my saddle - the original basic Brompton saddle just doesn't agree with my butt. I found the Pentaclip to be a bit too expensive, so I used a generic saddle adaptor that I got from an LBS for 2 bucks. It seems to work fine, but I can't help thinking about the pentaclip - am I missing something? I am sure it is a whole lot lighter than my adaptor (which is a bit heavy), but aside from that, are there any other differences? Thanks!

The question might have been for me was "Do I really need a Pentaclip at all?" when I was in the market to replace that awful Brompton stock saddle for something better. I did with my Nirve cruiser saddle actually meant for a 26 inch beach crusier. I needed nothing further to adapt the saddle to the stock seatpost. It has been working fine for 1 1/2 years now. For photos of the saddle see my previous post at:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=419218

[bykerouac]

Hey thanks for the responses. The generic saddle adaptor is surprisingly very adjustable, thus the Pentaclip's micro-adjust feature is somewhat negated. What it doesn't have is a hard stop that allows it to sit on the very top of the post, unless you cinch it down tightly. I first installed it with it right on top of the 'ledge' (where the post diameter thickens. There is around an inch of protrusion of the seat post on top which I fear that my butt might hit when I take on a nasty bump (I use a Brooks saddle that flexes a bit). I then placed the adaptor on the very top, and it has stayed there for around 3 weeks now with no signs of slipping. If the Pentaclip is much lighter than the adaptor, I might get it eventually to have a bit of weight savings, but it is hard to justify a $30 purchase when $2 gets the job done too.

Mulleady, I installed inline skate wheels and the larger diameter and better bearings make my folded Brompton roll along fine.

FF, that is a lovely seat! Very interesting.

[doco]

Hi Somenetash, did you get your Brompton yet from Kinetics?

Hope it worked out. Just picked up my new Brompton on Friday!

Please post some pics of your raw Brommie

[ShinyBiker]

Mulleady, I installed inline skate wheels and the larger diameter and better bearings make my folded Brompton roll along fine.



Are you talking about the "official" roller wheels sold by brompton or some DIY job. I'd love to see how you can get cheap inline wheels working on a brompton.

[LittlePixel]

I first installed it with it right on top of the 'ledge' (where the post diameter thickens. There is around an inch of protrusion of the seat post on top which I fear that my butt might hit when I take on a nasty bump

I positioned mine on that ledge, marked the top limit with a scribe, removed the saddle, then cut off the excess tubing with a Dremel cutting head; There's no need for the extra weight nor the potential impaling of bum bones is there? ( I have a Brooks b17 too)

[somnatash]

Are you talking about the "official" roller wheels sold by brompton or some DIY job. I'd love to see how you can get cheap inline wheels working on a brompton.

If you look at ebay, you may find the seller:
hans630_2
offering modified inline wheels extra for the brompton, he calls them:
BROMPTON Light Weight Solid Polyurethane Transit Wheels
I think thats the most straightforward opportunity because many other wheels are too thick and hit your ankles.

[bykerouac]

I positioned mine on that ledge, marked the top limit with a scribe, removed the saddle, then cut off the excess tubing with a Dremel cutting head; There's no need for the extra weight nor the potential impaling of bum bones is there? ( I have a Brooks b17 too)

LP, I have been looking at your threads, (and 14R's too) and they really serve as an inspiration to budding Brommie modders like me. I have thought of cutting the excess off, but I am holding off a bit because I am looking for an adaptor with a hard stop so that it perches on top of the seatpost. If I can't find one soon, I will whip out my Dremel and do a bit of seatpost surgery :lol:


Shinybiker, here is a photo of the inline skate wheels mounted. They are 72mm in diameter and I got them from my nephew's battered pair of skates that he outgrew. I also have a set of 56mm skate wheels that I rescued from a trash bin. Both work quite fine - I believe that the diameter does not matter too much, but the thickness does. The first time I biked with these wheels on, I hit my heel occasionally. I altered my pedaling style a bit, moving my feet outward more on the pedal (increasing my Q factor) and now I rarely hit the skate wheels. Cyclists with a larger Q factor will not mind these skate wheels, but those with smaller Q factors will have to adjust their style. I am still searching high and low for appropriate thin wheels that will work will with no heel strikes - I refuse to buy the EZ wheels simply because it costs too much. $12 each? If any of you are going this route, you will have to go to your local hardware store and get some new screws that are 1/2 to 3/4 inch longer, with the exact same thickness and pitch.
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p547204607-4.jpg


Here is a photo of the seatpost, saddle and the saddle adaptor. I may soon do what LP suggests, sit the adaptor on the 'ledge' and dremel off the excess. That means I will be cutting off less than an inch of seatpost, which will save a bit of weight gained by the heavy adaptor. I wonder if there are any lightweight adaptors (aside from the Pentaclip) out there?
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p576922872-4.jpg


I have seen LP's use of the V-brake noodle as attached to the brake caliper. It makes a lot of sense, as the cable in this area routes in a really tight curve, which is bad for cable performance. The noodle takes care of this problem beautifully, it's a good thing I had some spares lying around. I also changed the brake pads to Kooltsop Salmons. They grab the rims really well, enhancing braking performance, and are said to be more forgiving to the rim, which is great because a wheelset is expensive. Should you get these pads, you will have to cut off the screw posts as they are too long. Dremel time! I still have to replace the rear pads....
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p851619023-4.jpghttp://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p627526412-4.jpg


I made changes to the cockpit area too. I put bar ends on - I used Singletrack Solutions' bar ends. This is actually my second pair, which was given to me by a kind BF member here who wasn't using it (I only paid for shipping). I broke the left unit of my first pair because I over torqued the clamping bolt. This time I tightened it gingerly (I should really get a torque wrench). I like these bar ends because the handlebars attach to the somewhat middle part of it, unlike your normal bar ends. This is crucial when folding, as these will clear the ground when folded. Ordinary bar ends, even stubby ones, will scrape the floor when folded. To attach these I had to cut off the end of the grips to create a hole so that there will be an exposed portion of the handlebar for the bar ends to perch on. I didn't have any bar end plugs around, so I whittled down a couple of wine bottle corks and plugged the exposed hole so that it won't take a core sample of my thigh if ever I take a spill. I found that it doesn't matter if the wine is red or white, or what year it is ;)
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p769798287-4.jpg


I found the original brake system to be weak and mushy. I didn't like the feel of the original Brompton brake lever, and how it wobbles around the pivot. When I took it out I discovered that the darn thing didn't even have a return spring! I replaced them with a pair of Shimano R550 Flat Road Cantilever Brake Levers and the brake feel improved dramatically. The levers return snappily to the original position as they should. To keep the appearance incognito, I covered the Shimano logo with black tape.
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p1024356666-4.jpg
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p982016348-4.jpg


That's it for now! I still have some mods in mind, and I will post them as each comes to fruition.

[ShinyBiker]

Thanks for the pix with the wheels, bykerouac. I'm going try this mod. What do you mean by "Q factor"?

[bykerouac]

You are welcome, SB! Q factor technically is the distance between the pedal attachment points on the crank arms. I used the term loosely to describe how far apart your feet are when you pedal.

I see you are in Arlington - I visit my relatives in that area (MD and VA) often, and we love biking the Mt. Vernon Trail.