Not too happy with this!
 

One would think that a company like Brompton that produces such a fine and expensive product would be up and up on all what one should do to look after such an investment. I had emailed them wanting to find out how to properly clean and polish the bike and what products I should use. I told them that I was concerned that perhaps some products on the market might be harmful to the paint finish. I honestly figured that they would give me some insight as to how to clean the bike properly and what products to use and what products to stay away from. This is all they could respond with.

"Hi Wayne

Thank you for contacting us.

Unfortunately we have not tested any cleaners or polishes for our bikes so I cannot confirm a good product for you.

I am very sorry I couldn’t help further at this time.

Kind Regards,
Nikita Nolan - Sales Executive"

I'm sorry, but that doesn't work for me at all. I have presented this same concern to all the car makers I have dealt with over the years and all have given me positive feed back. Brompton -- you have to do better than that. Maybe some of you might think this as a non necessary concern, but for me it is. You screw up the finish with an improper product and there goes your warranty. They couldn't even give me advice on the proper way to clean the blessed bike.

Oh come on. Just clean your bike. If you want a bike-specific product, you can use Bike Lust or something like that. You're not going to void your warranty.

Fold it and take it in with you when you shower.

One of the benefits of owning one.

Maybe I did over react, but if they are in the bike business then, why didn't they at least recommend a product like what you are referring to. Bike Lust -- well I never heard of it until now, but i will get some. Thanks for that.

Will do :).

But you can use anything such as Fantastik or Fabuloso. After cleaning, you could use some oil or wax.

Is this a joke?

Why do you feel its a joke? Don't you think that looking after something properly is important? Sorry I'm not up on all the ins and outs of mechanics etc. like you might be, but I am concerned about how to properly look after something that cost me a lot of money. Is it wrong to ask? Good grief man. I don't need stupid sarcasm. Please keep it to yourself.

Brompton plays no part in the quality control of a particular cleaning product so it's in their best interest to not endorse/recommend any.

I suspect RPK79 wasn't being sarcastic. I think there will be several people who are surprised that a simple cleaning task has led you down this path of incredulity.

your letter to brompton is pretty funny, wayne. i did laugh. you must be a fan of Chad Bradley's work. in the way of constructive criticism, i would suggest you include some element of the fantastic to the content of future letters you may write, it adds to the hilarity. here's a great example:


[h=5]"Dear Ikea,

I love your furniture. I really do, it’s fantastic. When I get home from a hard day gritting the roads, I like nothing more than taking my shoes off and sitting down on one of your excellent sofas. They have made a big difference to my life. I used to come home and stand in front of the TV for hours on end, which was a real pain – literally!
So imagine my surprise when I found a massive defect in one of your products – the two-seater Ektorp sofa. I was minding my own business watching Casualty when I felt a pound coin slide out of my trousers. I sprang to my feet, but the coin was nowhere to be seen. It had fallen down the back of the settee!
I pulled the cushions off frantically, then thrust my hand down the thin gap, but I could not find my £1. Panicking, I took a deep breath and forced my head into the crevice. I was not prepared for the sight that greeted me.
I looked down onto a sun-kissed city, teeming with thousands upon thousands of tiny people. Little buildings packed the landscape like sardines. Cars and buses sped along the toytown streets, each one screeching and honking in a miniature motorised rage. As I turned my head to take in the majesty of this secret world, I saw creations of such magnificence I nearly wept. A beautiful, ornate church on the banks of a winding river. A mighty arch stood proud at the end of a thick, tree-lined carriageway. A skeletal tower fashioned from dark steel, pointing, reaching to the heavens.

It was then that I realised I was looking at Paris! That’s right – by some insane fluke, your sofa contained the entrance to a wormhole!
Whether this is a manufacturing defect or a warehouse mix-up, one thing is clear – it is nothing short of reckless. Few people who delve into the depths of their sofa expect to be teleported 2,000 feet above the capital of France. You should look into this fault and stop it from happening again. Could you please send me some reassurance that you plan to do so?
You’re not having my sofa back though. I’m really enjoying it.
Yours sincerely,
Chad Bradley"

[/h]

The whole thing is akin to calling a bicycle manufacturer to ask for recommendations on how best to apply the brakes when stopping or what the best pedaling technique is for the particular model you purchased.

here ... to keep your Brommy happy
http://www.bicycling.com/maintenance...hing-tips-pros

I like simple green as it is not harmful to the enviroment, but works surprisingly well

Another tip ... You can use spam cooking spray on the inside of the fenders and areas which gets real dirty/ muddy very easy. the cooking spray make the dirt not adhere ...

Best Thor

So Hows the OCD counseling - therapy going , Wayne? :innocent:

White may not have been the best colour for you. ..

Come on guys. Give me a break. I have been told by some, not here, that there is a right and wrong way to clean a bike. In all the years of owning a bike, all I used to do was wash it down and use a leaf blower to dry it. I was told that this is wrong because of driving moisture into areas that could trap the moisture and later cause damage etc. Hey I'm a novice with this and just wanted to know the right methods of cleaning the bike, a bike that is built very different from most. I thought that the techs at Brompton could shed some advise as to what I should do and the things I should avoid -- along with product suggestions. That's all. But I was disappointed that they couldn't have at least given me some cleaning pointers if nothing else.

Worst case scenario is a high pressure washer..... Drying it with a leafblower should not do any harm really...
thor

Furniture polish such as MrSheen works surprisingly well. Keeps water beading off afterwards as well.

The Pro wrenches use soap and water and some brushes ,,

Cross Racing pits, they have a spray nozzle ,
not much water pressure , dont want to blow water in the bearings, just hose off the Mud , for the handover again,

while the racer is going around gathering more Mud on the course.

Windex.

Still Pedaling - having read your posts, I would say that you already have some. I should know, as I do too.

That couldn't possibly be your portrait -- could it? :)

That's reassuring. Perhaps I have been doing it right all along. Wish I could remember those who told me otherwise.

Funny you should mention that. There was a scene in the movie "Rising From Ashes" I saw last night of them washing a bike with what appeared soap and water. They even washed the rims that way -- minus the tires.

Blowing water into the bearings is what I now remember being told. Thor mentioned that as long as I don't use pressurized water, but the leaf blower to dry it is fine.

Hmmm -- you didn't get that idea from the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" did you?

My memory is is pathetic nowadays. Did I say I had some? I'll have a look around. I'm sure I've got a lot of stuff stashed away that I've forgotten about.

Furniture polish -- hmmm. Ok, worth a try.

Or Lemon Pledge. Seriously, it does a very nice job.

garden hose is fine.. High Pressure washer Not

Just whatever cleaner tou use, make sure its all off the bike, wash off with plenty of water, I prefer warm water...

Soap and water for the non oily bits; degreaser for the oily bits.

Hose down with garden hose, no nozzle, or with a wet towel/sponge. Bucket with diluted mild detergent like Murphy's Oil Soap is what I use and recommend. Wash all the shiny bits.

Hit the greasy bits with a degreaser and let it work on stuff for five minutes or so and then rinse. Repeat if necessary, and use assorted brushes and sponges for really baked on greasy spots.

Once this is all rinsed off, go over everything again with the shiny bits soapy water. Then rinse again with water from the hose, towel or sponge.

Don't forget to dry your bike. Leaf blower? Um, OK, never thought to use one like that before, but excellent use of existing tool. I'd be worried about kicking grit up toward my freshly cleaned bike, but if that's not a real issue, you're ahead of the game by drying your bike at all.

^^^This is for a full-on cleaning.

In between, I use a Pedro's product like Bike Lust to wipe off dirt and grime, but there's plenty of other silicone based cleaner/polishers out there you could use. Or Pledge, to give your bike a nice lemony scent.