I recently purchased a BRompton and had the same concerns as you. However cheap the components appear they seem quite durable and function very well. The whole bike is designed around the perfect fold so you will have to settle for all the quirkiness and compromises resulting from this perfect fold. The hassle with removing the rear wheel cannot be overlooked and is a serious consideration if you are looking at this bike for something more than local commuting. However, this is my philosophy: If I were to get a rear wheel flat I can elect to call a taxi or have someone pick me up in a car and fix it later in a more ideal environment. This is why I have chose to use Marathon tires instead of less puncture resistant Kojaks. Since spare parts are for the most part Brompton-specific, I would make an effort to collect as many spare parts as possible for fixes on the road or at home. I have found that the advantages of the excellent fold out weight the disadvantages of the bikes quirks. And quite frankly, I have been pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and fast this bike rides due to the high pressure tires and smooth running wheels.