Updated Brompton Toolkit Now Available
 

Just thought I would let you Brompton owners know, in case any are interested, that the toolkit that fits into the frame is now available. A note to you old timers, apparently the kit does not fit into pre-2004 frames. The original release from last year had tire levers that were not sufficient and Brompton stopped production and is providing purchasers of the original kit with upgraded levers. Like the Brompton, this integrated toolkit is expensive and may not be for everyone.

Cheaper alternatives such as the well made Tern kit and the Nutter are available but I imagine most people, like me, have pieced together a suitable kit using tools on hand and saving considerable $.

However, I just got off the phone having ordered the kit from my dealer. Why did I spring for the kit when my collection of tools worked fine? I have a couple of reasons.

1) After carefully placing my collected tools and rubber banding them to take as little space as possible I would transport them in the left rear exterior pocket of my T-Bag. Unfortunately, I carry too many other things in that pocket, depending on the trip - gps, phone, sunglasses, spare tube, rag, credit card stack, etc, that removing the tool kit and freeing up space will be wonderful. Naturally I will probably think of something else to stuff in there, so there you go.

2) When I have travelled with my toolkit in the T-Bag, I have been stopped pretty much every single time by security at the airport and asked to remove it and open it for them. Thus I finally decided that I would preempt this process by pulling it out in the screening line and putting it in the bin with shoes and pocket items, etc. That's a work around but I preferred to have the tools at the bottom of the pocket instead of the top as I was much more likely to use the other stuff. One more thing to deal with at security.

So I have decided to buy this pricey but well made toolkit because it will fit in the frame of my Brompton and go through security with the bike and I'll save a bit of space in my T-bag pocket.

When I ordered my Brompton I was going to opt for the tool kit but alas it wasn't available. So I put together a bare necessities collection of tools that I had lying around and fit into a section of an old inner tube... I refer to it as my "blood pudding" kit. The package tucks nicely inside of the frame and doesn't move around at all. Incidentally the small adjustable spanner originally only opened to 14mm but I ground the jaws open to a max of 15mm for the Brommie axle nuts and I don't need tire levers for any of my bikes so I never include them in a tool kit anyway. As nice as the Brompton tool kit is, I won't need it now.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=354560

That looks like a good solution you have Bass.

My adjustable wrench is a wee bit long for storing in the frame but it did fit the axel nut without being ground to a wider dimension. My old kit weighed 277 gm (inc tire levers) vs a reported 170 gm for the Brommie model although really that is insignificant in the big picture.

Once the new Brompton kit arrives I will return my old kit to its rightful place in the seat pack of my tandem and not deal with the minor hassle of remembering to make sure I have it when leaving on either the Brommie of the tandem.

I can't recall when I last forgot to take a tool kit with me but I'm sure the day I forget is the day I break down... and forget about the kit in the frame until a few hours later when I finally arrive home after carrying/wheeling the bike for miles.

Sometimes you just have to exercise your inner Charlie Brown.