LDier

I'm hoping to get a Brompton someday, and kinda wanted to get a bright colored one (maybe yellow). But am wondering if the paint gets chipped from folding? It might be tough to touch up a chipped yellow Brompton's paint. Maybe black is better if the paint job gets chipped. I'm pretty careful with my bikes and like to keep them looking good. But a folding bike might get beat up?

blakcloud

The paint on the Bromptons is quite durable and the fold itself will not scratch up the paint. I don't think you need to worry about that. My bike has gotten scratches from where I put the bike when folded. For example in the cargo hold of a Greyhound bus without putting it in a bag first put a few scratches on my bike. Live and learn on that one. Now I use a Ikea Dimpa bag when traveling that way. You can always buy the accessories that cover the frame and stem in leather or neoprene if you want even more protection. I think you will be fine with any colour you choose.

LDier

I'm hoping to get a Brompton someday, and kinda wanted to get a bright colored one (maybe yellow). But am wondering if the paint gets chipped from folding? It might be tough to touch up a chipped yellow Brompton's paint. Maybe black is better if the paint job gets chipped. I'm pretty careful with my bikes and like to keep them looking good. But a folding bike might get beat up?

jur

Didn't you believe the answers in the other thread you asked??

keyven

In my experience, my 2014 Brompton rubbed and chipped a noticeable amount of paint off the rear triangle where the plastic 'leg' (of the front wheel) sits on when folded. Mostly it was because I was not that careful given I didn't know that area would be so susceptible.

I'd highly suggest using "helicopter tape" or similar on there first - though I've covered about 15% of my Brompton with stickers/tape to prevent the brake and gear cables from rubbing the paint off.

LDier

Oopps. Sorry jur. When I first posed this question I thought it didn't go thru. When I came back to my iPad a few hours later, it said something like the tag had expired. So I thought my post didn't go through. So I copied the question and put a new title on it and sent it again. I'm new to this forum and the iPad. So I'll try to be more careful in the future.
Thanks keyven for the comment.

Ozonation

The store I bought mine from actually thought the dark coloured Bromptons looked worse compared to the lighter colours over time. I suppose it's subjective.

I should state that like blakcloud, the scratches, etc. on my bike are from the usual bumps and wear-and-tear that would face any bike, not from folding it.

Mr_Garth

Same here, no scratches from folding/unfolding. Mine also has some very minor blemishes from storing, moving but nothing from fold. I would get std. black or maybe green if you are worried about those, surely anything shows up better in say yellow?

-Garth

jur

The place on the chainstay where the front wheel hook goes when folding, tends to wreck the paint there.

Earl Grey

Mine came with a little black piece of plastic wrapped around it there. Since the plastic seems pretty tough (and the rest of my bike is black) I've just left it on. I protected the cable rub points (folded and unfolded) with helicopter tape.

I do have a scratch on the fork where one of the cables presses against it, exacerbated by being transported in the B&W case, which is a tight squeeze in the width dimension. Pressure was enough to go through the tape and then the paint. But I'm sure it'll touch up fine. At least as of 2012 the black color was matte finish - maybe they all are now. Easier to repair than gloss.

Only other mark on mine is from where I didn't follow the correct order for fold / unfold. I forget which, but it's possible to scratch the rear triangle with the folding pedal.

FedericoMena

Mine gets more scratched from daily use than from folding. I guess most of the scratches are from leaning the bike onto something.

Such is life - get some fingernail polish in the color of your bike, and be done with it.

Earl Grey

I suppose I could, but I think I'd look silly.

chagzuki

I've had helicopter tape covering most of my Brompton for 3 years. I haven't peeled any off, I guess I ought to be concerned that the areas without tape will have faded through UV exposure and there'll be daft-looking hard edges where the tape was. But it's certainly been great for preventing paint damage, and it looks great over the gloss finish also, adding an extra degree of sheen.

fietsbob

some people think the bikes are silly enough, as it is ..

jur

After you posted originally about this kind of tape, I searched until I found a whole roll to buy. Put it on all my bikes. The remarkable thing about the tape is it settled perfectly. Initially it may look a bit crappy with thin areas of non-adherance, but all those disappear for a perfect finish. Air bubbles I usually puncture with a pin and press flat. Again, at first they remain visible but over a few days, everything disappears. Great stuff, very tough. Also conforms to non-flat surfaces.

chagzuki

Yeah, it's awesome stuff. My bike seems to stay in a state of permanent newness and I bought it second hand; the frame was actually manufactured in 2001 so it's kinda odd to think it's 13 years old and looks near-perfect (the original owner clearly hadn't used it much). The SA hub ought to keep ticking over forever also, particularly running on oil.

keyven

Brompton should offer a free roll of tape with every bike imo. Or "modify" an existing brand, stick their own name on it, and insist everyone buy it, use it or LIVE IN REGRET FOREVER, much like Brooks' "accept-no-substitutes" proofide.

rawuk

Hi, no is the simple answer except on the older models the pedal when folded will hit the main tube and scratch it, which is why I designed a leather handle which doubles up as a frame protector.

airwulf

I have a 2012 H6L and the manual has a "warning" to unfold the folding pedal before fully opening the frame to prevent scratching the left stay. Unfortunately I missed this tidbit and gouged the stay the second day of ownership. Other minor chips stemmed from clamping my portable bottle holder to the frame without a protective piece of rubber under the clamping surfaces.

Ozonation

Wow. Sounds like you've got a chip on your shoulder with Brompton there!

fietsbob

treatment/counseling for Obsessions are available.

Earl Grey

No need for expensive counseling - try shoulder-colored nail polish.

jur

I just learned by experience that Brompton's new crankset has a design flaw. When the folded pedal is rotated on its axle, it rides over the bump which is supposed to prevent it from over-folding. So it over-folds and scratches the frame. Fail. Brompton.

jimboach

Oh get over it. Scratches happen. It adds character.

alienbogey

The Bromfoot plastic protector for the folding pedal will keep the pedal from scratching the frame. I wish I'd known about it before getting a few scratches from the over-folded pedal. The Bromfoot solves the problem and you don't even know it's there, either from a use or appearance standpoint.