Kinetics – the blog…

Cutting tools…, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

Weekends are my time for tidying the workshop, cleaning everything up and putting tools back where they’re meant to be, not in a pile on the floor.

People wonder why it’s so hard to make lots of money in the bike industry – here’s one little reason, each of these tools cost at least £250, and they’ve each got specialist uses that mean you can’t bodge with something else. Some get used frequently, some very rarely. I forgot to include the Schlumpf bottom bracket mitering tool, the Brompton rear pivot reaming tool, seatpost reamers, disc brake boss reamers,…

Click on the picture above to get a version with descriptions of everything.

I’ve had a crate of these for ages, but keep forgetting about them – I ended up with the last of the Karrimor spares when they went bust. I’ve got both red and blue top hooks – £5 per pair.

No disclocks, sorry – though you can bodge a serviceable one with a p-clip and a 2p piece with a hole in the middle

Green 8-spd Brompton, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

Fitted the latest version of the 8-speed kit to a new bike today – usually, I make the parts as I need them, but this time I made all the parts first and then fitted them so I could time how long it takes.

About 50 minutes.

That’s converting a brand new singlespeed Brompton – it’ll take a bit longer if you need to take off a geared hub first…

Koga Founder S with Mountain Drive, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

A little modification needed, but works well

Brrr…, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

This isn’t the best weather to work on giant advertising trikes which won’t fit in the shop

Signature Rohloff, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

The first of several Koga Signature Rohloff-equipped touring bikes has arrived – the new frame design with sliding dropouts is very neat.

http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/html/koga_signature.shtml

Because of the rather stark nature of clause 6* in Brompton’s warranty terms and conditions, I asked them to clarify the issues surrounding modifications and the warranty. The response is much more nuanced, and sounds very reasonable to me:

This limitation on the warranty for the bike is aimed at those that are significantly modifying the frame e.g. stretching the fork or rear frame to get a bigger over locknut dimension so they can fit an electric motor or Rohloff hub; or are in some other way affecting the loading on the frame e.g. a mountain drive; or are adding bits that change the loading on the frame e.g. fitting a child seat to the front carrier block. These are examples of mods that owners, dealers and distributors have undertaken and all invalidate the warranty as they are likely to adversely affect the life of the frame.
I think that in practice we would not question a warranty claim on a
frame component if the bike turned up with non-standard tyres, or even had different brake callipers or brake pads. However, we would take issue if someone modified their forks or rear frame to allow use of V, or side-pull brakes, as that entails a frame modification. It’s really akin to the principle that car manufacturers have, which is if you modify your car to ’soup it up’ in any way e.g. for rally driving, or you lower the suspension etc. etc. then they rightly say the car is then not being used in the way it was designed and the warranty is nullified. They don’t specify what make tyres or brake pads you have to use, and they probably wouldn’t baulk at the boy-racer bits of body work modification, as that’s just cosmetic, but they certainly wouldn’t support the car if it’s got a different gearbox, engine, suspension etc to that originally fitted.

I also asked whether Kinetics customers who were still within their warranty period could have their bike serviced by me without invalidating their warranty. Brompton replied that they have no issue with me continuing to service Bromptons.

So some good clarification there, and it all sounds reasonable to me – historically, the ad-hoc agreement was always that my modifications wouldn’t necessarily invalidate the warranty, it’d be decided on a case-by-case basis. Not that we’ve ever had a case

And good news on the second point too – I’m still very happy to service your Brompton, it won’t affect your warranty, and if you bought it from me of course you don’t pay for labour – only parts.

*Clause 6 says “The bicycle must not have been subject to any modification, repair or replacement other than as authorised by Brompton”

8-speed tensioners, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

Spent all day making a batch of tensioners for the 8-speed Brompton kit – it’s more efficient making a batch, but very boring! Especially when you have to completely dismantle the tensioner, machine off a bit of it, and reassemble using different bolts and different washers.

This is a new improved design, though – it has fixed instead of floating pulleys, which keeps the pulleys further away from the spokes, and it now uses standard off-the-shelf jockey wheels which can easily be replaced if they wear out.

8-speed Brompton wheels, originally uploaded by Ben Cooper.

Just finishing off another batch – the latest version has an improved chain tensioner

As usual at this time of year, I have a cleanout and find lots of stuff I forgot I had So, if any of this catches your eye, give me a call – 0141 942 2552. Prices are negotiable within reason…

Shimano Ultegra Triple Chainset – 52-39-30, 172.5mm cranks. This was supplied fitted to a new bike, but was swapped for shorter cranks – so they’ve been fitted but not used. All parts are included, including the bottom bracket. RRP: £220 – this one £175.

Shimano XT Chainset – M760 44-32-22, 175mm cranks. A couple of years old, but boxed and unused. No BB cups. RRP: £220, this one £100.

Cycloc wall-mouting bike hanger, orange. I’ve got a few of these, new and boxed – it’s a very clever way to hang a bike on the wall, and it works for most recumbents too. £50.

Pantour front disc hub, black, 36h, 1″ travel. New and unused, I’ve got a couple of these – the disc fitting is an odd one, so you might need a rotor from Pantour to complete it. These were about £185 new – these ones £100 each.

HPVelotechnik Moonbiker T-shirts – new, size XL. £10.

Birdy seatpost – old-style in-line one, ti coloured. £10.

Brompton telescopic seatpost – new. RRP £36 – these ones £25.

Brompton P-type bars, new – RRP £31.50 – these ones £20.

Brompton M-type bars, new – RRP £20 – these ones £10.

Brompton P-type stem, upper and lower parts with clamp. Arctic Blue, slightly scuffed. RRP £125 – this one £50.

Brompton M-type stem, upper and lower parts with clamp. Raw Lacquer – the older gloss finish. New, unused and mint condition. RRP £145 – this one £100.

Brompton S-type stem, upper and lower parts with clamp. Raw Lacquer, the newer matt finish, perfect condition. RRP £125 – this one £80.