A few months ago I picked up a blue Brompton as a new restoration project and a way to learn something different. I specifically wanted a Brompton because the whole folding system makes it completely unlike working on a regular bike — more complicated in some ways, but also way more interesting. I figured it would force me to learn new things, and it definitely did.
At first glance the bike actually looked pretty decent, but after a quick wash I decided to completely strip it down anyway so I could inspect every single component properly and restore anything that needed attention.
In the end I replaced the tires, cables, saddle, grips, mudguards, and one of the shifters that was completely trashed. I also polished the entire frame to bring the paint back to life. The transformation was honestly bigger than I expected — the bike barely shows its age now, and the blue really shines again.
What I enjoyed most about this project was discovering how cleverly engineered these bikes are once you fully take them apart. Every little mechanism feels intentional, and restoring one gave me a whole new appreciation for why people love Bromptons so much.
I documented the whole process along the way, from the first cleaning to the final rebuild, and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing it.
For those of you who’ve worked on Bromptons before: what part surprised you the most when you first tore one down? And for the longtime owners — what’s the one upgrade or detail you think makes the biggest difference on these bikes? 🚲✨
by avwm91
9 Comments
Great work! Great pics!
I think the one thing that makes the biggest difference is changing nuts and bolts, across the whole bike including the brake calipers to stainless steel, I know it’s only a small thing but when you see rust/corrosion, to me it really ages an item. Things such as chips or scratches are wear and tear.
The difference you’ve made on yours is very impressive.
I changed the original crank to the current Brompton JIS 130mm bolt circle crank, which improves efficiency of pedaling power transfer, maybe by 2+ %, and the stiffness of the crankset can be noticed as a definiteness to the Brompton’s response when you pedal, particularly during the moments of a sprint.
Great work!
Good work OP lovely job.
Oh, nice. What did you use to cut/polish the old paint, it’s the only thing I don’t do?
> what’s the one upgrade or detail
I fold/unfold a lot so I always upgrade or change the clamps on all the Broms I’ve worked on. At the very least, adding in the alignment spring helps with that annoyance, but recently I’ve upgraded to speed handles: https://i.imgur.com/TUtJ1Zl.png
Every Brom I’ve bought has always had a front wheel dynamo, so I always change the front lamp (bulb or LED) to a proper B+W lamp for lighting up the road at night: https://cdn.rosebikes.de/images/F80A45D4715428EA65FFA5F344454774.png
Edit: the green-flashed front tire? I’m thinking that’s original to the bike which is at least 14 years old.
Nicely done!
Beautiful Work! Who makes that stand if you don’t mind me asking and does work well?
Better grips, saddle & bars, then the gears, (need lowering)….