While I was cycling, my rear wheel suddenly locked up, and I heard a strange cracking sound. To my surprise, the Brompton pump had somehow become entangled in the spokes of the rear wheel — in a way I can't even begin to understand.
How is that even possible?
Fortunately, I was lucky and only the pump was damaged — please see the attached photo.
However, this was a very dangerous incident.
Anyone has ever heard of something like that?
by Kontro83
12 Comments
Was it still in the two holders, or had it come out of them?
Either way, you need to adjust the holders so that they hold the pump firmly, away from the wheel. Or ditch the pump and carry a CO2 inflator if you need the insurance of being able to fix and inflate a tube.
It happened to others, please be aware of this! https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/comments/1b4lasy/horrible_experience_with_emergency_pump/
This is such a common occurrence that I’m surprised they’re still selling these.
I got lucky where mine fell out one day and I just ran over it instead. Bought a new one and it hasn’t fallen out yet but I’m tempted to put Velcro around it one of these days.
In the 10 years of owning my Brompton, I have never had my pump come out of its holder.
There is no major issue you are trying to imply.
Mine jammed itself through the spokes and locked the back wheel as I was crossing a major road in London.
Fortunately someone helped me drag the bike out of the path of oncoming traffic, but it’s a serious design flaw.
I’m 99% sure this isn’t a design flaw.
It’s quite exposed on the folded bike, I suspect the holders are getting bent folding/storing etc. and negligent owners aren’t noticing.
Have you used that pump much? The one that came with mine could barely move air. I recommend tossing it.
It happened to my c line when I was walking it around. It fell in to the rims and lodged. I was lucky that I wasn’t pedalling. Since then I kept it in my bag. Yeah, it’s dangerous.
You should really do a bike check at the beginning of every ride. It is very easy to forget and to form the habit of not doing so, but it really is best practice.
I bought some restrap fast straps and have my pump on the side of the main frame tube, but I stopped using that pump after I used it a couple of times and the plastic threads got damaged. Bad design having the threads being plastic in my opinion.
New fear unlocked. Maybe I’ll lightly glue it in place and I can break the glue when I need it. Which has been never so far.
I won’t claim that this isn’t a potentially serious problem or that it isn’t a common occurrence, however it does sound a bit like an example of the false consensus effect. (i.e., you never read post ride reports from happy people who didn’t have their pump detach.)
I have never had it happen to me, having ridden my previous Brompton H6R regulary since about 2018 until I sold it a bit over a month ago.
Of course I’ve never needed to use the pump and have probably only removed and reseated it fewer than five times over the years. I have to admit that it wasn’t a conscious part of any pre-ride checks either.
I always thought of the pump as potentially useful emergency item that I hoped I would never have to use.
Fortunately the T-Line I bought to replace the previous Brompton doesn’t have it and instead I carry a portable electric pump – way more capable of quickly reaching the 80+ psi pressure I usually run.