80km on the Brompton: New Gearing and a Lost Pair of Goggles

Gear · Published 10/17/2022 ·

This day I rode about 80 kilometers on the Brompton.

If I hadn’t worked my part-time shift, I could’ve squeezed out another 2km or so — but it’s not a big deal.

The ride snacks I’d packed turned out to be not exactly generous, but enough to get by.

Taking a quick break at the Yeouido rest stop.

Each rest stop has volume-based trash bags set up, so you can toss the little bits of garbage that pile up along the way — which I loved. I just hope the cost of installing and running those trash bags comes out cheaper than the cleanup would.

I paid a visit to that place underground — you know the one.

I added a 21T.

My final gearing now sits at 11, 13, 18, and 21T.

It’s set up as 2-speed for climbs and 2-speed for flat riding, and I’ve had no shifting trouble.

I guess the folks who work on Bromptons are all kind of similar.

A bit of an… attitude.

This isn’t about me, but I overheard something nearby and figured I’d jot down a few thoughts.

The way I see it, if you’re providing a service, and the customer wants something you’re able to provide, you should provide it regardless of your own personal taste. That’s what being a true professional is about.

What I heard was someone saying they wouldn’t do the work because it wasn’t to their taste.

With Bromptons, there’s a huge range of tastes and cultures. That’s exactly why you get such a variety of results, and that’s the charm of it.

If everyone went lightweight, or everyone slapped on leather, or everyone tuned theirs gold, where would the fun be in that?

Tinkering this way and that is exactly how your own style emerges — so how can anyone confidently tell you the taste you’ve built up over a lifetime is somehow “wrong”?

Like they’re being all classy about it? But at the end of the day, the mechanics make their living getting paid for a service — it’s their job, and they’re professionals.

If a clueless customer went through some clueless channel and paid more than the going rate — well, whatever, that’s their spending, and it’s none of anyone’s business. Not unless you’re going to pay for it on their behalf.

The weather had been threatening all along, and sure enough, by the time I reached Ilsan I rode home over roads that had just been drenched by a downpour.

This day I even lost my goggles.

I left them at the rest stop and just walked off without realizing. I’d used them for ten years so I’m not too attached, but it still stings a little.

Ten years across mountains, the sea, and riding — I’d grown pretty fond of those goggles.

I’d never swapped a cassette before, and I didn’t have the tools… never swapped pedals either, no tools for that… it was always something like that.

So once again I find myself resolving: I should just hurry up and buy some bike tools and start swapping parts to my liking.

It’s really not that hard. (Coming from a beginner, of course…)

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