DIY Brompton Emergency Toolkit

Brompton is coming out with their own toolkit (dunno when). It looks really nice, but it will likely be a costly little set.

Inspired by the forthcoming Brompton kit, I pieced together an impromptu toolset.  Admittedly, it lacks a crescent wrench to remove the front wheel, but it’s a start and I’ll update if/when I figure out where to stash a small adjustable wrench.

First, I snaked a replacement inner tube into the long top tube. The inner tube is curved, mimicking the shape of the top tube so it’s a pretty easy fit. The schrader valve makes for a good handle and the tube comes out without hassles.

It turns out that the Pedros Hex Set plus Screwdrivers fits in the front part of the top tube along with one tire lever. Be sure to put the hex set in first with the fat end pointing towards the head tube. Then use the tire lever as a wedge to hold the wrench in place. (The piece of inner tube or rubber band wrapped around the tire lever provides some padding and stops the duo from falling out when the bike is folded).

The zefal pump that came with my bike is basically worthless–I was never able to get more than a few psi with that thing. So I got a Lezyne Road Drive pump, which I housed in the seat post. (Some inner tube wrapped around the end helps keep it firmly in place).

With tire, levers, hex- & screwdrivers, and a pump, I’m ready for almost anything. Now, how about that crescent wrench?

Update: I simply slid a 5/8″ wrench in with the inner tube and now I’m all set. Also, if you pick up the Lezyne pump, be sure to get the one with the Schrader and Presta (rather than the Presta/Slip fittings that come standars with that pump — both of those fittings are actually Presta). I contacted Lezyne and they sent me a free replacement hose for free, which was super nice of them (great customer service as well).

All of the tools laid out:

One thought on “DIY Brompton Emergency Toolkit”

  1. This is a brilliant idea and got me thinking. I have come up with an alternative, as all I am likely to need on my commute is to fix a puncture.

    So, what did I use?

    A typical multi-head bike spanner, a hex key that was lying around to be able to remove the Brompton seat post bung and a couple of old tyre levers which I shortened slightly. Oh, and a Bontrager Air Pocket Pump to slide up in the seat post, a few bits of old inner tube, the end of an old handlebar grip and a couple of bits of ribbon/tape.

    Slip spanner, with hex key slotted through one end and the tyre levers on each side of the spanner, into a short piece of old inner tube.

    Cut the old grip so you have about 3cm (or more depending on the width of your package) at the closed end to use as your bung to keep everything in the front part of the frame. Put a small length of ribbon through the closed end of the grip to help with extraction of your kit from the frame tubing.

    Put the piece of grip over the end of the spanner that does not have the hex slotted into it and push the whole assembly into the frame.

    Put your inner tube into the other part of the main frame – it may make it slide easier if you put it in a long thin plastic bag.

    Now cut a length of inner tube about 4cm longer than your pump and again, use a length of ribbon to make a pull tag. Put the pump in the tube and push it up into the seat post, then put your Brompton bung back in (Even if you don’t have Eazy Wheels on your Brompton you can buy the bungs)

    And there you have it. Overall cost was a couple of pounds (99p for the spanner; old plastic levers just sitting in the garage; hex key form some flat pack furniture and some old tube and grips that would have gone in the bin). Overall weight of pump and tool kit is about 190g (90g for the tools and 100g for the pump in its tubing – spare inner tube on top of that of course but couldn’t be bothered to weigh that.

    I have not used the bike yet since making this, so I hope it stays in place but if not I have hardly lost any money as the pump is safe and sound and dry and clean up in the seat post – and on the titanium Brompton you cannot attach a pump anyway.

    This link (if it works) has some pictures.
    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/aflw9o2b8xz4ug0/AAB2r7ul8_6w8DRAXtqdQdB1a

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