Brompton Hard Suspension

Brompton have offered an alternative to the standard suspension block, in the form of the ‘hard’ block for sometime now. It’s available for ‘heavier’ riders or for riders who prefer a firmer ride. Now I’m not by any means heavy so I imagine that puts me in the second camp. I do prefer a stiffer back end, all of my previous bikes have either been hard tail XC bikes or rigid trials bikes. I thought for the price I could get it for, it would be worth a try just to see how I get on with it. 
Just in case anyone reading this is considering getting one of these I usually either order my bike parts from SJS cycles or get direct from a suitable shop if I’m desperate, but SJS let me down this time, with P&P it would’ve worked out at £9! So I decided to test out Simpson Cycles which is based in North London. I ordered through the website on Sunday evening and received the block on Tuesday morning not bad for £3.70 plus free postage! Also, there was a hand written note thanking me for my custom and with the name of the person who had packed my order; a small thing but a nice touch. very little physical difference between the ’soft’ and ‘hard’ blocks, I think the difference I could see was just down to the softer block having been used. The only real way to tell the difference between them is that the ‘hard’ block has a small yellow spot on it; though from what I’ve read this will rub off fairly quickly. I fitted the block immediately, which is a very simple matter of removing the nut at the back of the current block and swapping the fittings over. While I was there, I wiped out all the old grease which was more dirt and salt etc and regreased. It’s worth greasing as the suspension block can be the cause of a curious squeak! I’ve since taken the Brompton out for a quick 2 mile spin to run some errands and the difference is immediately noticeable. Not only can you feel every lump and bump in the road (which, due to the cold snap are painfully frequent, more on that later…), but somehow the rear end of the bike feels much more in line with the rest of the bike. I think the hard block in conjunction with Marathon Plus tyres could be a lethal combination for my lower back. I will leave it on for a while and see if I get used to it. I do like being at one with the tarmac, but if it starts getting painful it could be a step too far.

In summary, for the lighter rider, the hard block does give the Brompton a much more positive and rigid feel but you pay the price and lose the ride comfort. If you’re umming and ahhing about changing to the hard block, I think for the money it’s worth buying it and giving it a bash and see if you get on with it. I will update after I have covered some more serious mileage…