In reply to Rigid Raider:
> I suppose to a commuter a puncture is something to avoid and the quality of the ride less important than getting there in one piece.
Spot on!
My Brompton is just a tool for the job. People do tour on them, presumably for their advantages on other forms of transport, but in terms of ride quality, the Brompton ride is dire in comparison to my other bikes.
Perhaps that's why my Brompton receives much less TLC than my other bikes - ironic really, since its actually the most expensive bike that I currently (ahem!) own.
Talking to my bike commuting colleagues, that seems normal - commuting bikes are generally unloved mules compared with their weekend stable mates.
N