Bike Tune-Up courtesy of Mang Nestor of Tryon

As you should know by now, there are no Brompton distributors or dealerships here in the Philippines. Ergo, no Brompton-trained mechanic available. Which brings us to the question, where do Brompton owners bring their folding bikes for servicing?

Enter Mang Nestor, the longtime bike mechanic of Tryon Bike Shop in JP Rizal Ave., Makati City. According to my friend Abel, Mang Nestor is the closest we have to a Brompton expert here in the Philippines because he is familiar with the parts, and has figured out how to take them out and put them back together.

So after my Vietnam trip, and with Brommie Skywalker still covered in Mekong Delta mud, I brought my bike to Tryon for some cleaning and a tune-up. This was the first time, since I bought it in Taiwan last year, that the crankset and derailleur would be taken out and cleaned. Mang Nestor looked like he knew what he was doing. He removed the chain and dipped it in a bowl half-filled with gas. He did the same with the other parts, this time using a brush to remove the dirt and grime.

After about an hour of cleaning and brushing, Mang Nestor was done. He reinstalled the parts and put oil on the chain. I checked his work area for any "extra" parts left behind, and to my relief there were none. I paid Mang Jaime, the manager, P100 for the service, and also gave a tip to Mang Nestor for the wonderful work he did on my folding bike.

So if you find yourself in the Philippines with your Brompton and need it serviced, look no further. Bring your bike to Mang Nestor at Tryon Bike Shop located at 425 JP Rizal Ave., Brgy. Olympia, Makati City.