I feel you're pain (literally) about this. I've just had to have another crown done. My dentist explained it just the way you said. When a tooth gets very bad, it needs a very large filling or a even root canal, but because there's so little of the original tooth left, the filling they put in can break again because the tooth is now weak. When you bite you put a lot of force on the filling. Might happen sooner, might happen later. But if you put a crown on top it should last decades. Because when you bite your putting force on the crown which in one whole piece so it can spread the load. My oldest crown was done over 20 years again and no issues since. The root canals are needed if you are going to have a crown. You can't fit a crown to a tooth that hasn't had a root canal. What's absolutely unforgivable is that your dentist didn't explain all this to you right at the start. My dentist explained it all to me, and gave me a summary right at the start that said, this is what we need to do, these are the options, if you want a crown, you will need a root canal that will cost XXX and then we can fit the crown on that and it will cost YYY so the total will be XXX+YYY=ZZZ. Your insurance will cover AAA of this, so the full procedure will cost you ZZZ-AAA. So I could make an informed decision. What they have done is disgraceful 😡
Great video, thanks Brian, and I do hope you find an affordable way to get those crowns sorted out. Re the upgrades, its interesting that as an older and less strong rider, my needs were different to yours, so although I did go for a telescopic seatpost, I didnt get the official Brompton one. I got one which allowed me to use a 27.2mm diameter Suntour SP12 suspension seatpost (maybe thats a standard European size, but not US). The brompton ride can be really harsh on rougher roads, so the suspension seatpost is great for me personally. I also upgraded the grips- I don't like the standard brompton grips, so I opted for wider and flatter grips because you can rest your hands in different positions, and over a long ride its nice not to have the strain just on one area of your hands and wrists etc. I also changed the rear suspension block for a spring type, which has more give in it, and so again gives a less harsh ride than the original. I also changed the front chainring from the standard 50 tooth to a 44 tooth, as I found the gearing wasnt low enough to allow easy riding up steeper slopes. The other major change was to a noseless saddle. I heard the police cyclists often use these saddles, because they spend hours in the saddle and the normal saddle nose can cause damage to the groin area over a long period of time. I did also fit a wheel extender for extra stability when trolleying the bike on an uneven surface, but the jury is still out on whether it's really worth it My next change will be slightly wider handlebars, which I hope will give a less twitchy feel to the ride, but I dont want to have the bars dragging on the floor when I trolley the bike along, so getting the right size will be crucial.
Thanks Brian. I have Brooks Cambrian C15. My upgrades are Brooks ergon grips, easiwheels and Joseph Kuosac handlebars. The JK bars are wider and sweep in slightly. I find them more comfortable for longer rides. I use Marathons as my default tyres. Thanks as always.
Hi Brian, I'm supposed to receive my 1st Brompton electric tomorrow (I'm sooo impatient). So in the meantime, I'm documenting myself in order to take the best care possible of my futur baby. That's how I fell on your videos. Personally, I like your rides and choice of music, your stories make me smile especially when you grumble (which seems to be quite often 😉). If to long for me, it's ok, I skip to the next part. Whatever seeing your enthousiasme with the Brompton helped me make my choice. Since I'm very difficult to please, I said to myself, if Brian is happy, I should be too. Sorry if I made mistakes, i'm French and feeling very lucky regarding our social and medical plans (which is sadly falling apart). It's sad to see in rich countries like the US, people not being able to take care of their health because they just can't afford it. Hope you'll find a way out.
It took me a couple years to save up for my crowns after my root canals. Everything was fine, just be aware not to bite on something that’s really hard.
Also, your insurance reviews every year. Find out when your insurance Windows of coverage starts over! I'm going through adult braces right now and very little is covered by my insurance. We're fixing my bite in the least invasive manner and it's costing me nearly $10,000 over 3 years.
Brian , iv just brought my 1st brompton and enjoying my new brompton experience, where I live here in Sussex ( England) I'll gladly swap my crown for those amazing cycle lanes which sadly hardly exist over here, but yeah , I dreading my next dentist appointment, always expensive ,happy days !👍🚴♂️
Cool, send your crown and I will send you 360 pictures of riding the trails😁 I'm Suprised that the UK doesn't have better bike infrastructure... I would think over there they would welcome nice bike paths through the beautiful countryside.🤷♂️
I like FlatOut in tubes of bikes with Schrader valve tubes Use the sealant in a city bike with road wheels, and in my Tern HSD. Lots of success, no mess. I plan on getting a Brompton C urban 2 speed. For mixing bike and trolley commutes. Will use FlatOut for sure.
I'm not one to talk because I have lousy teeth because of crummy insurance and like you I can't afford to pay all that out of pocket costs. I'm considering going to Mexico for dental. I've been watching hundreds of RU-vid videos on this and I am convinced that people in our situation that this can be a realistic way to afford a healthy and good looking grill. Thanks again for another great video. Mark from Maryland
Fillings can last for ages. Depends on the location and size but they can last for many years. In any case, if they do break an infection will not happen straight away. As long as you deal with it quickly it will be the same as doing the crown's right now.
Sad to say some of these medical offices are predatory. You must inform yourself with research prior to agreeing to have anything done. Weigh your options and shop around with other places for the best deal for you. Never put you trust blindly in the hands of anyone. Bless you, hope you have a better visit with someone else.
Hey you're right. Your dentist should have been more responsible. When describing what you needed they should have provided the fully story, including prices. Your opportunity, and responsibility (and I realize this happened over a year ago now), is to confront your health provider and demand either the coverage, given your circumstances, or request a hearing on an exception for you. In other words, take your understandable frustration and anger and turn it into assertiveness.
Thanks for the tire upgrade suggestion! I've had my first brompton for ten years and my second for 5 and I'm still running the stock tires that came with them on both. I'll give the marathon's a try on my daily rider.
Stay away from those chain dental stores. They are trained to upsale you. Find a good private, moral dentist that will not sell you what you don’t need. Find one by getting recommendations from others. You will be much, much happier. You will not hate going to the dentist anymore and your dental health will be much better.
Wow Brian, so sorry you were clusterfucked by that dentist!! That was ridiculous man; like you I couldn’t afford that!! At least in Britain i’ve got a NHS dentist… hope it works out for you, my friend! I have a Brooks Cambrian C17 on my Brommie, whitch works for me. Take care, Brian
Insurance is also a scam. I would save the money for dental & medical and when you need services shop around. Ask if you pay cash for the service can you get a reduction in the cost. Most will happily do that rather than have to deal with insurance companies. Search for Docs who are stand alone (not affilated with any medical group). They are flexable with options.
Getting a 2k shock makes for a horrible day, and not only a day but a whole month or more, I agree. Only thing is to look at things in perspective and pray for health and the chance to enjoy the simple things in life.
Concerning your seatpost, what is the diameter, in millimeters, of the 'in the frame' post and its total length, off the bike, in millimeters? Curious.
My sympathies in relation to the dentist Brian. And you're definitely right. No one likes going to them. I really liked the riding through the city part of your video. I really must make it to Denver and try it myself. Dentalwise and otherwise, stay healthy and safe Brian.
A kroon cost here in the Netherlands about €500 ,. The dentist say to me a year a go that I need one For now it’s filt whit sandart stuf I have no problems
I've dealt with some pricey dental work downtown, didn't get my permanent cap ever put on and it turned to getting it pulled. I suggest Alameda Dental in Aurora. I asked for a cost breakdown and they were amazing with providing that and taking the time that I needed financially to get stuff done, and they're a really lovely team. My company also got new insurance between dental work I got between downtown and Aurora so that might be a factor.
... changed from marathon plus to the racers (one)... though they seem much less resistent I dont seem to puncture them more often: this probably depends also heavily on tire pressure; mileage and luck... The factory grips are truly wearing out but not as fast... after 4 months and about 1k km, mine still look good... they will eventually have to be changed... Changing factory rolls is a good idea... but personally do not see any value in the preinstalled telescopic post... You can probably live with the fillings for quite awhile (check for wear and deformations) and do the crowns later one by one (perhaps by a bit less money-motivated denstist..): Kept 2 for 20 years after root channel and after being declared as "helpless" by several dentists...
I agree the Marathon Plus are first choice, but you should say something about keeping them at the right pressure too for every ride, I pump mine to 100psi and don't ever get flats about town. Sorry to hear the dentist story,
Is there a medical/dental univeristy system nearby? If so, they can usually cut you a break on dental work. But you'll have work done by dental residents instead of established dentists. I couldn't affford the Schwalbe Marathon plus so I treated the Racers with Stans tire sealant. No flats yet. I gotta change my seat though. I'm gonna check out your video in the Brooks Cambio. Happy riding !!
I'm glad you got some good advice on your healthcare situation. I wasn't at all expecting to watch a "bike video" and have all the thoughts & feelings about your situation and the situation that millions of Americans experience everyday in "the greatest country in the world". Maybe some warning. notice and/or editing next time? Anyway, best of luck in getting it all sorted out. I hope you're able to everything you need to be healthy taken care of.
I time stamped the video so those who just wanted to hear about the upgrades could skip to that part of the video. Some people don't want to watch the vlog part and others do. I think it makes things more personable. I appreciate you watching, and thank you😀👍
@@ibikeunfolded I want you to know that you're very personable. More so than many other people who do bike vids. One can be personable w/o getting into their personal matters. Also, do you really want that kind of personal info floating around on the Internet for the rest of your life?
I think those are temporary filings. Tell them to get permanent ones. Im going back to SEA this month and it will be cheaper to get a crown there. Dental work is really expensive in USA. Most dental insurance just cover basic stuff, more major procedures will only get paid by insurance for about 50-70%. Good luck.
I know, dental works is overpriced in my opinion. They need to at least have flexible payment options. I understand them not wanting to do payment options on cosmetic stuff, but the medical part should be easier to get.
Hi Brian. Thanks for all your info on Brompton bikes …I have been watching your channel for a long time and have learned a lot. Question: can you recommend a Schwalbe marathon plus tire on Amazon? I see different type. Which one do you have? I need to replace my tires…Thanks Brian.
@@ibikeunfolded Hi Brian, thanks for your videos. I’m a brand new foldie rider and have learned so much from you. (I bought a Zizzo Urbano.) Wanted to let you know that right now (Oct 9, 2022) Amazon (USA) does have the Marathon Plus tires listed in 16x1.35 at $49.99. Search line: SCHWALBE Marathon Plus Smart Guard SLX Wire. They are 16”. Thanks again very much! 😊
Thanks Brian, I had to get a new brompton as my older one got stolen. I got the titanium black edition 2021, and did all the same upgrades that you did thanks to your videos. And I hear you about the dentists, I find they’re often scammers trying to make coin.
For truly affordable dentistry and healthcare - move to Europe! I have had lots of work done over the years - in Belgium most recently. I have affordable insurance which covers about 90% of everything. I think Portugal is one of the easiest countries to get citizenship. And once you get it, you can live and work anywhere in the European Union (which no longer includes UK). Or you can see if you have European ancestry. I think for both Ireland and Italy, you can get citizenship if just one of your grandparents was from there. Most other countries would require a parent to have it.
At least you save money riding a bike. My dad loved everything with an internal combustion engine. I used to say he would have run his toothbrush with a two stroke motor if he had any teeth!
How do you feel about adding carbon wheels to your Brompton, like the Hubsmith carbon wheels. I guess you'll need new brakes too, however. I hope you fixed your teeth too! Stay healthy.
I have a private dental care insurance which costs me about 50€ monthly at age 56, but they cover almost everything that the statuory health insurance doesn't, so it's OK since dental stuff can get quite expensive quickly, especially if you don't want the cheapest option available but something more durable and better materials for example.
I hope your dental situation worked out alright. We are stuck with private dental in Australia too. Focus on staying healthy which means teeth health rather than what looks good. I stuck with the fillings when years ago I was recommended crowns and they've been fine. I pay attention to my teeth, I floss daily and brush with a soft brush after meals. My teeth don't look great but hell I don't care - I hate the way perfect teeth look anyway. If I get an issue I pay for a consult with a sympathetic dentist who knows my attitude and will not try to upsell me on dental products rather than what is important for my teeth and my health.
Yeah, teeth cost a lot! I love my luxury face bones, but in some cases, I actually got a few fillings from dentists in training--I would not recommend it for crowns. I think you'll have to save a pretty penny to be able to spend on those things.
And I also got an expensive new "crown" on a split tooth with a too large Amalgam filling, which had grown to split it, some years ago. I didn't like the cost at all! But as 74 the rest of my teeth will most like outlive me?😀
Hey Brian, I’m a bit late to the video a year later. The dentist thing was really not good for you. You have a lot of loyal subscribers here,nearly 9000. Set up a crowd fund page for your dental work and you should be sorted. I would chip in. Just getting into the Brompton thing now and working through the videos.
Absolutely love the Ergon grips. They have survived knocks and wear. They are also very comfortable. I was considering the telescoping seat post for carrying my brommy in a pelican case when travelling. You you think the added weight is a problem? Or is it not a concern?
Well for most people I would suggest the c line as it’s basic and still high quality. I’d steer clear of the p line and t line as they are super expensive.
Damn that sucks. The worst part was how they weren't forthcoming about the costs and put you on the spot. Like everyone has $2000 handy. Oh well, the upgrades are cool.
Teeth aren't a part of your body health. Eyes neither apparently. Sorry man. I assume this is long resolved, but usually you can go to a dental school. You definitely want an experienced dentist to do the root canal itself because that could really hurt, but a dental school should be able to do it cheap. It's funny I basically never see any RU-vidrs struggle with money. I always get dental insurance because it is the most bang for buck(usually) and I go toward the end of the year so I know the insurance resets if I need more. You are 100% correct though. Be well.
$2k does not go far in dentistry. I had root canal and crowns done and the total came to around $11k. I think is some European countries it's virtually free but hey this is the USofA Home of the brave, land of the free
Crowns are not free (Germany) but you ll probably pay not more than 1k for 2 crowns.... But foremost you ll find a dentist who will repair and maintain the fillings for several years before having to put the crowns...
I was wondering about bike crime in the US particularly in your State. Do you know of any News reports that Bromptons are being targeted by thieves more than other bikes?
Hi, Brian. I would like to know the diameter of the inner/upper part of the telescopic Brompton seat post. Actually, I just bought a Brompton brand new, but the seat is very uncomfortable to me. I would like to replace the stock seat post with the NCX Suntour suspension seat post that I have from a previous bike. Obviously, I cannot install it by replacing the stock Brompton seat post with it, as it is shorter and the diameter is less as well. However, I believe that I will be able to use it if I get a telescopic seat post. Then again, I didn't find the diameter of the inner or upper tube anywhere online. Could you please help me as you have it?
You say, the only 5 Upgrades worth getting. Sry, i disagree. For You it's the 5 best ... not for me and there are for sure other People that would say the same. For Example: Extended Seatpost - I don't need it. I'm not tall enough and i have Places where I'm not allowed to bring my Brompton in. So i must lock it outside and the standard Post is just fine for me. The plastic Easy wheels? I use my folded Bike a lot, Metal easy Wheels and Wheel extender are a must have. (I managed to bend the OG Plastic Wheels ) So i would rather say ... Call it, My top 5, because it works for you the best. BTW ... just 1/4 of a Video for the Upgrades and the Rest is everything else. 😅 interesting choice. Other People would have made 2 Videos out of it.
Well in my video I said that the upgrades are “my” upgrades- which is what works best for me. It's ok to disagree.....thats what makes the world go around😀 Extented seat post as mentioned in the video provides the ability to mount my bicycle lights without having to use those rubber band things that always break. That Extension wheel thing I have no use for personally and as far as the video length....i like to add my personal vlog stuff to the video to give it some personality. As I understand people may not want to watch all that, I time stampped the video so people could go to the section of the video the came to see.😀👍
I appreciate your dilemma but sell a couple of bikes and fix your teeth mate! You're a working class bloke who owns multiple Brompton's! Most people own one and that includes me (another working class bloke). Sell some of your bikes, fix your teeth, continue to make videos and buy more bikes when you can...but not at the expense of your teeth! Bikes are replaceable.....teeth, and more importantly gum/bone density, are not. Look after yourself mate.
It’s not the bikes that are the problem….I maybe working class, but I don’t own a car and with the money I save in gas alone I could almost buy a Brompton a year. I make over 100,000 dollars a year but with the expense of living in an expensive city and having to send money to my ex for the children I’m not able to save much. I set up a dental expense account because I was not aware that my dental insurance covered so little during a calendar year. I hardly use my dental insurance and I have paid into it for years only to get two root canals with no crowns and have it top out. It’s ridiculous because when you need dental care at my age there usually is multiple problems to address. I get what you’re saying about taking care of one’s self and I agree. I don’t need to sell my bikes I just need to budget better….now that I know that my insurance only covers so much, I can now plan accordingly and have the appropriate money set aside for such issues in the future. 😊 thanks
