Cyclist UK – March 2023
English | 133 pages | pdf | 69.81 MB
Hold on, what’s this? Small wheels, folding frame, casual wear – have we changed into Commuting World ? Fear not, we’re still dedicated to the road, but this little bike deserves a special mention.
Brompton is a rare British manufacturing success story, especially in the bike industry, with growing markets around the world. Sales of its folding bikes topped 93,000 last year, which is rather a lot more than the 500 a year the company produced back when it started in the early 1980s.
More importantly, as our profile on p68 reveals, Brompton’s CEO, Will Butler-Adams, is not just concerned about sales figures and profit margins, he is passionate about how the bike – any bike – can transform society and make this world of ours a slightly more pleasant place to live.
As a magazine, Cyclist UK has always championed road cycling (and more recently its rowdy younger sibling, gravel cycling). Our focus has been on presenting the most advanced bikes and kit, and showcasing the most beautiful places around the world to ride for pleasure and personal challenge.
That isn’t about to change, but we’re also in the job of persuading people that cycling isn’t some elite fraternity, closed off to those who don’t know the difference between a bottle and a bidon. If we want people to discover the joys of road cycling, first they have to discover cycling, and the Brompton is the perfect gateway bike – a simple, affordable alternative to using a car or public transport for short journeys and commuting. It’s a bike that can turn non-cyclists into cyclists.
As a successful captain of industry, Butler-Adams is uniquely placed to get the ear of politicians (they love to come for a photo op at his London factory), and so can promote the values of cycling for our environment, our air quality, our physical health and our mental wellbeing. He can present the case for better cycling infrastructure and more cycling-friendly roads. In short, he’s in a position to make cycling better for all of us. So, thank you Brompton.
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