BRITISH INVASION: Brompton Unfolds Big Plans for Stateside Bike Lovers
Table of Contents • NEWS RELEASE: Britain’s Brompton Folding Bicycle Company Celebrates 25 Years with World Tour and Big Plans for U.S. Market • NEWS RELEASE: Brompton Launches NEW Front-Facing, Stylish Game Bag • Brompton: History For press inquiries, photography, interviews, information and review samples: Steve Gill COMMUNICATIONS Brompton steve@ghost-pr.com Mobile: 612-839-9730 For wholesale inquiries, sales, partnerships and promotional opportunities: Company Contact: Ross Hawkins ross@brompton.co.uk 02082323553
Press Contact: Steve Gill U.S. COMMUNICATIONS 612-839-9730 steve@ghost-pr.com
Britain’s Brompton Folding Bicycle Company Celebrates 25 Years with World Tour and Big Plans for U.S. Market Commemorates Quarter Century with Brazer Competition; World Tour for 25th Anniversary Bike West London, England, 2014 – It’s hard to believe it’s been over 25 years since Brompton founder Andrew Ritchie began developing his famously innovative design for a new kind of folding bike in his flat overlooking the Brompton Oratory in London. The design took a while to get off the ground, but to commemorate the anniversary of 25 years of full time production, 2014 will see an expanded Brompton presence in the United States market as well as an ambitious world tour of the 25th Anniversary Brompton Bicycle - built from frame parts judged to be of the highest standard by Ritchie himself. “We’ve come a long way in the past 25 years,” says Ross Hawkins, Brompton marketing manager. “Many of our employees and the brazers who hand make our frames have been here since the very early days. They’ve seen a lot of change and growth, and we’re all looking forward to where the next 25 years take us.” Brompton now exports to more than 40 countries worldwide but started with just three employees in an unheated railway arch in west London. The company now totals more than 200 staff in a 35,000 square foot modern factory over two sites. In that time, Brompton has helped pave the way for resurgence in British bicycle culture that is now attracting worldwide attention. To mark the auspicious milestone, Brompton’s brazers, the experts who hand braze (a form of welding) each Brompton frame went head to head to create the ultimate, perfect frame for a special 25th anniversary Brompton bicycle. Competition was fierce, with brazers new and old vying for their workmanship to be the definitive memory of 25 years of high-quality, unbeatable manufacturing. The winning frame will embark on a 2014 tour to all Brompton Junctions – Brompton’s flagship retail stores – around the world, starting the year in London at the new retail store in Covent Garden. The tour will also include a special appearance in New York City in May to honor Bike Month in the United States. Visit www.brompton.com for more information about Brompton Bicycle, additional cycling accessory information, the online bike builder, and to find your nearest dealer.
About Brompton Bicycle, Ltd (http://www.brompton.com) All Brompton folding bicycles are designed and built in the Brompton factory in West London, England. Brompton has been in full production since 1988.The company remains in private hands and is now led by Will Butler-Adams, though the Brompton inventor, Andrew Ritchie, continues to act as Technical Director. Today, Bromptons are sold in more than 40 export markets. In the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Ireland and China, Brompton bikes are sold directly to bicycle retailers. About the Brompton Folding Bicycle The Brompton is a bike, which rides superbly, is safe, agile and fast, yet folds easily and quickly into a highly compact and portable package. Finely engineered and elegant, the Brompton has a full-sized frame, made mainly of steel for strength and stiffness. It is designed to be practical and light enough to be genuinely portable; ranging from 9–12½ kg (20–28lbs) depending on model type. A personal transport solution, the Brompton allows people to rethink, vary and adapt their journeys at will. Their Brompton sets them free from the constraints imposed by the combustion engine, city planners, weather, public transport administrators, bike thieves and countless other layers of complexity.
Press Contact: Steve Gill COMMUNICATIONS 612-839-9730 steve@ghost-pr.com
Brompton Launches NEW Front-Facing, Stylish Game Bag New Canvas,Water-Repellent Bag Perfect for Urban Commuter, Stylish Cyclist West London, England, January 2014 – Brompton, the U.K.’s leader in the design and creation of full-sized, agile folding bicycles brings the new, city-chic Game Bag stateside just in time for Bike Month, May 2014. “We’re excited to launch our new Game Bag – the perfect, must-have item for riding around town and commuting to and from the office,” says Ross Hawkins, Brompton marketing manager. “The stylish bag satisfies our customers’ demand for something robust yet fashion forward. We can’t wait to get the bag into the hands of our loyal Bromptoneers.” Developed in collaboration with historied British luggage maker Chapman Bags. The supremely functional Game Bag will appeal to the Brompton owner and cycling enthusiast seeking a high-quality accessory that celebrates the best of British manufacturing with style. Hand made in North West England, each bag is made from highgrade, premium cotton canvas, providing robust construction and a high level of water resistance for even the most changeable rides. Additionally, every bag is individually checked and hand signed at the Chapman factory. Inside, the Game Bag consists of one main compartment, a padded laptop pocket, two zippered bellows pockets at the front, and one side pocket. Available in three attractive color options: Olive Green, Navy Blue and Mustard Yellow, the practical bag is finished with full grain leather and solid brass hardware. Like the rest of the Brompton range, the Game Bag benefits from the convenient clip-on clip-off front luggage solution, with a rapid adjusting strap that can be easily stowed for on-bike use. Supremely stylish, unmatched for versatility and a classic British brand statement, the Game Bag is as perfect for a city ride to a business meeting as it is for dinner with friends or colleagues. Visit www.brompton.com for more information about Brompton Bicycle, additional cycling accessory information, the online bike builder, and to find your nearest dealer.
About Brompton Bicycle, Ltd (http://www.brompton.com) All Brompton folding bicycles are designed and built in the Brompton factory in West London, England. Brompton has been in full production since 1988.The company remains in private hands and is now led by Will Butler-Adams, though the Brompton inventor, Andrew Ritchie, continues to act as Technical Director. Today, Bromptons are sold in over 40 export markets. In the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Ireland and China, Brompton bikes are sold directly to bicycle retailers. About The Brompton Folding Bicycle The Brompton is a bike, which rides superbly, is safe, agile and fast, yet folds easily and quickly into a highly compact and portable package. Finely engineered and elegant, the Brompton has a full-sized frame, made mainly of steel for strength and stiffness. It is designed to be practical and light enough to be genuinely portable; ranging from 9–12½ kg (20–28lbs) depending on the model type. A personal transport solution, the Brompton allows people to rethink, vary and adapt their journeys at will. Their Brompton sets them free from the constraints imposed by the combustion engine, city planners, weather, public transport administrators, bike thieves and countless other layers of complexity. About the Game Bag (www.chapmanbags.com) Chapman Bags makes hand crafted canvas, leather and tweed bags for travel, leisure, business and sporting activities. The historied brand makes all bags in the company’s famous Tannery Road factory, part of an old industrial site dating back more than 300 years. Chapman Bags likes to use high quality natural materials of British origin wherever possible.