The Brompton Story
Andrew Ritchie was a young engineer who thrived on solving problems. When he moved to London, he decided there must be a better way of moving around.
In 1975, in the bedroom of his flat overlooking the Brompton Oratory, he invented a bike with an ingenious 3-part fold.
A lightweight vehicle that transformed into a small locked package in under 20 seconds. A bike that you could take anywhere. A ‘magic carpet for the city'.
A ‘magic carpet’ for the city
Over the next ten years, Andrew obsessively honed his invention and self-taught bike building skills from a small, rented workshop in a local engineering company - hand-making every customer bike to order.
Rejection to Success
Yet, despite the demand, Andrew faced endless rejection letters from banks and bike companies to invest.
His determination paid off when in 1987, an impressed Brompton owner and founder of Naim Audio, Julian Vereker, stepped in. After persuading Andrew to participate in the Cyclex Bike Show at Olympia, London, the Brompton folding bike won the coveted Best Product Award.
The first Brompton Factory
“Bollo Lane”, or the Brentford Factory, was housed inside two old railway arches. The team hand-built 60 bikes a month—all-steel, black and fitted with a rack. Customers could choose 3 or 5-speed hub gears.
By 1991 Brompton had 56 outlets in the UK and an even bigger export market. Andrew is pictured (far left) with his team outside Bollo Lane. Mark, 4th from the left (and his son), still works at Brompton today. He no longer wears a shell suit to work.
An Unusual Price
In loyalty to the smaller bike shops with him from the start, Andrew never gave larger companies preferential treatment. The bike was sold ‘at the same fair price to all’.
Brompton Fold
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A ‘magic carpet’ for the city
Over the next ten years, Andrew obsessively honed his invention and self-taught bike building skills from a small, rented workshop in a local engineering company - hand-making every customer bike to order.
The first Brompton Factory
“Bollo Lane”, or the Brentford Factory, was housed inside two old railway arches. The team hand-built 60 bikes a month—all-steel, black and fitted with a rack. Customers could choose 3 or 5-speed hub gears.
