THE LIGHTEST BICYCLE ON EARTH
How Brompton is rolling out the perfect last mile solution for city denizens
WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT CYCLING? It is good exercise that keeps your heart healthy and gets your legs and butt super-toned. Even better, it lets you get from point A to point B with zero carbon emissions. Add to that Brompton has just reinvented every millimetre of its iconic design to create its lightest bike ever. Weighing in at just 7.45kg, the new foldable bike is perfect for the last mile commute in the city.
The product of three years of scrupulous research and development, the new Brompton T Line is made using titanium, processed in a dedicated factory in Sheffield, United Kingdom, along with revolutionary new construction techniques, and involving over 150 specialised components.
At this facility, the frame is precisionengineered in titanium, then orbital and tigwelded for strength. In Brompton’s London home, the T Line is then finished with new componentry and tuned for the city, setting a new benchmark for folding bikes in lightness, ride performance, as well as robustness.
Strong As Steel
The weight reduction in the new Brompton T is significant - 37 per cent less than the original Brompton all- steel equivalent. This makes it much easier to move and stow when folded. What is amazing is that it remains as strong as its steel counterpart. Its weight makes the T Line comparable to a carbon road bike. But unlike carbon versions, it offers a lot more robustness and durability. It can bear a weight load of 110kg, and is designed to withstand the punishing impact of a fast-paced city.
Compact Drivetrain Ingenuity
Lightness and strength aside, the Brompton T Line also sets out to offer a whole new ride experience. It has a patent-pending drivetrain that has been designed from the ground up to sit neatly inside the fold. It also offers optimal city performance. The carbon crank set gives greater power transfer, and the 60g derailleur delivers smooth shifting in a small package. And to make sure it all comes together to meet the goals set by the engineers, the new gear-ratio was tested from Amsterdam to San Francisco and found to be perfect for navigating city roads.
Every Detail Considered
The Brompton T Line is the fi rst bike in the world with a steel-armoured carbon seat post. Ordinary carbon seat posts are stiff, strong and lightweight, but most haven’t stood up to the daily use of a folding bike. This prompted Brompton design engineers to develop a new process to reinforce the limitations of carbon with 0.3mm steel
armour. The result is still a superlight seat post but that can also take the abrasion of the fold, a hefty 110kg load and all-weather riding capabilities.
The Brompton T Line is fitted with features like self-aligning hinges to make it faster to fold, and easier to carry. It also features a spring-loaded handlebar catch that works like a snap. Indeed, every interaction with the folded bike has been studied and improved on to deliver the best possible user experience.
“The only thing that is carried over from our classic model is the brake system. Everything else has been finessed, pared back, and upgraded,” said Brompton chief design and engineering officer Will Carleysmith. “We went over this entire product in the minutest detail, looking for every single gram we can find to save on weight. What we have ended up with in the T Line is the sense that when you leave the house you can go anywhere. All of those shared environments you experience when exploring a city, the bike is not going to be a burden, and you can do whatever you want with ease. That’s a pretty amazing feeling.”
Unlocking The Strength Of Titanium
In the past, Brompton ride dynamics have always made their owners smile, and now they have been elevated in every way. Carbon cranks and cast Ti bottom bracket shift power for a faster ride. Naturally, shockabsorbing titanium smooths out the on road experience. The one-piece carbon fork and wider carbon handlebars make it stiffer and more responsive than before. All that makes the Brompton T a pleasure to ride.
Naturally, designing it has been serious business. Chief operations officer Paul Williams explained that while titanium was the obvious choice, it posed specific challenges. “Titanium ore is a relatively abundant material, but turning it into something usable for bike manufacture takes an extraordinary amount of effort. It proves worth it though, as it has the highest strength to density ratio of any metallic element, along with great impact strength and corrosion resistance, making it the perfect material to create the ultimate lightweight folding bike that is able to withstand the punishing impacts of the city.
“Working with titanium takes knowledge, experience and diligence, so finding the right partner who shared our vision and belief in what could be achieved with titanium was critical. We were lucky to have begun a working relationship with C W Fletcher some seven years ago. The company has a history in manufacturing that goes back a century. Together, we built Brompton Fletcher, a specialised company with a dedicated production facility and a skilled team that is able to work with this demanding material and fabricate these fantastic titanium frames.”
The Case For Brompton
The Brompton T Line bike is useful for anyone who lives and works in a city like Singapore. It folds up to a third of its size, and weighs just 7.45kg, which means you can take it on the MRT as a last mile commute between the station and your home or office. It is easy to pop into the boot of the car, ready for use anytime. Or you could just take it out to get some fresh air and a midnight snack. In terms of stats, a Brompton bike takes 6.2 tonnes less carbon than a car to make, and 42 folded Brompton bikes can be parked in the space it takes to park one car. The Brompton T thus makes persuasive argument for how cities could be redesigned for a more sustainable future.
The new Brompton T Line is available via ballot on Brompton.com. It comes in two specifications, each with the option of a low and mid-rise handlebar fit. The T Line One has a RRP of S$7,465, while the T Line Urban, which has a four-speed gearing system optimised for city riding, has a RRP of S$7,865.
THE BROMPTON T LINE BIKE IS USEFUL FOR ANYONE WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN A CITY LIKE SINGAPORE. IT FOLDS UP TO A THIRD OF ITS SIZE, AND WEIGHS JUST 7.45KG , WHICH MEANS YOU CAN TAKE IT ON THE MRT, OR POP IT IN THE BOOT OF A CAR, READY FOR USE ANYTIME.