Founded in a garage in 1975 by eccentric English inventor Andrew Ritchie, Brompton is the premier maker of folding electric bikes. It’s the largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK and employs over 750 people — a far cry from its origins in Ritchie’s bedroom. Today, every bike is still handmade in London.
Ritchie was still the Technical Director of Brompton, by now a much larger international company, when he led the invention of the Brompton e-bike in 2016. The design itself is a bit eccentric — along with a rear hub gearbox, the e-bikes have front-hub motors.
With a number of design awards over the years, Brompton bikes are lightweight and fun to ride. It’s maintained this philosophy in its electric bikes, which are among the lightest in the folding electric bike segment.
Our Review of Brompton E-Bikes
Brompton’s e-bikes have the patented three-fold system, small wheels, and light frame that make them perfect for multimodal commuting, be it on the Tube in London or the subway in New York. Add on a seven-year frame warranty, and you should be feeling quite content with your new ride.
The two electric folding bike models Brompton makes conform to British e-bike laws — they are speed limited to 15.5 mph — and that might be considered a little slow for some. That said, if you want a lightweight, compact, and downright beautiful piece of engineering to get around on your commute, the Brompton e-bike range has got to be the one for you.
