Brompton Bicycle Grows U.S. Footprint Despite Brexit, Supply Chain Impacts

April 7, 2021

NEW YORK – Brompton Bicycle, the London-based manufacturer of the iconic Brompton folding bike, opened its U.S. flagship store in the West Village just three years ago, but is thriving in the face of two major business-impacting events of the past year, Brexit and the worldwide supply chain bottlenecks tied to COVID.

Bolstered by the global “Bike Boom,” Brompton saw a greater than 50 percent increase in bikes sold in the United States in the past 12 months, compared to growth of 20 percent in the previous year, and a nearly 15 percent increase in bikes sold from its flagship Brompton Junction storefront alone in March 2021 versus March 2020. Brompton’s U.S. website also saw a 200 percent increase in website traffic at the peak of summer 2020 versus 2019, and, in February, launched direct-to-consumer, e-commerce sales to further serve the needs of consumers who prefer a contactless transaction or live out of range of Brompton’s 130 retail partner stores.

Brompton’s London production facility, where each bike is assembled and hand-brazed by skilled craftspeople, responded quickly to the increased demand by making significant improvements across the factory, including substantial investment in new job creation, recruitment and training. Its unique folding design and proprietary parts also shielded the company from some of the bottlenecks experienced by other bike manufacturers, allowing for a 40 percent production increase compared to this time last year and efficiency increases of up to 50 percent across the factory.

“Despite the challenges of the past year, one positive outcome has been seeing more commuters adopting bikes as an alternative form of transportation that’s not just functional but great for mental health and the environment,” said Peter Yuskauskas, vice president, U.S. marketing and retail, Brompton Bicycle. “Cities like New York have responded to these changing habits by creating more safe bike and walking routes, and we’re committed to supporting these changes by launching a nationwide initiative soon  in partnership with local nonprofits to encourage city governments to make some of these changes permanent.”

About Brompton Bicycle

Built upon a mission to change the way we live within our cities, Brompton Bicycle manufactures foldable bikes that provide riders with a more efficient, sustainable transportation alternative. Founded in London in 1975, the Brompton foldable bike breaks down to the size of a lightweight, compact package in just a few seconds and combines with other forms of transit to speed up a commute. In 2018, the brand also introduced its first line of e-bikes, Brompton Electric, recognized as both the most lightweight and the most compact foldable e-bike on the market. Now the largest bike manufacturer in the United Kingdom, every Brompton is still made in London and the brand boasts 15 Brompton Junction flagship stores around the world. For more information, please visit us.brompton.com