Brompton
Established 1976Founded in 1976 by Andrew Ritchie, Brompton Bicycle is a manufacturer of folding bicycles. Ritchie named the company after the Brompton Oratory, which was the view from his bedroom workshop where the first prototypes were built. Working as a gardener, Ritchie sought to license his bicycle design, but it was a bumpy road. Finally in 1986, he managed to raise enough funds to commence production by himself.
The iconic Brompton folding bicycle is noted for its self-supporting compact size when stored. All available models of the bicycle are based on the same hinged frame and have a 16 inch wheel size. The design has remained fundamentally unchanged since the original patent was filed by Andrew Ritchie in 1979. In 2009, Ritchie was awarded the Prince Philip Designers Prize.
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