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Brompton launch their first e-bike

The iconic folding bike manufacturer have launched their first e-bike, that can be reserved now for an early 2018 delivery

The new electrified Brompton has a neatly integrated front battery pack and charging port, that can be carried separately as a small bag when not in use. 

This article first appeared on our sister site ebiketips.co.uk

Maintaining the "iconic style and craftsmanship of the Brompton folding bike", it's a similar size and weight as the non-electric version but with a 300Wh, 2.8kg battery added, allowing for a range of between 25-50 miles depending on the level of assistance used. The bike itself is fairly light, weighing 13.4kg in total.

There are three assistance levels from the 250W front hub motor, and Brompton say the bike runs very smooth manually too so you can save the power for when you need it most. There's even a torque and cadence sensor included. Brompton teamed up with Williams Advanced Engineering to develop a motor that would integrate well with a folding bike, and Brompton say the end product is their most technically advanced bike to date.

The battery/bag idea looks particularly interesting, clipping neatly onto the front and becoming a compact bag off the bike with a shoulder strap for easy portability. What's more, your ride settings can all be customised via Brompton's app, where you can also log mileage and service history.

 

brompton bag.jpg

 

The e-Brompton (as we've just named it) will be available with either two or six-speed gearing, with prices starting at £2,595. They won't ship out until early 2018, but you can already reserve one with a £200 deposit on Brompton's website.

If you were at Ride London this weekend you may have already got a demo - but Brompton are also offering demos at their Brompton London Junction shop throughout August, plus at numerous events around the UK. Check out brompton.com/electric for more info. 

 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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7 comments

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ChrisB200SX | 6 years ago
0 likes

I don't get why they didn't go for a rear-hub motor and singlespeed, way simpler and makes more sense. extra 250W means you shouldn't really need gears anyway?

Avatar
Jem PT | 6 years ago
0 likes

So it looks like the electric drive is going to the front wheel? Has this been done before? One of my kids was asking the other day about designing a two-wheel drive bike, and here it is! 

As an aside, I was in New York last week and was surprised by the number of cyclicsts on the roads and the number of ebikes being used by restaurants for food deliveries. 

Avatar
davel | 6 years ago
3 likes

I'm *really* looking forward to being overtaken uphill (not a euphemism) by a whistling hipster on one of these...

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BigManLittleHair | 6 years ago
4 likes

Surely the name should be BrompTRON. 

Avatar
fenix | 6 years ago
1 like

I had a go of it. It's a lot of fun. If your commute has a hill on it - you'd be whizzing up it. 

Without the motor on it rode like my normal Brompton.  Sure its expensive but I think its a really good improvement to the bike range. 

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 6 years ago
1 like

I hope you've registered e-Brompton  1

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handlebarcam | 6 years ago
1 like

Quote:

The bike itself is fairly light, weighing 13.4kg in total.

According to their web site, the weight of the 2-speed version without the battery is 13.7kg. Most people will probably want the 6-speed version, which is 17.3kg total, including the battery. A standard 6-speed Brompton is 11.5 kg, so that's a 50% additional weight penalty. Also getting on for triple the price (£995 vs £2755) so unlikely to be seen doing much mixed-mode commuting, although Alan Sugar might well get one to keep in the boot of his Roller.

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