Cyclist
G is for Gravel? Grande? New Brompton G Line is big and versatile
The new Brompton G Line has ripped up the rulebook on what a Brompton bicycle is, scaling up from the classic 16-inch wheels to 20-inch, and with it creating a whole new geometry and ride feel, but it still looks and folds like a Brompton.
It’s several years in the making and marks a big step for the company – Brompton describes it as ‘the brand’s biggest innovation in 50 years’ – being the very first bike it has produced without 16-inch wheels, and that’s not the only big change. It also has disc brakes and has been produced with custom gravel tyres so it can be ridden off-road. There are also major changes on the electric version in both hardware and software.
The G Line frame is still made from the same materials with the same processes as every other Brompton and will also be made on the same factory floor in the company’s London HQ.
It comes in three sizes – though all that changes is the stem and seatpost length, it has options for a rack and mudguards, and there have been plenty of accessories produced alongside the bike, including bags.
Prices start from £2,399 and weight is claimed to start at 13.9kg for a small without mudguards and rack.
What makes a Brompton a Brompton?
There are other bikes that are the same size, that also fold and don’t look that different, but, as the company’s website reads, ‘Few bikes can claim to be as recognisable as a Brompton’. So can a bigger Brompton still be a Brompton?
‘We want more people to ride Brompton bikes and we accept the limitation of 16-inch wheels on our regular bikes,’ says Tom Kerr, Brompton’s G Line design lead.
‘It will continue to be the best bike for when you’re riding around the city, nipping between traffic and jumping on and off the tube. But for everything outside of that – when you just want to ride a bike, to enjoy riding and to be able to explore different terrains the world has – the G Line is better for that. It bridges the gap between a small wheel bike and a full-size bike, and in today’s world space is a premium, so it feels like a big bike but with all the benefits of a Brompton at the same time.’
Importantly, it definitely still looks like a Brompton and the way the G Line folds is exactly the same as the rest of the fleet.
So what goes into the G Line?
The G Line’s 20-inch wheels are fitted with custom, tubeless-ready Schwalbe gravel tyres or wide Continental slicks.
It has a Shimano Alfine drivetrain with eight hub gears. There’s also hydraulic disc brakes, bigger pedals and wider handlebars with new, ergonomic grips.
There’s an electric version too, which uses the same frameset but has a new motor and an improved battery versus previous Brompton e-bikes. The e-bike has 4-speed gearing and is claimed to weigh 19.5kg all in.
It folds up to 690mm x 730mm x 402mm compared to the classic’s 585mm x 565mm x 270mm, and Brompton claims a size small weighs from 13.9kg. With a rack and mudguards, that weight will go up to 14.8kg.
‘I wanted it to be the bike that everyone could get on with,’ Kerr says. ‘We want it to appeal to a new Brompton consumer base that didn’t previously see Brompton as a legitimate bike for them to ride. That meant coming up with a bike that has the greatest opportunity for versatility. It’s walking this very fine line of being a capable bike for the people who need it to be a capable bike, and just being a great bike for people who don’t care about that kind of stuff and just want reliable braking and a comfortable ride experience.’
And what does the G actually stand for? Officially, nothing, it’s just a letter.
Brompton G Line pricing
- G Line 8-Speed: £2,399
- G Line 8-Speed with Rack and Mudguards: £2,499
- G Line 8-Speed with Lights: £2,489
- G Line 8-Speed with Lights and Rack: £2,589
- Electric G Line 4 speed: £3,499
Find out more at brompton.com
The post G is for Gravel? Grande? New Brompton G Line is big and versatile appeared first on Cyclist.