Folding bikes are already unique, and the Brompton 1975 is no exception. But, unique is something that isn’t new to Brompton. A handful of years ago, they partnered with Brooks to celebrate British cycling at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. In 2023, they worked with CHPT3 on a folding ti bike. And later that year, they teamed up with Man Vs. Wild himself, Bear Grylls, on a special edition bike.
Now, the Brompton 1975 celebrates 50 years since founder Andrew Ritchie first put pen to paper in his London flat. The 1975 commemorates five decades of craftsmanship that go into creating each Bromption frame.
The Brompton 1975
The bike Ritchie initially drew in 1975 was the inspiration for the Bromption C-Line. So, it is only fitting that the 50th anniversary bike would be from the brand’s C-Line offering. But it is the special features and little touches that make this bike so special.
First is the Thermal Fade finish. Only found on the Brompton 1975, these special colors are inspired by the brazing process used to bond the steel tubes together. Brompton employs over 50 brazers, some of whom have over 20 years of experience with the company.
Along with the Thermal Fade finish, each Brompton 1975 also comes with the Brazer’s Coin. The commemorative coin celebrates the craftsman who have built Bromptons over the years, each embossed with one of their initials. Only 1,975 coins were made (yes, that means only 1,975 bikes were produced).
Obviously, gold comes with the celebration of 50 years, something that Brompton incorporated on the 1975. Gold is found throughout the bike, from components to badges to touchpoints. It is also featured on the special-edition Brompton saddle, which has a carbon base and chromoly rails. This saddle is 23% lighter than the traditional saddle used by the brand.
The Brompton 1975 will also have the option for a special edition 1.5L zip case and a bottle holder. The zip case mounts to the front carrier block and also features a shoulder strap to use off the bike, while the bottle holder straps to the bars.
1975 Details
Brompton’s C-Line features 2-speed, 6-speed, and 12-speed offerings. The 1975 is equipped with a 12-speed drivetrain and weighs just under 30lbs.
- Main Frame-Precision drawn heat-treated steel tubing with hand brazing and selected auto-brazed joints
- Rear Frame-Brompton Advance Rear Frame
- Fork-Steel brazed fork
- Hinge Clamps-ColourLab Gold Hinge Clamps
- Folded Size-25.3″ H x 23” W x 10.6” D
- Saddle-Brompton superlight 50th Monogram
- Pedals-Brompton Folding left-hand and non-folding right-hand pedals
- Drivetrain-Brompton 12-speed drivetrain, 402% range
- Derailleur-Patent-pending direct mount 12-speed derailleur
- Sprockets-11-18 Tooth
- Chainset-6061 forged aluminum crank with 50T chainring and integrated chainguard
- Shifters-Brompton 4-speed derailleur shifter & 3-speed hub gear shifter
- Front Wheel-Double-wall rim, 28 spokes laced to a Brompton front hub
- Rear Wheel-Double wall rim, 28 spoke, Brompton Wide ratio 3-speed internal gear hub
- Tires-Continental Tires-Cream Wall
- Brakes-Brompton Dual Pivot Calipers
- Roller Wheels-ColourLab Gold Touchpoints Roller Wheels
The Brompton 1975 50th anniversary C-Line retails for $2,700.
