"Brompton profits plunge more than 99% amid bike industry turmoil"
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Gwylan
Veteran
- Location
- All at sea⛵
Sadly the locals will rip off all the technology or already have better, cheaper.
Also the locals understand the culture and have established distribution.
If it was me id look for a boutique investment house and flog the whole thing.
Or try and persuade someone like Cowboy to buy it and merge it.
But there are only so many South Kensington cyclists and cycling is just so last year dahling.
Cheers folks - some insightful posts in this thread 
I still wonder about the impact of the G-line; personally it seems like a super-niche, very limited-use product and at worst an act of flagrant bandwagon-jumping - "gravel's popular; let's push our product into that market".
That said it's possible that the difference between the G-line and more conventional offerings might have made all the difference to my commute if I didn't have the luxury of such a well-surfaced tow path.
Regardless, I don't think it's landed at a very good time - both in terms of the associated development costs and very subdued market. Pesonally I'd rather they'd spent their time working to resolve their existing products' prepensity for eating themselves..
It's interesting to look at prices. I recall when I bought mine in mid-2023 the general consensus was that the market was buoyant; which was very much at-odds with the wider industry. IIRC the new price of my black lacquer C-Line would have been £1640, with less tarty finishes at £1415. By mid-2024 these had risen to £1720 and £1495 respective; while today these models are down again to £1649 and £1415.
On top of that, as already mentioned there's also a free bag when buying from Brompton - which apparently retails at £180.
It's also interesting to note that a couple of years ago it seemed that all secondary retailers were selling at the standard RRP on the Brompton site. No, just looking at one I see that SJS are listing the black laquer C-Line explore at £1506 and the standard finishes at £1306; so quite a saving compared to their more widespread cost last year.
When taking a step back and considering the carnage that enveloped the bike industry after Covid, it does seem that Brompton were hit later than many brands and perhaps haven't been hit as hard.
Again, they do seem to be a bit of a special case so it's perhaps not surprising that this has panned out differently for them..
I still wonder about the impact of the G-line; personally it seems like a super-niche, very limited-use product and at worst an act of flagrant bandwagon-jumping - "gravel's popular; let's push our product into that market".
That said it's possible that the difference between the G-line and more conventional offerings might have made all the difference to my commute if I didn't have the luxury of such a well-surfaced tow path.
Regardless, I don't think it's landed at a very good time - both in terms of the associated development costs and very subdued market. Pesonally I'd rather they'd spent their time working to resolve their existing products' prepensity for eating themselves..
It's interesting to look at prices. I recall when I bought mine in mid-2023 the general consensus was that the market was buoyant; which was very much at-odds with the wider industry. IIRC the new price of my black lacquer C-Line would have been £1640, with less tarty finishes at £1415. By mid-2024 these had risen to £1720 and £1495 respective; while today these models are down again to £1649 and £1415.
On top of that, as already mentioned there's also a free bag when buying from Brompton - which apparently retails at £180.
It's also interesting to note that a couple of years ago it seemed that all secondary retailers were selling at the standard RRP on the Brompton site. No, just looking at one I see that SJS are listing the black laquer C-Line explore at £1506 and the standard finishes at £1306; so quite a saving compared to their more widespread cost last year.
When taking a step back and considering the carnage that enveloped the bike industry after Covid, it does seem that Brompton were hit later than many brands and perhaps haven't been hit as hard.
Again, they do seem to be a bit of a special case so it's perhaps not surprising that this has panned out differently for them..
From their press release
So we didn’t sell enough bikes and spent far too much money.
I have absolutely idea how to resolve the situation, I’ll use words like macro and mention air quality and lots of cities to make me sound super intelligent and a global entrepreneur, but it’s not my fault, if people buy more of our bikes we’ll be OK
So we didn’t sell enough bikes and spent far too much money.
I have absolutely idea how to resolve the situation, I’ll use words like macro and mention air quality and lots of cities to make me sound super intelligent and a global entrepreneur, but it’s not my fault, if people buy more of our bikes we’ll be OK
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
The brand says this is "primarily due to the miss in budgeted sales by the Group, and the delay in being able to respond with a reduction in costs due to the committed and fixed nature of a number of them."
Translation - "we didn't sell enough bikes, and couldn't do a lot about it."
Translation - "we didn't sell enough bikes, and couldn't do a lot about it."
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
As stated by an other , more and more people are working from home so some of those might have been getting to work on a Brompton and if they don't ride to the office now then they don't need a new one .
Plus other makers do good products at much lower prices
Plus other makers do good products at much lower prices
Too expensive
Not that well made
Some cheaper and better alternatives*
Hire bikes are ubiquitous and cheap in London
* though no one has bettered the brilliant Brompton fold.
I was in the market for a 20" folder recently. So looked at the G Line. Too costly, too heavy and the recall didn't help either.
I got Tern for half the price and it's a fab riding machine.
Not that well made
Some cheaper and better alternatives*
Hire bikes are ubiquitous and cheap in London
* though no one has bettered the brilliant Brompton fold.
I was in the market for a 20" folder recently. So looked at the G Line. Too costly, too heavy and the recall didn't help either.
I got Tern for half the price and it's a fab riding machine.
I don’t agree, they are very well made, a bit old fashioned and IMO far too expensive, but they are an excellent quality bike and completely serviceable, they last for years.
Regular.Cyclist
Über Member
- Location
- South West Scotland 🏴
Often requiring specialist tools or equipment so you need to spend even more money or pay someone else to do the job for you.
None of the jobs are that expensive. So really not a big deal
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Although to be fair any bike of even modest quality is liable to be completely serviceable and last for years.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Amy company expanding very rapidly is cause for financial concern, unless it's one with a very low cost of sales (like software, for instance). I must read the accounts to see if they've started borrowing money. They never did in the Andrew Ritchie days.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I guess that may be the end of their already faltering plans to relocate to Ashford...?
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Most likely thing might be that they get bought out by another company for a low price
they can then start with less financial baggage but a decent product and so a chance to bring it back
I just hope it is a UK company and not someone who will take everything abroad
they can then start with less financial baggage but a decent product and so a chance to bring it back
I just hope it is a UK company and not someone who will take everything abroad
It does set them apart from more convetional bikes though; which many owners prefer - for whatever reason - to maintain themselves when possible.
While I don't necessarily think the quality of manufacture is especially lacking (although a lot of the fixings on mine are now rusty), I do reckon there are areas of the design that really are are pretty poor and wouldn't be difficult to improve significantly.
As I've banged on about previously it wouldn't take a lot to protect the bikes so much better against getting covered in filth (and by association the significant wear and damage this causes on top of the inconvenience of having to use / handle a filthy bike). In addition IMO the splined, press-fit hinge pin on the frame is a disgrace and the seatpost bush setup could be a lot better.
Also, while I'm certainly not against old and quirky designs I think it's pretty disappointing that they don't offer disc brakes on any of the 16"-wheeled versions; again this would make a lot of sense as the calipers add to the misery of having to sort a flat / change a wheel and tend to add to the grot with all the filth they generate when contaminated.
Maybe there's a good reason why discs are a no-go and considering how basic (if reasonably well executed) the calipers and levers are, I suspect discs would add a reasonable amount of cost.. but would be a real boon for those of us who have to use them in all weathers IMO.
As far as the bikes themselves go, while I appreciate that there have been genuine improvements over the years I think broadly-speaking they've been caught napping, having spent far too much time courting fashion with aesthetic variations that making any really meaty technical advances.
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