It’s a big year for Brompton. The folding bike brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and to honour the occasion it has released a new version of its longstanding C Line bike.
In fact, the C Line was Brompton’s original model, invented by Andrew Ritchie back in 1975. Brompton says the C Line has undergone “continuous improvement” since its debut all those years ago and that it “has been the catalyst and inspiration for Brompton’s entire range”.
But now it’s time for the C Line to take inspiration from elsewhere, with Brompton looking to its other folding bikes and production methods for the 50th anniversary edition.
Glorious in purple
Released in March, the new C Line is available in three striking colours, including the Amethyst Lacquer finish you see in the pictures here.
The purple is glorious and, as Brompton says, it shows off the craftsmanship that goes into creating one of these bikes.
Appearing through the lacquer, you can see the brazing that takes place at Brompton’s west London factory, where amid the noise of machines, you can watch Brompton’s staff expertly braze the frame tubes before they’re painted and built into complete bikes on a highly synchronised production line.
It’s an illuminating sight if you’ve ever wondered how your bike gets made, and Brompton’s production is set to be even more impressive when it eventually moves to its new factory in Ashford, which is set to increase production from the 100,000 bikes Brompton already makes each year.
Yet it’s unclear when the new facility will open. Originally slated to open in 2027, the factory has been delayed and Brompton’s recent financial turmoil is likely to have pushed it back further.
But what about those gears?
The 50th anniversary C Line uses the same 12-speed gearing system that debuted on the P Line four years ago.
The system employs a novel combination of a three-speed Sturmey-Archer hub gear and a four-speed cassette, actuated by Brompton’s proprietary derailleur.
Previously, the C Line was only available with two or six speeds, but this hybrid drivetrain should make your pedalling easier – especially if you live somewhere hilly such as BikeRadar’s hometown of Bristol. The drivetrain gives the widest gear range on any Brompton at 402 per cent, which is 60 per cent larger than Brompton’s two-speed system.
The derailleur weighs a claimed 60g and fits inside the compact fold of the bike, out of harm’s way.
To operate the drivetrain, you have two trigger shifters on the C Line’s handlebar, enabling you to flick between the cassette’s gears on the left and the hub’s three gears on the right.
Optional upgrades
The 12-speed Brompton C Line in Amethyst Lacquer starts from £1,824 / $2,000. The basic model comes fitted with mudguards. The rear mudguard features a small wheel that works with the new larger rolling wheels attached to the frame to help you push the bike along when folded up.
The Brompton C Line we’ve received at BikeRadar has several upgrades you can buy when purchasing the bike from Brompton’s website.
The main addition is the snappily named Advanced Complete Rear Rack Kit. This £140 kit is essentially a rack with two extra rolling wheels and a standard mudguard to make pushing and storing your bike easier.
Our C Line also comes fitted with rear and front bike lights.
SQUIRREL_13203732
