Brompton Bicycle Ltd has collaborated with Vic Lee, a designer from Clerkenwell, East London, to create a limited run of gloss black Bromptons, featuring a motif inspired by a love of their home city. Vic’s design of an exclusive white decal will be applied before the parts are given three further coatings of clear lacquer, and then returned to Brompton’s west London factory for assembly.
The designer said:
“I initially worked with Brompton on a one-off, hand-drawn design for the prize bikes for the 2011 Brompton World Championship. These got a lot of attention so we started to investigate if there was any way we could do something similar on slightly large scale. I have been creating this style of London-inspired schemes for a couple of years now; it is great to see this translated into the London Brompton.”
Along with the artwork on the main and front frames, the bikes come fitted with a limited-edition vinyl graphic on the flap of the accompanying S Bag, also designed by Vic. The bike design has been further enhanced by the use of black mudguards and leather Brooks grips and B17 saddle, both also black. The bikes will be supplied with a numbered certificate of authenticity, along with a limited-edition Vic Lee print (unframed), signed by Vic and, like the vinyl graphic, not available elsewhere. Only 500 London Bromptons will be built, supplied with 500 vinyl graphic flaps and 500 prints.
Brompton’s Sales and Marketing Director, Emerson Roberts, said:
“In a year when the world’s eyes will be turned on London, we wanted to come up with something really special to celebrate the personality of this great city. We’ve been fans of Vic’s work for a while and he was the obvious choice for this limited run of London Bromptons: Vic lives and breathes this city and that was important to us as it’s where every Brompton is made and assembled.
“The final result looks fantastic, and it was no surprise to me that every one of the 500 was snapped up by our trade customers within two days of the factory reopening last week; consumers wishing to buy a London Brompton will have to be very quick.”
Available through selected Brompton dealers from February, the RRP for the London Brompton will be £1,475, reflecting both the cost of the additional componentry and accessories, and the extra processes required to apply the artwork to the bike.
The London Brompton, along with a number of other developments including the new H Type handlebar, will be showcased to consumers and the Press on the Brompton stand at the London Bike Show, taking place at ExCel between 12 – 15 January.
Information on Vic Lee can be found at: www.viclee.co.uk
