Poging GOUD - Vrij
Brompton wants you to ride for yourself, and planet Earth
The Straits Times
|October 05, 2025
CEO says the bike's true measure is whether it has helped change how people live in cities.
Brompton's chief executive and co-owner Will Butler-Adams says urban lifestyles cannot be just about getting out of bed, getting into the car or the train and sitting at a desk because the cost of maintaining that culture is just too great.
(ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN)
Nice, then, to talk about an authentic British brand, Brompton Bicycle.
London-based Brompton, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, likes to think of itself as a company whose purpose is that form must follow function in everything it does. Hence, its bicycles are designed to disappear when you do not need them, and reappear when you do something you can fold in less than 20 seconds, and carry on to the train or into the office.
The manufacturing process is designed to cut waste at every stage, and its bicycle rims are mostly made from recycled aluminium. Two years ago, it launched Brompton Renewed, a resale platform for refurbished bicycles. On a recent visit to the Brompton outlet in Funan Mall, I spotted a mechanic servicing a two-decade-old bike.
When I suggest to chief executive officer and co-owner Will Butler-Adams that Brompton seems to think of itself as the Patagonia of the bicycle world, with its emphasis on environmental activism and extreme durability, I get a beam of approval in response.
"We are living in paradise, and if we do not grasp that and make the best of our little moment on planet Earth, what a waste it would be," he says.
It is that attitude that has helped the 51-year-old engineer who confessed that he failed to get into his father's school, Eton, and had to go to Rugby School, which was still selective but not as prestigious - steer through an industry downturn, following a period of high demand during the Covid-19 pandemic. That was when Brompton could hardly make enough bikes to meet the needs of people who sought mobility, fun and exercise with minimum risk of infections.
Dit verhaal komt uit de October 05, 2025-editie van The Straits Times.
Abonneer u op Magzter GOLD voor toegang tot duizenden zorgvuldig samengestelde premiumverhalen en meer dan 9000 tijdschriften en kranten.
Bent u al abonnee? Aanmelden
MEER VERHALEN VAN The Straits Times
The Straits Times
...hello diversified chips, cloud and software Al investments?
Opportunities broaden, as well as ways to build more balanced AI exposure, as the industry matures.
6 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Indian zi char chef starts over at 42
After a series of failed ventures and a scam that cost him $27,000, Devid Retanasamy is back with a new brand
5 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Criminal cybercontent: Nine in 10 pieces taken down were scams
Amount of money lost to scams and number of reported cases fell in 2025
3 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Military strikes on Iran, Lebanon a concern to S'pore: Faishal Ibrahim
The strikes on Iran and Lebanon are a concern to Singapore, with the “failure of diplomacy” stoking tensions in the Middle East and impacting the lives of civilians, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim on Feb 28.
1 min
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
S'poreans urged to defer travel to Middle East in view of situation
Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Israel, Iran and the Middle East region in view of the volatile security situation and disruptions to flights to the region, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
1 min
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Trump signals opposition to tariff refunds, hinting at legal war to come
US President Donald Trump made clear on Feb 27 that he opposed refunding billions of dollars that have been collected under his recently invalidated tariffs.
2 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Arrest of Western Australia man over alleged terror plot 'deeply shocking'
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the arrest on Feb 27 of a Western Australian (WA) man over an alleged terror plot targeting mosques, police and a Parliament building was “deeply shocking”.
1 min
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
Heritage food, modern touch
Food families Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice and Tanjong Rhu Pau tap new blood to innovate and attract new customers
9 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
S. Korean President making state visit to Singapore, with trade and tech on agenda
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is making a state visit to Singapore from March 1 to 3, at the invitation of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
2 mins
March 01, 2026
The Straits Times
From door-to-door sales to boss of interior design firm
Mr Russell Chin's interest in interior design is a longstanding one, but the journey to starting his own firm in the sector has been a difficult one.
1 min
March 01, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size

