The Brompton T Line was unveiled yesterday (January 19 2022) and is by a ways the lightest model of the classic Brompton bike ever, beating out the earlier incumbent by a number of kilos. You can learn my ideas about the Brompton T Line however right here you could have the likelihood to listen to about it straight from the horse’s mouth. Not that Will Carleysmith is a horse. No, he is Brompton’s Chief Design and Engineering Officer. He kindly agreed to speak to me about the way you go about redesigning a design classic, the place Brompton may take its city mobility desires in future, and whether or not utilizing a non-electric scooter can result in having ‘one massive leg’.
Will Carleysmith (Chief Design and Engineering Officer at Brompton)
(Image credit score: Brompton)
T3: What have been the major design challenges round making the T Line?
Will Carleysmith: The problem was actually to get the weight as little as attainable and not sacrifice sturdiness, not sacrifice experience stiffness. Because titanium is phenomenal, super-tough materials, however in the event you’re not intelligent, you must sacrifice body stiffness and the potential to hold baggage and all that sort of stuff.
We actually, actually did not need to do was create one thing fragile. We may have gone to carbon fibre. It’s comparatively simple; there are many individuals who make carbon fibre for us in our business. But we did not have the confidence in composites that it might stand as much as 5, 10 years of beating the crap out of it, which is what we’re about. We’re about making robust merchandise.
So we went with titanium however it needed to be as robust as attainable, keep the stiffness and the experience and then get the weight as little as attainable. So the goal have been pretty straight ahead, however it’s not too straight ahead to realize them.
We may have minimize and pasted the outdated design, however it in all probability would have been about 30% much less stiff to experience, and that might have been actually noticeable and, you understand, not that nice, frankly.
So on this one, we used a lot extra simulation instruments for minute, finite aspect evaluation – stuff that is now commonplace in F1, automotive, aerospace. Understanding ‘what beauty like’ was sort of problem primary, so we labored via numerous ride-testing, constructing elements, placing these on rigs to measure them so we may perceive the place we have been getting into engineering phrases.
We checked out a lot of applied sciences: 3D printing, CNC, machining, forging, casting. The actual ‘second’ got here once we discovered a phenomenal titanium casting know-how, that meant we may produce tremendous tremendous, tremendous correct castings. That then gave us design freedom. It meant we may lean on the computer systems and all that simulation, and flip that theoretical engineering into a bodily product.
Once we had that, it was a matter of going via the loops of research, simulation prototyping, testing.
Gearing was the different major problem. Obviously, you should buy incredible gear programs on the market that match regular bikes, however we would have liked a system that lets you fold the bike in each gear. What we did not need was a bike the place you needed to put it in a sure gear as a way to fold it. That concerned much less simulation and extra 3D printing. If we did not have that know-how, we’d have struggled.
Once we had recognized the manufacturing know-how and casting and understood what you are able to do with it, we had, not whole freedom, however a lot of freedom. We took materials out, so we went too gentle, and then progressively added materials in and added options, like little locking options
Forging and welding are carried out at Brompton’s new manufacturing facility in Sheffield, Steel City
(Image credit score: Brompton)
Will you do an electric model of the T Line?
Will Carleysmith: We’re keen on portability and freedom and we’re very keen on electric programs. I believe it might be a phenomenal product and definitely an attention-grabbing factor to take a look at. We’ve discovered a hell of a lot over the final couple of years, three years, and as an organisation we have gotten more and more subtle in the engineering instruments we use.
Al the R&D is nugatory if you cannot flip it into mass-produced product. So there’s a complete new manufacturing facility for this one, in Sheffield. They actually understood these unique supplies and we have about 12 individuals up there now: titanium welders, simply producing gorgeous body elements, which come right down to London the place all the meeting occurs.
Have you ever checked out altering the core folding mechanism of the Brompton? It’s barely modified since day one by way of the design fundamentals.
Will Carleysmith: As you’d think about, we’ve a complete bunch of, you understand, curious, technically engineers… But the trustworthy reply is, Andrew (Richie, Brompton inventor) obtained it actually proper first time. Andrew needed to do a big quantity of heavy lifting by way of product constructing and the precise fundamentals and silhouette DNA are fairly exhausting to enhance on I’d say.
The wheel dimension, as an example is in a candy spot. If you go smaller than that, it begins to not be a nice bicycle, in the event you go larger, you begin to have issues retaining the folded bike compact. Andrew’s design does a phenomenal job of sort of wrapping that wheel dimension, into smart dimension, a good top in the saddle. He did such a nice job of enthusiastic about the ergonomics of the fold, in addition to simply the folding.
So there are in all probability fractional wins available by altering the design, however they’re fractional. It’s a classic for a motive, and it is not like nobody has tried to beat it. There’s a new folding bike firm coming alongside each fortnight, with a completely different strategy. Are they higher than Andrew’s design? Probably not.
So yeah, it is not one thing we do not take into consideration. But do we predict we will produce one thing radically higher? No. I’d say what’s extra thrilling for us is to take that silhouette and get the lightest, greatest performing system we will, into the lowest attainable weight of the bike.
(Image credit score: Brompton)
I used to be barely smirking while you have been speaking about wheel dimension as I as soon as got here off the curb on a Brompton Electric and the entrance wheel got here down into a storm drain and was destroyed. I do not think about many individuals have carried out however it did give me pause for thought.
Will Carleysmith: I’d in all probability argue that any bike with the identical width of tyre, you may need had the identical drawback.
Have you seen the Tuck folding bike, the place the wheels fold as properly?
Will Carleysmith: Yeah, I imply, folding wheels are type of a type of perennial factor individuals provide you with. But I believe spoked wheels are such a phenomenally gentle, environment friendly factor. There are a few issues in the bike business – double diamond frames, in 100 years, has anyone provide you with a extra environment friendly construction than the Double Diamond body? And has anyone ever provide you with a extra environment friendly answer than the spoked wheel? Not a lot. I consider us as having a sort of Goldilocks wheel dimension.
I believe the complexity that comes with folding bike wheels and the weight that comes with it, and all that problem, it does not actually work in a metropolis bike. Wouldn’t you be higher off placing all of that weight and complexity and value into different elements of the bike? I’d argue that is a extra fruitful path.
On the Tuck, the wheel appears to type of telescope into itself. I can not even think about how that works in actual life. Anyway, I’m not supplying you with design ideas right here.
Will Carleysmith: Duncan educating the design staff, there.
The derailleur on the geared model of the T Line weighs simply 60g
(Image credit score: Brompton)
So now you’ve got made the lightest ever Brompton, the place do you the place do you see it going subsequent?
Will Carleysmith: The vary has lately been simplified by way of the naming construction. The level is to have extra selection in the vary – possibly much less tremendous element choices however extra selection. So we go from entry stage the place you continue to get that handmade, London body; you continue to get that bulletproof, superior product, however at a value level that is as accessible as attainable. Then you’ve got obtained the T Line that is simply an incredible factor.
In phrases of innovation, I’m going to present you some pretty obscure solutions. E programs and electric are a huge, huge development, and we have gotten a very completely different enterprise by way of know-how and software program and funding in our potential to try this sort of work.
We’re primarily keen on how you progress round the metropolis. That’s what Andrew got down to do. He did not actually give a toss about bikes. What he needed was the most elegant, joyful manner of shifting round London. We’re actually keen on any private city transport for cities. We suppose there’s loads of scope in the Brompton DNA because it is now to do extra.
Is an electric scooter one thing Brompton would ever contemplate?
Will Carleysmith: What we would not need to do is simply do a me-too product. Most scooters are the identical and we have not obtained a lot curiosity in doing simply one other one. Anything we do, we’d search for performance to be extra helpful, extra purposeful, nicer to make use of and remedy a drawback in a extra imaginative manner. The scooter market is saturated by broadly fairly related designs.
If you checked out scooters your self, what do you see as being an apparent factor that is flawed with them, other than being not technically authorized?
Will Carleysmith: I believe we’d say we’d type of see an ecosystem strategy in a market like Germany, the place they’re authorized. I believe the scooter producers usually would say the identical factor. They’re good for very brief journeys, one or two miles, you understand, type of changing strolling with scooters could make a lot of sense. I believe while you’re barely additional away, the bike begins to take over.
We’ve had discussions with numerous individuals in the business and that is sort of how we’d in all probability view it.
So do you imply that you’d solely have a look at one to 2 mile kind merchandise or a scooter that is appropriate for longer journeys?
I’d say we’re solely actually keen on something the place we will add worth via design or know-how, or add a level of distinction for it to be worthwhile for us. I imply, I’m romantic about the expertise of using a bike. I’d say it is extra partaking, and provides a component of train. It’s a lovely factor to have a bike as a part of your every day routine – it is train without spending a dime. If you have a look at the research, the want for us to get common, low depth train into our lives, it is huge. More than eating regimen, you understand, in terms of psychological well being, bodily well being, in the event you put an quantity of low depth train into your life it is a good factor. Bromptons notably permit you to try this. Does scooting round on a scooter offer you that? I’d say not however in fact it relies upon on what you need. But if you wish to incorporate train, and all the good things that comes with that, then I’d come again to the bicycle.
Also, in the event you get a non electric scooter, there is the danger that you find yourself with one massive leg.
Will Carleysmith: Exactly. I’ve obtained two younger children and genuinely, individuals are saying you need to encourage your children to push in each legs. Anyway…
Yeah, I’d all the time favour my proper leg and I’d simply find yourself with one huge leg. So I believe that concludes the interview.
Brompton T Line: value and availability
T Line One entrance/proper, T Line Urban rear/left
(Image credit score: Brompton)
There are a number of extra reasonably priced Brompton fashions today… however the Brompton T Line is not one in every of them, alas. Nor will it’s simple to purchase, no less than at launch.
• T Line One (single pace, no mudguards, 7.45kg) £3,750, $4,795, €4,360, AU$7,100
• T Line Urban (4-speed gears, mudguards, 7.95kg) £3,950, $4,995, €4,590, AU$7,500
The bike is solely obtainable through a poll system on Brompton.com and via chosen Brompton Junction shops in London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore and Paris, the bike shall be obtainable in two specs, every with the choice of a low and mid-rise handlebar match.