Sometimes, usually near the end of the day after I've been troubleshooting a BionX kit in Arizona for three hours, while simultaneously trying to stop Mr. Bailey from whining because Bert went off to Central Park on another four-hour test drive, I kind of lose interest in correcting people when they refer to the Brompton folding bike by a more, let's say, "creative" name:
"Man, these Bromleys fold down small, don't they?"
"Can I take a Brampton bike out for a spin?"
"How much does one of these Brentons cost?"
Probably the most common interpretation is the Bromley folding bike. Why Bromley? Well for starters, since the Brompton folding bike is manufactured in London, and Bromley is a borough of London, one might think that despite four letters, these are one and the same. However, any geography buff will tell you that the London borough of Bromley, and the town of Brentford, where Brompton folding bikes are actually manufactured, are about twenty miles apart. "Balderdash," you might say, "it's all the same with those wacky Brits anyhow." Touche, they are a bit strange with their "lifts" and "kilos." Still, why do so many people get the name "Bromley" stuck in their head?
Here are some other famous "Bromleys" that could explain the popularity of the Bromley folding bike
Be sure to check out our current line of Brompton folding bikes, not to be confused with Bromleys, Bramptons, or Blimpie, the greatest sub shop on the planet. Mmm.
