Brompton improves on a good thing with new G Line of bicycles

It might not be immediately obvious, but the Brompton G Line is the first major redesign of the iconic British folding bicycle in its nearly 50-year history. It’s even bigger than the launch of its first e-bike in 2019, literally and figuratively.

The G Line is available as a standard bike with an internally geared Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub or as a 4-speed e-bike with derailleur. Both models feature bigger 20-inch wheels with fat grippy Schwalbe tires, hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro, wider handlebars, and a frame geometry that more closely resembles full-size bicycles.

It all adds up to what should be a less twitchy ride that’s suitable for more varied terrain on a bike that’s easier to service over time given the selection of non-proprietary parts and easy to find 20-inch tires and tubes. The only tradeoff would be a slightly larger and heavier bike that’s still lighter and folds up smaller than just about any other bike… except an original Brompton.

Brompton’s marketing the G Line as an all-terrain bike which is fascinating given its long-standing role in supporting multi-modal city commutes. It claims the G Line is “the most versatile bike in the world… for the city and beyond.”

The new G Line launches just as GoCycle — Brompton’s smaller cross-town e-bike rival — announced its plan to take on Brompton with its own lineup of 20-inch non-electric foldables. 

The standard Brompton G starts at £2,399 / €2,849 while the electric G start at £3,499.00 / €3,999. It’s open for preorder in the UK and Europe with deliveries already slipping to several weeks. Those tax-inclusive prices would equate to about $3,170 for the standard G Line bike, or $4,500 for the electric G, when Brompton puts them on sale in the US sometime in 2025.