CEO of Brompton Bikes | Will Butler-Adams | Talks at Google 

I'm proud to be a Bromptonian! From Rome with Love!

My big laugh moment: as it happens our net profit at the moment has gone south 'cause we're investing in the future, but that's ok we're not all wandering around in Ferraris, we're riding little bicycles.

Great talks, Will... Love Brompton ~ !! :)

Can Brompton make a student budget version of their bike?

Just marketing and neo-liberalism. Please, change your mindset: the design must be used to solve problems and not to create necessities. I bought a Brompton, a great folding system/ size. But the new components like the pump aren't at the same level as the design core of the bicycle. In fact, the Brompton pump is not at the same level as the design core of the bicycle, not at the same level as a design icon. Still a good bicycle but is being contaminated with the neoliberalism.

Go watch Andrew Ritchie’s talk instead. He’s the engineer that designed Brompton and made the company what it is today, far, far more valuable than this.

Im watching this sitting in an airplane with my bromton in a bag! Thanks guys!

This was brilliant plain speaking business insight into our crazy society and politics even in 2016 and in the wake of #Covid-19 in 2020 it's ironically even more accurate and thought provoking...and scarily prescient

"What they care about is what they’ve delivered to the society, what their legacy is, what effect they’ve had on this little planet of ours. And in this business, in every business, that is the opportunity. And if you can deliver on that, then you’ve delivered something worthwhile". - Will Butler-Adams Truly inspiring!

Excellent talk and not just from my standpoint of having just bought my H6L Raw Lacquer Brompton last week (Yay!) and being in total love with the bike, but fascinating to hear his ideas about business and innovation. Great stuff. Though as a yank from San Francisco, I had to look up "getting lashed" as that was an expression I had not heard before, and I'm a lifelong Monty Python, Doctor Who, and Red Dwarf fan. Jolly good!

Great video, totally agree with your view about Brompton bikes - I've had one for 7 years and still use it every day. To this day I still think its the best product I've ever bought. Great stuff!

damn you. I am going to buy one ...

My 1st Brompton gave me over 17 yrs of pleasure and regular work commuting. I only upgraded last year to a 6 speed because I just felt like it and because of the unseen upgrades Will talks about. One major thing I'd like Brompton to change is the Sturmey Archer internal hub from 3 speed to a 5 speed as I have on my ancient sit up and beg Raleigh which is over 50 years old (and still running). The other changes are to minor parts such as better looking (magnetic) folding hinges, an alloy front bracket, roller wheels and the shock absorber on the back. Brompton please take a lead from others who have already done the design for you and are selling after market.

Made in London. That's commitment. Something other entrepreneurs like Dyson should stop to consider. We've had a Brompton for many years and it's indispensible.

Brompton story should've been included in the pages of Outlier by Malcolm Gladwell

Good story. History that is. I’ve had 3 Bromptons in over 25 years. I was a flat dweller living in Central London. I used the Brompton more than my road bike. Where i live now, narrow busy roads and very hilly, is not so good for cycling. The advantage of Bromptons now is that we can easily put a couple in the car and take them to cycle paths.

They’re playing the “infinite game.” Value over profit. Ultimately making a difference in people’s lives. Nice 👍🏼

Will seems to be very level headed guy. He runs the company the good old fashioned way. The company is a gem in this hyper capitalist world! Hope it stays that way. It takes only one or two people who sell their shares to a capitalist leech and the company is ruined.

As I hit send I realized my google picture is me and my raw lacquer in Maui last year lol. Good times.

Everyone should own a Bicycle!

A brilliant presentation. I have watched this video several times. I am a Brompton owner since 1994. The bike is so good that I rode the first one 16,000 kms, purchased a new one in 2014 and sold the old one for almost half of the price of the new one. Few products do that.

This is the best inspirational CEO talk I have ever seen. Brompton is a pure-breed engineering company (which is probably why Google invited them).

Well done Will ! I have wanted to hear from the inside of Brompton. I have never done the tour when there. I became enamored with this wonderful 'freedom machine' I call it years ago and haul one of the four I own around the world daily. Yank I was the first Yank in history to purchase a Brompton in Chile a few years ago, Santiago to be exact. I do share your vision of society for America someday mass numbers peddling along daily. Stay in the ring Will !! Cheers !!

thanks Will, really insightful talk ..

21:37 was a moment that really hit me. I think too often I pretend to enjoy myself in order to fit it. Will Butler-Adams Has summed up what it means to live authentically very nicely!

10:58 just described me perfectly! I’m a 28 year old ruggerbugger weighing in at 245 pounds and bike 12 miles a day. I would be happy to test your product! #brompton

Probably the best bike I have ever owned and totally addictive, Well done WB-A! Bromptons are Brilliant!

What an interesting beginning to Brompton, 13 years to get going. I am thinking of getting a Brompton in Australia. I currently ride a "Tern" folding bike, but want smaller folded up, to carry onto Aircraft Trams, Buses.

Andrew is very inspiring.

The question that Will missed asking the the person talking value of his Brompton bought for a $1000 ten years ago was what did he sell his 10 year old Brompton for (if he did)?? Probably $300 to $500 changing the value proposition question completely

I bought my first in Malaysia. Built in Taiwan.

Inspirational talk, the guy really has a passion for the product. I do hope they can remain an independent company. I've just ordered my first Brompton, custom made, 2 colour, as an S6E, and really looking forward to taking delivery. I'm 65 unfit and want to sort myself out, as a lapsed though life long cyclist, I think a bike is the most pleasurable and enjoyable way to do this. I was a Moulton owner in the past, but prices have gone ridiculous with everyone trying to cash in on even the most outrageous crap as a result. Moulton handbuilts are good but not £5-15k good, they also lack the portability of a Brompton, if I run out of puff, I can fold a Brompton and take it on local buses, trams and trains to get home. At £745, financed at 0% £30 a month/2 yrs, the new entry level B75 has to be a no brainer for anyone contemplating a Brompton, who previously thought they couldn't afford one.

I have bought a relatively cheap Brompton in Amsterdam. Here in the Netherlands the government has a law that every new bicycle can be insured (also against theft) so I went to the Brompton brand shop in Amsterdam and the English guy mechanic said that they don't deal with insurance. What?! Are you serious?! You sell the best and most expensive bikes, which are very likely to be stolen here in the Netherlands and you don't help your customers get insurance when it won't cost Brompton a penny, because the insurance company will pay for it.

I love my S6E Brompton, one of the best purchases I ever made. Was able to bring it back from dealer (from first free service) by tram to nearest stop, then ride home, exhilarating re small wheel acceleration. My other much loved bike is an Alex Moulton AM GT, cost me a good sum, but a stunning smooth and road bike performance ride, though not so practical as the Brompton. I think the future belongs to whoever is able to combine the best attributes of both Brompton and Moulton? At the moment, Moulton are just squeezing every last penny out of the brand since the demise of Dr Alex Moulton, with imho many ridiculous expensive "limited editions", and destroying the engineering purity of the brand. The AM New Series "Double Pylon" is now almost 4 times what it cost 10 years ago. There needs to be an explanation? Seems little honesty is being employed here as an intrinsic ethic ?

Good presentation no need to slavishly follow the competition you are already a niche manufacturer of the best folding bike in the world stay unique and don’t compromise for the sake of it. If you think the bikes are overpriced there are always other options to consider perhaps your yearly expense on public transport might be a good place to start and yes cycling takes effort unless you are are an e rider that is.

The swearing is unnecessary

I would love to have one. Just want a folding bike that holds at least 300 lbs. I weight about 250 and would love to have an adorable bike. A thousand dollars is ridiculous for a bike. Don't want no electric bike if I want an electric bike I would get a motorcycle. I want a bike to exercise. The price for them are crazy.

I am 67 and just bought my first Brompton B75 and its definitely an experience, I find the steering needs a bit of dampening, not sure really, any advice?

Every time I watch a Brompton bike vid, I appreciate more my trek soho single speed . Having it for almost 7 years and going ,in excellent good condition. Don’t get me wrong Brompton the best , if you have the budget for it.

I've enjoyed this vid and Will Butler Adams talk 3x and every time I learn something new about business. He's absolutely dialled in and I enjoy his perspective immensely. Yes, I did get a Brompton shortly after watching this. I believe in what he has to say, in what he believes in, and I will support Brompton because the quality of the product and the philosophy of Brompton speaks to me. Thank you Will, thank you Brompton. I love mine! :)

Bike will continue to change our lives i jus purchased one and now I feel like I should have done more research and picked a Brompton.

I've really started to admire the Brompton story, from both founder and current director. The moral of the story is, just f'ing do it.

I'm 60 and want to get into bike riding for exercise I use to live bike riding but as I got older I don't want to lug a bike up and down 3 to 4 flights of stairs I stopped riding. So would love to have an a good strong foldable bike I can leave in my car just a regular low speed bike no more then a 3 speed bike to get the exercise I need

Im a normie, not a cyclist. My neighborhood growing up all learned to ride a bike.

RU-vid recommended this after I searched folding bikes. Glad I’m here

Love my Bromptons, but Brompton needs to innovate and introduce bikes with capacity to fit wider tires, have options for disc brakes, and Shimano deraileurs for a more pleasant trail riding experience which more and more people are looking for. Brompton is falling behind the competition in this regard, however, they still can't be beat for smallest folded size. I upgraded my bike through some eBay seller's custom fork and rear triangle with disc brakes, smooth shifting Shimano 1x9 speed derailleur, and slightly widened to fit 305x57mm tires. What's more, the upgrades have minimal affect on the folded size. There's even a 20" triangle/fork set some of these companies are making that still has a smaller footprint than a 20" Dahon. If this random eBay seller can do this, Brompton can do it. This is what happens when good companies rest on their laurels.

Dear Brompton CEO, How can Brompton represent freedom, when you support Brexit?

i want a brompton, but need more time to buy it :( :p

The Tesla of bicycles...

what a great legacy one day I will own 1 brompton bike!!!!

We want ALFINE without mods...

It takes longer to charge electric solar is the best way

Yep need to get the price down now.. It's getting out of hand. With the days of automation you need to become more competitive

Carrying a Brompton on a Hyperloop🤩

Why don't they make solar not electric

Me encanta esa idea.Fantástica!!! Gracias Aby 👍❤

What you have delivered to this planet!

This man is an inspiration so is his bicycle!

Considering it's old fashioned tech (gear for instance) and materials (steel) for that price, i can't buy a Brompton. As a customer I don't care whether it is made in Britain or not. Nice talk though.

If you view the video by Andrew Ritchie, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-snyYehenkhU.html the founder of Brompton bikes, and then this video by the CEO of Brompton bikes, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Lh4yStWFNvs.html you get a good idea of the journey they have traveled together, and what each person thinks about the bicycle or Brompton, the company. Andrew's experience was mainly about how to make a foldable bike and mass producing it which he luckily succeeded. In that video he even said he wanted an electrical engineer to do some research into electrical motors to come into the company and bounce some ideas with him so that he could develop the bike into a true electric bike. In this video, you have Will the CEO admitting that there hasn't been much innovation on the bike. I am just an observer of the electric bike industry. There are actually at least 200 different manufacturers and the industry is highly competitive. Brompton had a defined start because it was uniquely able to produce light "foldable bikes". It's later attempt was to add-on an electric swytch component to the front wheel and then call the bike an electric bike. Some may have been satisfied with that attempt, after all it was not a big increase of costs to the original foldable bike. Electric bike users will agree that a proper electric bike should have a range of 100 miles per charge. The Brompton version is somewhat lite and can probably manage about a third fully charged with peddling input. Most genuine electric bikes are more powerful then the current Brompton electric bike. But of course there are good excuses for the user of a typical Brompton in that, a Brompton was supposed to be just a normal commuting bike and no one actually needed an electrical component powerful enough to power the bike to cover 100 miles per day. Most Brompton users are supposed to want to peddle as well and with average peddling you are supposed to be able to cover almost 50 miles with a full charge and peddle assist turned to minimum. Still I have been comparing the electric Brompton with fat tire foldable electric bikes like the Yamee or Rattan, or Lectric XP, or the very popular Rad Power electric bikes. Even the very posh version from Tern known as the Vecktron S10. And I want to conclude that it is humanly possible for the Brompton to go truly electric and come up with an electric bike that can go 100 miles a day fully charged. There shouldn't be any sort of misgivings about relying mostly on electric power because this energy is truly clean and cheap. You should be able to move the bike from stop to 15 mph just using the throttle alone. I wrote this little comment because there is this feeling of innocence that everything about the Brompton bike Co. will be A OK as long as the bikes remain somewhat electric, stays as light as now, or even lighter, don't costs much more. The problem with Yamee is it is abit heavier and more cumbersome to fold than a Brompton electric, but that fat-tire bike can out maneuver the Brompton in a trial, and still keep going and is rugged and cheaper than the Brompton. If regenerate electricity is going to be viable, then Yamee is going the right direction.. Please drop the idea that something is wrong if you use too much electricity and you are able to power a bike to cover 100 miles per day with just a single charge..Soon it will only take you a maximum of just 15 minutes to charge that battery to the maximum.. Just my thoughts.....

I just this bike today but it’s sold out. Well done

Past 24 min, pitch starts. So, how much is it honest? I tried to sell Brampton to my kid (who is over 21 & working) and it was shot down. Also, give a shot if you can make a bicycle that survive in towns and cities in India. If you can sell 80000 Brompton in Delhi (NOT New Delhi) that would start to make a real difference in pollution.

He says the market for e-bikes in 2025 is expected to be 24 billion. There only 6-7billion people on the planet so does that mean all cats and dogs will also own e-bikes?

This film is quite old now and looking at the problems at getting the E Brompton right the price of £2,700 ( in 2019 ) may seem expensive but the margins involved is not making any particular Brompton stake holder rich .

Ugly as sin as far as bikes go. However I’m glad they’re British and those that do like them are so passionate. Me personally, I’d be angry if I’d found one.

I wish it wasn't so expensive

How long will it be until it's made in China? hopefully never

Migration of people to cities? That's debatable now with the pandemic .. but bike sales are booming anyway

What can I say will is a genuine descent down to earth guy the figures show with the amount of sales and the pure quality and workmanship of Brompton Bikes. Everyone should own a Brompton I have for many years .the only brand I have ever owned.

Stay. Brompton. As you were. Start a marketing plan, and you are gone! 🐦🐦 🐦

I wish I can have 1 of that coolest bicycle on earth. This pandemic makes me not to go to work because there is no transfortation available. 😕

i just brought a brompton (pre-ordered) 17 mins into this video. Add another one to London.

Thank you will it's good to see you're moving forward on the electric Brompton. I think you're a bit off when you're talking about the US government pouring money into Tesla motor company I know you're on the other side of the pond have a different perspective there are forwardthinking people that are investing in to Tesla and that's a great thing.

Brilliant man. I got two brompton. The only thing missing in the uk to be bike friendly country is infrastructure. I totally agree with will.

The coolest down to earth CEO ever. One to have a pint with. Just bought my first Brompton today in Berlin (without electrics because Berlin is super flat) and I love the product.

I love the sarcasm about the hyperloop around the end of the talk.

is the the steve jobs of the folding bike?

Please reply

Sir plz tell.me.if the frame of brompton.is made of metal or alloy?

Nice talk great company. You should also check out Helix bikes I think they are also making a great job building a full size folding bike.

Grit made him successful, passion and perseverance.

Thought this was going to be crap... very good Will

really want to get to know Thomas the architect

Where can I buy into this History.

at 10:40 why is he shitting on Americans?

Interesting where Bromton produce Titanium parts?

My man's hair living in 2077

Please make Los Angeles bike friendly place!!!

Best business talk in the web

I saw this guy speak yesterday at an award ceremony in Leeds. He was bloody brilliant

Very authentic!👍

16:18-16:25 is when he realized he said something he shouldn’t have said. There’s no need. So moving on...

This guy is smart.

Love my Brompton

Great storyteller!

Great talk.

I'm sold!!!

🙏🏻👍👍

Smart bloke

Genius!