BEGINNINGS

In 2015, David Millar met with Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams. David expressed he rarely used a bike in the city, only for training and competing. The conversation turned to what would be the best Brompton for a die-hard roadie, not a pastiche but a bike that was lightweight, stripped-down, dynamic to ride but useful day to day.

That conversation created the collaboration and was the moment the idea for the Brompton x CHPT3 was forged.

TESTING

2016 saw the first prototype of the Brompton x CHPT3 come to life. David had been using a series of different Bromptons the previous year, working out through trial and error the spec required for the CHPT3 version. His racing DNA shone through, the brief was simple: lighter, stiffer and more aggressive in ride and feel, in fact, it was even simpler, could we make a Brompton feel like a BMX? It seemed appropriate that it’s testing ground was the 2016 Tour de France where David and Ned Boulting rode them before and after stages for three weeks all over France, even over some of the highest cols along the route.

DEVELOPMENT

2017 saw the CHPT3 Brompton development continue, production was scheduled for the end of the year, titanium parts were being stockpiled at the new factory in London and Scwhalbe worked on producing the tan wall tyres that would match David’s racing bikes.

The bike went with David everywhere and was becoming well known in the road cycling scene, the final production prototype was delivered for the 2017 Tour de France, where once again it was ridden throughout the race displaying a versatility that impressed everyone. The CHPT3 Project Manager at Brompton, Andrew Finkill, embraced the challenge of creating a new type of Brompton with CHPT3: the first production bike was ready to go.

2018 EDITION

2018 saw the first Brompton x CHPT3 special editions come off the factory line, initially limited to 500 bikes, it soon became clear that demand would exceed supply. The three years since the initial meeting between Will Butler-Adams and David Millar had seen more than product development, it created a relationship built on mutual respect, both Brompton and CHPT3 became fascinated by each other’s worlds of cycling. The 2018 edition joined these two cycling disciplines together, combining practicality and performance. The combination of titanium forks and rear triangle, custom tyres and saddle, ergon grips and the overall look and feel morphed the bike from commuter to racer without losing any of its core identity.

"THIS IS A TOTAL GAME-CHANGER!"

David and Ned were no longer the only people at the Tour de France with Brompton x CHPT3 bikes. Others realised it was the best way to find some play in your work while on the road for three weeks.

Equally at home on the roads of the Tour de France or the daily commute to work, the CHPT3 introduced a whole new type of cyclist to the Brompton way of life.

2019 EDITION

2019 saw the launch of the second version of the bike, an evolution rather than a revolution, the concept remained the same with the details refined and improved. The Brooks saddle and Ergon grips were replaced by industry leading British company, fabric.

The Schwalbe ONE tyres were developed especially for the Brompton x CHPT3 2019 - the tan-wall with 35mm width lowers rolling resistance and uses extremely cut-resistant high tech fibre, maintaining a high level of puncture resistance. The rear suspension block is race-tuned, offering a stiffer more responsive ride allowing for improved handling. The fire red front tube is complimented by a textured black main frame as well as titanium forks and rear triangle.

2020 EDITION

2020 sees the launch of the newly updated Brompton x CHPT3. What started out as a one-off experiment to merge some roadie ideas into a folding bike has morphed into a long-term relationship, with each team bringing new thinking to how the collaboration can evolve further in its third chapter.