Editors note. We were proud to be some of the very few North American's who made it to Brompton's very quirky first edition of the "Brompton World Championship" held at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford. Since then, we've hosted our own highly successful Brompton Urban Championship in 2015 and will offer another round in 2016. Stay tuned!

- February 2016

When everyone had completely drenched their three piece suits with sweat at the end of the race, Will - the CEO of Brompton - said at the podium "it's the quirkiest race in the world on the quirkiest bike, but the bike is fast and has a lot of grit". Well said, and exactly right. We have always suspected a 'Brompton' culture on the other side of the pond, and culture may not be the right world. 'Cult' may be more exact. There were 500 contestants from all corners of the world, dressed in tweedish period style, Saville Row, and just plain unusual three piece suits. Brompton isn't as common as Coca Cola in the UK, but it is very recognizable. Nonetheless, Brompton owners - as is also true in Canada - have something of a blood relationship with each other. There was no greater proof than watching 500 contestants run to their bikes in a Lemans start, unfold, and ride the track at beautiful Blenheim Palace in a flurry of sweat and neckties. We started the race at Victoria Coach station in London, where lines of empty Brompton boxes awaited our bikes.

We have been selling Brompton for years and count as one of North America's top dealers, however, for us Brompton has been largely a 'solutions based' sell to cyclists who know their riding habits well and want the perfect bike to fit. But in the UK it is not only a solutions based sell, but an entry into the larger quirkiness that Brompton inhabits and manifests delightfully. When you buy a Brompton, you buy one of the most single unique products in the world produced by some very unique people, sold by some equally unique people and purchased by some rather unique people who want their lives enhanced by something as simple as a bicycle. Did we win? Heck no, not when Roberto Heras (Spanish cycling star) was in the race (below).

We thought we might have a spot of luck, since Donny's badge number was 412, which is the address of our store on Bloor Street. But our tentative hopes in numerology were forever dashed as hundreds of very fit Brompton owners (of all ages) raced up and down the hilly English garden of Blenheim Palace. The Brompton World Championship is a neat event that was first started by Bike Tech, the distributor for Brompton in Spain. The idea was to inject something of Brompton's quirky culture in England into other regions, and believe us, we are petitioning Brompton for a chance to import not only their bikes, but something of their quirkiness across the pond. If you think Toronto should hold a BWC in the future, post a comment! We'll turn it into something of a petition.