重點: Project X will be the lightest product of its kind, yet it will out-perform all its competitors (the lightest spec of Brompton, an S1E-X, currently comes in at 9.0kg).
Project X will not, in any way, increase the size of the folded Brompton package
全文: NSTALMENT THREE
Hi,
As progress on Project X continues apace we thought it would be a good opportunity to discuss the considerations of Will and the design team as they develop a new product:
Weight The Brompton has always been designed to be light enough to be genuinely portable. In any case where the total weight of the bike would increase, there has to be a very strong argument for improving the performance or function of the bike. Our designers are always striving to reduce the weight without compromising strength or durability (the lightest spec of Brompton, an S1E-X, currently comes in at 9.0kg). Project X will be the lightest product of its kind, yet it will out-perform all its competitors.
Brompton S1E-X Brompton Pentaclip
Size Along with weight, another key criterion the design team considers with any improvement is whether it will increase the size of the folded package. Brompton bikes are renowned for their compact fold; this makes them easy to slot into luggage racks on trains, under the desk at work, in a late night cab, indeed anywhere where space is at a premium. One rarely (if ever) needs to lock up a Brompton outside; you can pretty much always take it with you. Project X will not, in any way, increase the size of the folded Brompton package.
Originality Ever since Andrew Ritchie built the first prototype, the Brompton way has been to never adhere to convention. Each product is carefully thought out and designed with the user in mind. This can often mean taking a totally new approach but the end result is a well thought-out product that offers a new and improved take on what has gone before.
Functionality & Durability A Brompton should be accessible to as many people as possible. This means that any improvements are also user-friendly and intuitive. It is for this reason that products such as the Pentaclip (the connector between the seat post and the saddle) were introduced; it offers an unlimited range of positions and angles for any rail saddle (including the Brompton standard saddle) so it can be adjusted to the preference of each individual. A Brompton is also built to last. The bike, components and accessories are designed with long-term, rigorous use in mind. A large number of parts are fatigue-tested to destruction to ensure no part on the bike is unable to stand up to the conditions of everyday use. All new products and improvements have to be able to stand the test of time and, where possible, must be retro-fittable to bikes already in use.
By the time Project X goes on general release, it will have undergone thorough testing both in the workshop and the field. Its initial launch will be limited to a few hundred exemplars in a unique colour before it becomes available as a B-spoke option widely available to consumers; the retrofit option will follow a year later.