Kicking off a very exciting summer is the opening of Melbourne’s very own Brompton Junction at 753 Nicholson Street, Carlton North! This Brompton Junction will be the first in the southern hemisphere and the 16th Brompton flagship store to open around the world.
Many of you may have noticed that the address for Brompton Junction Melbourne is that currently of Velo Electric and Folding (“Velo”). As not simply a, but the only, Premier Brompton store in the country, negotiating to become a Brompton Junction store was a logical progression for Velo.
However, Brompton Junctions don’t just pop-up over night. It’s been a very long process, with countless hours having been dedicated to the task by Cory Boardman and others at Velo, the Junction team at Brompton Bicycle and Brompton Australia.
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- Cory at the Brompton Bicycle Factory, Greenford
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- Cory at Brompton Junction London
The awesome news for the rest of us is that now that they’ve done all the hard work, we can enjoy the benefits! Once we’re up and running, we will have access to Junction-only limited editions and special editions faster than ever before. We are also likely to get a demonstrator Brompton Electric sooner than had the Junction not gone ahead, but there is still no time frame on that. Brompton are still keeping the B-Electrics UK-based for the time-being.
Work to divide and renovate the current shop space will commence late this week, and is expected to take two-three weeks to complete. Brompton Junction Melbourne will look very different to the current space – not to mention, also filled with a whole lot of 2019 Black Edition Bromptons and other goodies!
As soon as opening details for Brompton Junction Melbourne can be confirmed, we will let you know – it would be fabulous to have everyone come and celebrate the opening! In the meantime, please follow @bromptonjunctionmelb on Instagram to keep up with the latest updates on the renovation.
Upcoming Rides
Saturday 17 November – Evening ride to Williamstown
Departing Velo Electric & Folding at 5pm, this will a relaxed ride mostly on bike paths to Williamstown for dinner, followed by an equally relaxed ride home. An alternative return option is via train. A few more details in our previous blog post.
Sunday 16 December – Brompton demo and ride
Details for this are yet to be finalised, but we can elaborate a little on our previous post.
The idea is to meet up around 2:30pm near Webb Bridge (aka ‘Eel Trap’) and ride to St Kilda where the Shimano Supercrit (a really big cycling event) is taking place.
A “crit” (or “criterium” to use the full word) is a bike race where people ride laps of a closed circuit track. A ‘supercrit’ is the same thing but bigger. If you’re now thinking to yourself, ‘That sounds exactly like a Brompton World Championship race,’ you’re exactly right!
But before anyone panics or gets ahead of themselves, NO – we are not attempting to hold a Brompton Championship next month. If we get numbers confirmed ASAP the intention is for a group of us to be able to show spectators a Le Mans style start (which means running over to your bike and unfolding it when to begin the race) followed by a very short ride, and crossing the finish line in style. Don’t worry if you’re not a fast rider; as long as you can unfold the main aim is to have fun. So dress to impress, dress for comfort, or dress for speed – it’s up to you!
On a personal note…
Over the past three and half years I’ve written a lot of blog posts, posted a LOT of photos, met many of you on club rides, and more still as we pass in and out of Velo Electric & Folding as customers. Velo has been my weekly ‘hang out’ where I could talk to other Brompton owners, learn (and share) tips and useful advice, and mainly where I’ve cleaned and learnt to do basic maintenance on my own Bromptons.
I have tried to be available to all members to offer support and/or advice when requested. Once or twice in discussion, people have mentioned that they have contacted me because of my apparent impartiality.
It is with that in mind that I wish to disclose to members that I have accepted a job at the Brompton Junction Melbourne store. My current office job concludes at the end of this month, and my Saturday ‘hangout’ time at Velo Electric & Folding turns into a 5 days a week role at the new Brompton Junction. This is an opportunity that I am extremely excited by, and a team I am proud to become part of.
As a customer I expected the best and Velo delivered; as a member of the Brompton Junction Melbourne team, I am determined to ensure that your expectations are not only met, but exceeded where ever possible.
Melbourne Brompton Club will continue to exist as a forum for group discussion and events. Everyone is welcome to contribute photos, ideas, ask questions, post rides suggestions, share their Brompton story, whatever they’d like as long as it’s polite and relevant for the group.
If you use Facebook but have not joined our group page, please consider doing so Melbourne Brompton Club. If you share photos of your Brompton on Instagram, please tag @brompton_melbourne. If you Tweet photos or other relevant articles please ping or tag @brompton_MEL.
If you have any concerns, comments, or queries please feel free to comment below, or email me at melbournebromptonclub@gmail.com.au
Happy Bromptoneering!
