Pedaal x Red Tower: Cerakote Your Brompton

Scratches happen. This matters, because on steel bikes, the paint isn’t there just to keep things pretty. Steel is highly corrosive, so once the paint chips, rust will begin to attack. Luckily, we have an answer for this. We’d like to introduce our partnership with Red Tower Armoury.

A Journey for the Perfect Finish

Bromptons have always taken paint seriously. So seriously, in fact, that before 2016, freshly brazed frames were shipped all the way to Wales just to get powder coated. Why such a long journey? Because Brompton didn’t have a powder-coating facility of their own, and they insisted that every frame receive this finish before it hit the city streets.

What is powder coating, anyway? Powder coating is a high-performance finishing process that differs from traditional wet paint. Instead of applying a liquid, the finish is applied as a fine, electrostatically charged powder, which is then baked at high temperature to fuse the particles into a dense, uniform layer. The result is a hard, coating that resists scratches and corrosion better than conventional paint. The commitment to strong finishes was one of the key reasons Brompton moved to their new factory in West London.

Colour Meets Combat Grade

However, we still need to ask: are these finishes enough? In winter, Toronto bike lanes don’t get cleaned and your wheels spray debris like a sandblaster. Then, there’s all the salt poured that attacks these newly exposed surfaces. The truth is, even the best powder coating has its limits. It can chip if impacted sharply, particularly on thin sections or high-contact areas—like the folding hook on a Brompton.

If Brompton has been on a quest for better finishes, we weren’t finished ourselves. We needed better armour. And, we found it at an armoury.

Cerakote: Engineered for Impact

Based in Whitby, Ontario, Red Tower Armoury has honed their process over years, coating everything from firearms to custom motorcycles with ultra-durable, precise finishes. Cerakote is a ceramic-based coating engineered to resist chips, scratches, and corrosion—even under sharp impacts. Unlike powder coating, it’s ultra-thin—often less than a mil—so it doesn’t add bulk or interfere with Brompton’s tight tolerances, yet still forms a protective armor. Its ceramic composition provides exceptional abrasion resistance and chemical stability, making it virtually impervious to salt, grime, and the constant bangs and knocks of urban riding. In short, Cerakote survives conditions that would easily chip powder-coated frames, making it a next-level solution for city riders.

Brompton introduced Cerakotes to add some colour to their ultra-lightweight titanium bikes. This, we imagine, is because powdercoats are heavy while Cerakotes are light. But, the reality of the matter is that titanium doesn’t really need a Cerakote. That’s because titanium cannot rust. So, if Brompton wanted to add a level of colour to their titanium bikes, we wanted finishes that could protect all Brompton bikes – all with a level of individual expression. And, that’s exactly what we can offer.

Your Brompton, Renewed

We start by taking your Brompton completely apart—down to the last hinge pin. Every component gets a thorough cleaning so that nothing interferes with the Cerakote process. Then it’s carefully shipped to Red Tower, where the magic happens: your frame and parts are coated with ultra-durable, chip-resistant Cerakote in your chosen colors.

When it returns, we reassemble your Brompton piece by piece, making sure every hinge, bolt, and gear is perfect. Brompton recommends replacing hinge pins, seat sleeves, and swingarm bushings every 5–10 years, so a full paint refresh isn’t just about making your bike look amazing—it’s like giving it cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery at the same time. You’re upgrading its finish, reinforcing its structure, and taking care of essential maintenance all in one go. It’s not just a paint job; it’s a full transformation.

Pricing:

There are an absolute kazillion of Cerakote colours available, so the the possibilities are practically endless. If you’re interested, you can see them all here. And, if you’re in Toronto, please drop by the shop as we have all the available colour swatches for you to check out. Here are the prices (including the complete tear down and rebuild).

• • All one colour: $900
  • Two colours: $950
  • Three or more colours: $1000
  • Splatter paint: $1200

Until our online builder is ready, we recommend booking a colour consultation, or fill in the form below. And of course, if you have any questions along the way, just send us a note at info@pedaal.com—we’re happy to help!