Most people assume a Brompton just appears in a shop and that’s that. The truth is a little more interesting. Every bike takes its own path to get here, and at Pedaal we like to think that’s part of its story. We keep a wide range of Bromptons in the store so you can see the colours in real light, feel the weight in your hands, and try a few riding positions. But with over 170 possible combinations in the lineup, no shop on earth could stock them all. That’s where our pre-order system comes in — it’s risk-free, it guarantees your bike, and it lets you be part of the process from the beginning.
Behind the Scenes: How Bromptons Reach Canada
Sometimes the bike you want is already on our floor. Other times it’s sitting in Brompton’s US warehouse, ready to come across the border. In those cases, we can bring it in within a couple of weeks and handle all the duties and exchange on our side. When neither place has your exact configuration, we place a production order directly with the factory in London. But, ordering from the UK works differently. Brompton doesn’t warehouse bikes in London; every bike is built to order. When we place a production request, your bike enters the build queue and starts from scratch. The total timeline depends on the season, ranging anywhere from one to three months once production and shipping are factored in.
In winter, Brompton is building retailer pre-orders for the year ahead. Ordering during this period is straightforward because your bike joins the same production stream, and lead times tend to be consistent. Summer looks very different. Production may be quieter, but demand is not. This is when most people decide they want a Brompton immediately. And because the UK factory does not warehouse bikes, even a summer order still needs to be built from scratch. In Autumn, Brompton pauses production for several months to re-tool for the next model year. Orders placed during this time move forward once the factory restarts, which usually puts delivery into the winter period.
In any case, once a bike is built, we reduce the wait by airfreighting non-electric models from the UK. But, take note – this is not the case with Electric Bromptons! Electric Bromptons follow a different process because their batteries must travel by ocean, which adds extra time (minimum one month). This is why anyone looking for a specific electric model benefits from ordering ahead rather than trusting their luck. Due to higher inventory costs, even Brompton USA keeps a tight lid on Electric bike stock. The moral of the story is that planning ahead is the simplest way to make sure the Brompton you want actually becomes the one you ride.
Seasonal Realities
This is where pre-ordering really earns its place. Especially in advance of Spring, where stock levels vanish with a spike in demand. A pre-order reserves the exact bike you want – the exact colour you want too! – and lines up the supply chain in your favour. A simple, refundable deposit sets everything in motion so the Brompton you want becomes the Brompton you get.
Another seasonal reality is winter. Like all bike stores – and, for that matter, Brompton USA – we keep our cash liquidity high and our stock to a minimum in winter. This frees up cash to bring in new stuff like the e-Motiq Electric Bikes and the revamped P-Line model. At the same time, we keep a full fleet of demo bikes so you can try before you buy (want to? book an appointment here!). Once you figured out what you want, we first check the Brompton USA warehouse, since turnaround is usually a week. If they don’t have what you want we place a production order from the UK. Again, this takes longer, but you’re guaranteed have a bike ready for the first day of Spring.
Total Transparency: See Every Brompton Headed Our Way
To make this all very straightforward, we’ve built something no other shop has. We’ve pulled the live stock feed from Brompton USA’s dealer site (normally invisible to consumers) and broadcast it right on our own site, alongside the bikes we have in hand and the ones we’ve already ordered from the UK. Here’s a sample of what one of our pre-order pages look like (you can click into them in the next section).
We even flag confirmed incoming bikes with a green “on the way” button. This means we placed an order with Brompton UK and the bikes have been confirmed. Typically we order the inventory you see from the UK rather than the USA to save on duties and currency. But, it’s also quite possible that the same bike is available in the USA with a much quicker turnaround. This is especially true in winter when we’ve put large orders into UK production and the arrival time is closer to Spring. So, if you see something “on the way” but want it faster, shoot us an email and we can check if the USA can offer us a faster ETA. Our email is info@pedaal.com
How Our Pre-Order System Works
On each pre-order page you’ll see whether a bike is on the way, in stock at Brompton USA or the UK, and the estimated lead time. If you’d like to reserve one, just place a $500 deposit. We’ll personally follow up within 24 hours to confirm your order, answer any questions, and add accessories if you’d like them included. Deposits are refundable until we confirm the order with you.
This looks a little different whether you order from the US or UK. In the case of the US, the bike is ready to ship, so once we contact you to confirm the order, the deposit is convertible to store credit. If you order from the UK, the production time gets scheduled by Brompton. And, before the bike goes into production, Brompton makes sure to confirm the order with us, at which time we will double check confirmation with you. Up to this point the deposit is refundable. After confirmation, the deposit is convertible to a store credit. It’s all risk-free and designed to get you riding!
Check out the Bikes
So, ready to take the leap? Check out the pages below for bikes we have in stock and bikes available to order. For the pre-order pages, please give each page a few seconds to load.
Next Steps
Got a question? We’d love to help! For quick questions, click the chat button during opening hours or shoot us an email at info@pedaal.com. Want to really drill down with some questions? Book an in-store or remote sales appointment by clicking here. Of course, we’re also a phone call away too! Just dial 416-972-1422, ask for Eric or Timm and we’d love to help!
