Brompton, a manufacturer of folding commuter bikes based in London, U.K., launched a new line of wheel rims made from 100% post-consumer aluminum scrap. Developed in partnership with Hydro, the wheel increases the use of low-carbon aluminum being used in Brompton’s iconic folding bikes.
“We are excited to collaborate with innovative sustainability leaders such as Brompton to develop new low-carbon products that meet consumer expectations,” said Hanne Karine Simensen, executive vice president of Hydro Aluminium Metal. “By providing full transparency of the carbon emissions in our value chain, we enable our customers to get in gear and reach their climate ambitions.”
Bicycles are inherently a low-carbon mode of transportation, providing commuters a way to quickly get around the city using the power of their legs alone. With folding bikes, commuters can travel even further, as the design enables them to fold up the bike to more easily hop on public transportation as needed.
Although bikes are a sustainable form of transport, it is also important to consider how products are made. The environmental footprint of the materials used in manufacturing bicycles can vary widely. A study by the European Cyclists’ Federation estimates that the materials used to make a typical 15 kg bicycle have an average carbon footprint equaling 75 kg of CO2.
This led Brompton to initiate a collaboration with Hydro in mid-2023, with the aim of introducing Hydro’s low-carbon aluminum in Brompton’s range of bikes. The collaboration has now resulted in bicycle rims made from Hydro CIRCAL 100R, a product that not only reduces weight, but also guarantees batch-by-batch transparency and a near-zero CO2 footprint.
“We know how important sustainability is for our customers and their expectation is that we must lead the change by looking at the entire value chain for how our bikes are manufactured,” said Will Carleysmith, chief design and engineering officer at Brompton. “It starts with the material choice and ensuring the products we put into our bicycle can be recycled after end-of-life.”
Despite being simpler than cars or trains, each bicycle part must withstand rigorous product testing for safety, strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. Brompton has undertaken such tests at its London facility to ensure the Hydro CIRCAL rims, made from 100% post-consumer scrap, meet the same high quality standards as all the other parts on the bike.
“As the world’s first safety compliant component manufactured from 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum, the rims provide a real world example of a truly circular economy in the industry,” noted Carleysmith. “Brompton wants to continue to lead product innovation within the micro mobility industry and bringing new sustainability solutions to the market is a top priority.”
Committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier, Hydro is pioneering the green aluminum transition with its roadmap to zero-emissions aluminum production. “To stop global warming we need to decarbonize manufacturing, produce for circularity and recycle resources already in use,” explained Simensen. “By choosing Hydro’s low-carbon, recycled aluminum in their bikes, Brompton is leading the way in their industry to get the circular economy rolling. We are thrilled to be along for the ride.”