// Brompton Bicycle boss Will Butler-Adams says the retailer is battling a “war of attrition” with copycat manufacturers
// The managing director told The Telegraph cheaper brands from Europe and China were mimicking its folding designs
Brompton Bicycle boss Will Butler-Adams has said the retailer is battling a “war of attrition” with copycat manufacturers as demand for cycling slows post-pandemic.
The managing director told The Telegraph it was having to compete with cheaper brands from Europe and China that are mimicking its folding designs.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a campaign, more of a war of attrition with copies,” Butler-Adams told the publication.
“You know that you’re making progress if people are copying you – it’s a complement as much as it’s a pain.
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The brand’s bicycles, which are a popular choice among commuters, have inspired similar designs from other manufacturers in recent years forcing the retailer to take legal action.
The bicycle specialist sued South Korean manufacturer Get2Get in 2020 over the design of its “Chedech” bike, which folds into the same three positions as a Brompton bike.
“Whenever you innovate you take risks, you get things wrong, and then the moment you finally put it on the market, all of that innovation, all of that risk, someone comes along and says ‘oh, thanks for telling me how to do it, I’m just going to rip you off.’,” Butler-Adams said.
He also warned cycling demand was slowly falling following the return to normal post-pandemic meaning bike retailers could soon be left with excess stock.
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