Items filtered by date: Tuesday, 02 December 2014

Emma Tucker writes in deZeen that bicycle company Brompton has borrowed Formula One racing technology to create an electric version of its bestselling folding bike.

Aimed at easing city dwellers' commutes, the Brompton Electric relies on a battery that clips onto the front of the bike and stores away into a separate bag for easy carrying.

Brompton partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering – part of the Williams Group, which also owns the Williams Martini Racing Formula One team – to develop the bike's bespoke motor.

It is calling Brompton Electric the most technically advanced model it has ever produced. 

"We've spent five years taking Williams Racing technology and integrating it into the Brompton," said company CEO Will Butler-Adams.

"It has been harder than any of us imagined but we believe we have created a product that will inspire more people to get out from under the ground, out of their cars and back onto a bike to rediscover their cities."

Brompton's folding frames date back to 1975, when Andrew Ritchie built the first one in his flat in London. The brand opened its first factory in 1988, and today makes more than 45,000 folding bikes each year – making it the UK's largest cycle manufacturer.

Aimed at city dwellers, Brompton bikes fold up to a third of their size, so can be carried on trains by commuters, or packed into the boot of a car.

While a typical Brompton weighs between nine and 13 kilograms, depending on the model, the Brompton Electric has a weight of 16 kilograms. However the 2.8-kilogram battery can be removed and carried separately, to make it easier to use.

"The vision for the Brompton Electric was to make a product that was as light as possible without sacrificing durability, and was extremely compact," said chief design and engineering officer Will Carleysmith.

The Brompton Electric can run for up to 50 miles on a single charge, and there are three power assistance levels for cyclists to choose from.

Brompton has also released an accompanying smartphone app, that lets users track their mileage and customise settings for the bike.

The decision to launch the bike was fuelled by the increasing demand for e-bike ownership across mainland Europe. This trend has resulted in several new launches, from Pininfarina's sports-car-inspired design, to KiBiSi's lightweight OKO bicycle.

According to Brompton, sales in cities remain behind the trend, because customers lack safe places to keep bicycles. Because of this, it is calling the Brompton Electric a "game changer".

The Brompton Electric is now available to be reserved – as either two or six speed versions, in white or black – and the first models will be shipped in early 2018.

| A deZeen release  || August 2,  2017   |||

 MODESTO, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- E. & J. Gallo Winery (Gallo) announced today that it has been awarded the exclusive rights to distribute New Zealand's Saint Clair Family Estate wines in the United States, effective immediately.

Known for producing some of the best Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough region, Saint Clair Family Estate is the latest addition to Gallo's premium import portfolio. "Saint Clair Family Estate is well-known around the world and we are excited to introduce this award-winning Sauvignon Blanc to American consumers," said Roger Nabedian, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Gallo's Premium Wine Division.

Owners Neal and Judy Ibbotson first planted vines in 1978, and were one of the early family pioneers to the Marlborough wine industry. Today, Saint Clair Family Estate owns fifteen vineyards located throughout the Wairau, Awatere, and Omaka Valleys of Marlborough, as well as Hawkes Bay. This allows the winery to specialize its plantings by grape variety in the sub-regions that provide the most suitable terroir for each.

"Saint Clair Family Estate is thrilled to have entered into a partnership with E. & J. Gallo Winery as the exclusive national distributor for the Saint Clair brand in the USA," said founder Neal Ibbotson. He added, "We share many of the same values – family, passion and quality – and the move is an exciting opportunity for us to further develop our brand in the USA market."

The Saint Clair name originated from the vineyard property, first settled by the Sinclair family. Pioneer James Sinclair built one of the first homes in Blenheim and was closely associated with the early development of the town. Over time the name of the property reverted to the original Saint Clair.

The Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc will retail for $28. While the wine is already available in select states, the national roll-out is scheduled for Q1 2018.

About E. & J. Gallo WineryFounded by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in 1933 in Modesto, California, E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world's largest family-owned winery and the acclaimed producer of award-winning wines and spirits featured in more than 90 countries around the globe. A pioneer in the art of grape growing, winemaking, sustainable practices, marketing and worldwide distribution, Gallo crafts and imports wines and spirits to suit a diverse range of tastes and occasions, from everyday offerings to boutique, luxury bottlings.

The Gallo portfolio is comprised of more than 80 unique brands, including Barefoot Cellars, Dark Horse, and Gallo Family Vineyards, as well as premium box wines The Naked Grape and Vin Vault. Premium offerings include Apothic, Carnivor, Chateau Souverain, Columbia Winery, Ecco Domani, Edna Valley Vineyard, J Vineyards & Winery, Louis M. Martini, MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Mirassou, Orin Swift, Talbott Vineyards, and William Hill Estate, along with highly acclaimed imports, such as Alamos, Brancaia, La Marca, Las Rocas, Martín Códax, Whitehaven, and LUX Wines, importers of Allegrini, Argiano, Jermann, Pieropan and Renato Ratti. Gallo Spirits offers New Amsterdam Vodka and Gin and E&J Brandy, in addition to imported Scotch whiskies from Whyte & Mackay, including The Dalmore, Jura Single Malt and John Barr Blended.

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