You probably remember the feeling of when your grown-up let go of the back of your bike and you were... riding a bike. Freedom, right?

It should be, but it’s not, according to Danny Harris, executive director of Transportation Alternatives—whose mission is to advocate for better, safer access to walking, biking, and public transit for New Yorkers.

“We give kids the tools to get around on foot or on a bike, but then the city isn’t accessible because it’s too dangerous,” Harris tells Bicycling.

In an effort to reclaim city streets from vehicles, Transportation Alternatives has partnered with Brompton Bicycle—creator of the foldable bike—to make cities more bikeable, walkable, and, er, playable with the Campaign for Movement.

“Our infrastructure is broken and destroying our Earth and communities on a daily basis,” Harris says, noting the majority of U.S. towns and cities were built around cars instead of people.

electric bike in san francisco
Brompton electric bike folded up.
Brompton Bicycle

Peter Yuskauskas, VP-marketing and retail for Brompton Bicycle in North America, says infrastructure is all about creating a safe environment, no matter the mode of transportation. And Brompton is using its resources to help create protected bike lanes and secured bike parking.

When this happens, more people will get on their bikes, and that means individuals will see the physical and mental health benefits of increased exercise, and communities will see environmental benefits. As we ride (and walk and take public transit) more, there will be fewer cars and trucks on streets, which will decrease noise pollution and carbon emissions—key culprits in climate change.

But in order for people to get on the saddle, companies like Brompton Bicycle and local governments need to address two pain points, Harris says: safety and parking.

“It doesn’t matter if you build the most amazing bike in the world. If people don’t feel safe around the city, they won’t take it to a friend’s house or take it to work or ride it with their kids, and it’s a failed system,” he says. “It makes sense that Brompton is thinking holistically about the network required [to make cycling appealing].”

Making it easier to bike everywhere

The Campaign for Movement urges city residents to rethink the way they get from point A to B, focusing on the physical, mental, and environmental benefits of riding a bike for transportation. Transportation Alternatives is sharing its expertise and thought leadership with Brompton, especially when it comes to what governments need to do to make riding a bike safe and accessible to all.

“We’re creating a grand vision of what cities are for and how streets can serve people,” Harris says. “Brompton is making biking accessible to everyone. They’re not just selling a bike; they’re connecting the dots to make a bike network possible. Bikes are just a tool to reimagine what a city can be.”

How to Make Your Community More Bike-Friendly
There is no shortage of organizations with the goal to make communities more sustainable and less reliant on cars. Those groups always need advocates, boots on the ground. If you're in New York City, a good place to start is Campaign for Movement. For other areas, search terms like “city with bike path,” “livable streets,” and “safe streets” to find an organization. If there are none, attend a community board or city council meeting and ask why there isn’t one. Ask why there isn’t protected bike infrastructure. Rally for reduced speed limits, more sidewalks, and better bus services.

And when it comes to actually choosing a bike? Brompton has you covered.

“Cities have a long way to go to be more bike-friendly, but your choice of ride also has a lot to do with how easy it is to get around,” Yuskauskas tells Bicycling. “A Brompton can be carried on a train to span long distances and brought inside to avoid theft. Plus, it takes up a fraction of the space in your home compared to a full-size bicycle (and many folding bikes).”

Living in a tiny city apartment isn’t a reason to not have a bike: The Brompton Electric, for example, folds into 25.3 x 23 x 10.6 inches. That’s a little larger than a backpack.

“I have more bikes than people in my house,” Harris, who lives in New York City, says. “And I fold up my Brompton, take it around—the subway, into my office—it’s really made the city a lot more accessible.”

Fun fact: One car parking space can hold 42—42!—folded Brompton bikes.

42 brompton foldable electric bikes in one parking space
Forty-two Brompton electric bikes folded in one parking space.
Brompton Bicycle

One feature of the Brompton Electric that will entice every city dweller is its simple, convenient transformation into, wait for it: a shopping cart, complete with an essential bag for your, well, essentials.

“The attachment bag is meant for your laptop, lunch, glasses, wallet, and is securely attached to your bike,” Yuskauskas says.

If you run out of battery? The Brompton Electric bikes are designed to ride just as easily as traditional bikes, Yuskauskas says.

Safety: For you and your bike

Because you can stick a folded Brompton Electric anywhere, it means you won’t have to worry about theft—leaving it parked on the front gate or outside a heavily trafficked office building.

“While electric scooters have a new-gadget cool factor, they’re not nearly as safe as a folding electric bike," says Yuskauskas says. "Our folding electric bike has larger wheels—making it more stable—and more powerful brakes. Plus, they’re designed to take city terrain (think curbs and potholes) in stride unlike their scooter counterparts, which makes a folding electric bike safer for streets that have less-than-ideal surfaces for biking."

“Another major barrier with city infrastructure is how to get people to their destination if they’re biking and there is a bridge or there are bike lanes that aren’t connected over large distances,” Yuskauskas says. “With a Brompton, you can easily take it on the subway or the bus to close those gaps. The electric bike is such an important tool to transform cities because it makes the transition [from driving or public transit] easy. With Brompton Electric, you can get all the benefits of an electric bike but in a package that easily combines with other forms of transportation."