Bike designer Shaun Pirie used his expertise to claim victory in the Brompton Folding Bike Race at the inaugural City of London Nocturne. The event, held on the streets of the City, featured a unique challenge where riders had to unfold and fold their bikes at the start and end of the race.
Victory on Home Turf
Pirie, from Guildford, works as a senior design engineer at Brompton, giving him an inside scoop on the bike's mechanics. Despite his advantage, the 31-year-old described the win as surreal. "I love that course. It was amazing out there. The crowd was huge," he said.
He added: "I race Bromptons regularly and work on the Brompton design team in London, so I guess I’ve got a bit of an inside track in terms of how the bike works. That definitely helps, especially at the start, but it still hurt a lot. It was a really interesting race."
Postponed Championship
The Nocturne became a key goal for Pirie after the Brompton World Championship was postponed. "I knew this was a great event, and racing in the City of London is pretty special. The location is amazing, and there’s so much going on; from the penny farthing race to watching the pros as well," he said.
Regular Cyclist
Pirie, a regular cyclist for the Clapham Chasers, competed in the Brompton World Championships last year, finishing 10th. He praised the unique atmosphere of Brompton races. "Alec Briggs showed his class in that race, but they’re always super fun events; unique bikes and a great atmosphere."
He also races criteriums and road races but always prioritizes Brompton events. "If there’s a Brompton race, I’ll always try to be there. It’s something a bit different and really enjoyable," he added.
Wide-Ranging Event
The Brompton race was part of a diverse programme at the City of London Nocturne, a two-day event headlined by elite criterium races. Other activities included a penny farthing race and Guinness World Record attempts.
The weekend began with a charity pro-am for a new children’s cancer centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Three-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy expressed his enthusiasm for the event. "This event has been away for a while, so it’s great to see this new event created. It’s been created with a lot of effort from organisers and support from the City of London. I hope it’s well received by both the public and the cycling community so it can continue," he said.
Clancy emphasized the importance of such events for domestic road racing. "Events like this are incredibly important for domestic road racing. It’s not just about the elite races, things like the family ride are just as important."
