Brooks

Brooks England Ltd. is one of the few survivors of the once-glorious British bicycle industry. In 1865, John Boultbee Brooks left his hometown of Hinckley in Leicestershire with just £20 in his pocket and headed to Birmingham, where in 1866 he established a business in horse harnesses and general leather goods under the name JB Brooks & Co Ltd. In 1878, the unfortunate death of Mr. Brooks’ horse led to a stroke of inspiration. Unable to afford another horse, he borrowed a bicycle in order to get to work. He loved the new invention, but found the seat quite uncomfortable and vowed to do something about it. And so it was that on 28 October 1882, Mr Brooks filed his first leather saddle patent. By the 1950′s, Brooks was the largest saddle manufacturer in the world.
Brooks England Ltd. once again draws upon its rich heritage to create a diverse offering for cyclists. Reviving the original ‘Saddles, Bags, Etc’ slogan, Brooks has re-introduced a range of cycle bags and other accessories inspired by the company’s patent archive. The new products include both reissues of original models and new designs jointly inspired by the early patents of the company’s predecessors and the needs of today’s cyclist.