How EJP Events produced a community night for Brompton’s CEO at Clever Cycles
On the evening of April 15, 2026 Clever Cycles in Portland welcomed Will Butler-Adams, OBE (Order of the British Empire), the CEO of Brompton Bicycle, for a night built around the folding-bike community that has grown up around the shop. EJP Events produced the evening, and we want to share how it came together, because it is the sort of community event that rewards careful planning while still feeling relaxed and unforced.
Clever Cycles is the only Gold-tier Brompton dealer on the West Coast. The only Brompton shops with a higher designation are the brand’s own flagship stores in cities like London and Singapore. Between that distinction, the debut of a new in-store Brompton Lounge, and an active and energized Portland cycling community, it is easy to see why Will wanted to spend an evening here.
The event opened at 5:00 PM with the Lounge debut. Guests browsed the shop’s collection of current and unusual Bromptons and caught up over drinks, with cocktails from Straightaway Cocktails and food hosted by Clever Cycles. At 6:00 PM, about 30 riders rolled out for a short, family-friendly group ride. The ride cruised through the inner east side and paused on the Eastbank Esplanade overlooking the Willamette River and the Steel Bridge. This is where riders were greeted with the sight of an Amtrak Cascades train and a TriMet MAX train crossing the river at the same moment. In a city that takes its transportation choices seriously, that pause landed just right.
Back at the shop, the Show ‘n’ Shine gave riders a chance to show off their builds. Patrick Loftus took the top award for a hand-built Brompton bag that drew a steady crowd throughout the night. Will spent the rest of the night talking with guests and signing their bicycles, staying until 10:30 PM, well past the scheduled close.
The numbers tell part of the story: 65 people registered and 37 came through the door, with riders traveling from as far as Seattle and Longview. Clever Cycles added a giveaway of 25 CampSnap cameras, all claimed by the end of the night, each one a small memento and a reason for guests to sign up and stay in touch.
What I heard most often after the ride was a single question: when is the next one? That question is the clearest measure of a community event. It means people left wanting more time together, not less.
There is a line from Will that stuck with me. He told the room, in so many words, that people were not there because of Bromptons. They were there because they love to bicycle, they love to travel, and they love this community. For an event planner, that is the whole assignment: Build the room so the people in it can find each other.
If your brand is looking to bring a leadership visit, a retail activation, or a community night to life, this is the kind of work EJP Events loves most. We plan, source, and produce community events, brand activations, and travel programs for clients around the world. You can reach us at emee@ejpevents.com
