Originally Posted by
Jipe
R&M designed the original Birdy but couldn't produce it nor finance its production by a third party. Pacific Cycles invested in the production of the Birdy.
Right, that would be a valid reason to sell off some/all of the rights to control the brand/design, indeed.
Originally Posted by
Jipe
It would be strange that R&M approved the 3 generations of titanium Birdy that use the Birdy brand name but are 100% different from the aluminum Birdy and fully designed by Pacific Cycles without any participation of R&M.
Strange that R&M would approve it? No, given the Birdy is a high-end, pricy folder, the even costlier high-tech titanium edition would be "on-brand" for them.
Strange that Pacific should depend on R&M for approval? Depends on the the details of the agreement, which afaik we don't have.
In any case, it seems there's nothing
legal stopping R&M/Pacific (whoever controls it) from adding Brompton style block fittings. There could be
technical reasons - like strength/weight/manufacturing considerations in aluminium vs. steel frames, or interference with dynamo lights, or with brake/shift cables (I see Brompton routes the cables behind the head tube). Or the designers don't want it for
stylistic reasons. Or they simply haven't gotten around to it yet.