Beryl Bikes took the Beryl name in 2018 after a trademark clash, nodding to cycling great Beryl Burton and the green beryl gemstone behind its laser.
Why Are Beryl Bikes Called Beryl?
Short answer: the brand rebranded from Blaze to Beryl in 2018. The choice solved a legal tangle and carried meaning. It salutes Beryl Burton, the record-breaking British cyclist, and it echoes the bright green hue of the mineral beryl—the same colour as the company’s Laserlight projection. In plain terms, the name explains the heritage and the signature colour in one move.
| Fact | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Former Brand | Blaze (bike lights and the Laserlight) | Press & company pages |
| Rebrand Year | 2018 | News coverage |
| Trigger | Trademark dispute in the US | Wired/Forbes |
| New Name | Beryl | Company/register |
| Name Signals | Tribute to Beryl Burton + gemstone “beryl” | University quote |
| Laser Colour Link | Green bicycle icon projected ahead of the rider | Product docs |
| Company’s Legal Entity | SMIDSY Limited (trading as Beryl) | Company site |
| Founder | Emily Brooke | Profiles |
Name Origins: Tribute, Colour, And A Clean Slate
The shift wasn’t just a fresh badge. It aligned the company story with the thing riders notice first: that vivid green bike symbol cast onto the road. The gemstone beryl spans greens and blue-greens; the light’s projection matches that palette. Linking the colour to the brand makes the product instantly recognisable in UK bike hire schemes and on private bikes that use the same tech.
The tribute matters. Beryl Burton dominated British time trials and track pursuit for decades. Riders still swap tales of her 1967 twelve-hour record that even beat the men’s mark for a time. Using her first name signals respect for grit and consistency—qualities the hire bikes and lights try to embody through durable frames, hub-powered electronics, and a simple, bay-based return system.
Close Variant: Why Beryl Bikes Are Called Beryl Today
People often type the query “why are beryl bikes called beryl?” when they spot the brand in a new city. Here’s the today view. In May–July 2018, the company retired the Blaze mark after a naming conflict in the US. The team chose a title that tells two stories at once: a salute to a British cycling legend and a colour cue tied to the Laserlight. That choice still guides branding in app icons, frame decals, and the bay markers you lock to at the end of each trip.
What The Rebrand Solved
A single, ownable name clears legal noise and keeps rollout simple when a scheme launches under sponsorship (for instance, local banks or councils). One word, Beryl, fits on head tubes, baskets, and app buttons without crowding. Riders don’t need to decode a long label to find a bike in a rack or on the map.
Why The Name Feels Right To Riders
It sounds like a person, not a machine. That makes it friendlier when you teach a child to ring the bell or when a visitor asks where to park. It also travels well: short, easy to pronounce, and distinct from giant operators. The colour story locks it in your mind—green light, green-tinted gemstone, green-branded basket badge.
Evidence You Can Check
Independent tech press reported the trademark clash and the move away from Blaze. A university news piece quotes the founder on the twin inspiration—Beryl Burton and the gemstone. Those two sources square neatly with the product you see on the street: green-beamed safety light, green accents, and a brand that borrows a British cycling first name.
How The Story Shows Up On The Bikes
Look closely at a Beryl basket. You’ll often find a small laser window set near the front. On compatible models, that window projects a bicycle symbol several metres ahead. The effect is simple: it makes you visible to drivers turning across you. It also answers the name question without a word. That bright green beam is a gemstone wink.
The Name In Everyday Use
Search behaviour tells the tale. Visitors land in a city, open the map, and ask “why are beryl bikes called beryl?” on their phone. The answer ties the practical and the poetic. It’s a brand that grew from a safety light. It runs share schemes with the same safety DNA. The name brings those lines together each time the light flicks on at dusk.
Brand Story At A Glance
- Origins in a student design that became a crowdfunded light.
- Partnerships with public hire schemes that value the projection tech.
- A 2018 reset that resolved a cross-border trademark conflict.
- A short, human name that nods to a British champion and a green gem.
- Consistent visuals: green light, green decals, green app accents.
When A Name Shapes Product Decisions
A name can guide dozens of tiny choices that add up to a clearer rider experience. Beryl’s teams lean into colour and clarity: paint shades that read at a distance, icons that pop at dawn, and lighting that sips power from the hub so bikes stay online. The badge on the head tube cues the same story in each new town, which helps adoption during the first month of a launch.
Practical Payoffs Riders Notice
Colour-coded bays reduce the time new users spend hunting for a drop point. A single word on signage shortens instructions. Consistent naming across scooters and e-bikes cuts confusion inside the app, which means faster unlocks and fewer abandoned sessions. Small wins, multiplied by thousands of trips, save minutes for riders and maintenance staff alike.
Quick Reference Table: The Name And The Timeline
| Year | Milestone | Relevance To Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Laserlight concept gains public attention | Sets the green-beam colour cue |
| 2014–2016 | Lights adopted by London hire scheme | Links light and safety to brand identity |
| 2018 | Rebrand from Blaze to Beryl | New name aligns with colour and tribute |
| 2019 | First Beryl Bikes schemes launch | Name appears on share bikes nationwide |
| 2020–2021 | Growth across UK towns and cities | One word simplifies local rollouts |
| 2024 | Next-gen e-bike announced | Continues the green/visibility thread |
| 2025 | Multiple schemes operating with the same brand | Reinforces recognition and trust at a glance |
What ‘Beryl’ Does And Doesn’t Mean
Not Just A Random Word
Some first-time riders guess the name is a quirky pick with no backstory. The record says otherwise. The brand links to a champion and to a mineral that mirrors the light riders see on the road. That’s deliberate, not an accident.
Not A Local Nickname
Another myth says the label was chosen for one city or a sponsor. Deals can change by region, yet the bikes keep the same badge. That consistency helps when a scheme launches in places that already host another operator.
Yes, The Legal Entity Differs
You might spot “SMIDSY Limited” in privacy pages or company filings. That’s the legal company, with Beryl as the trading name. SMIDSY is a road safety acronym riders hear in the UK: “Sorry, mate, I didn’t see you.” It fits the origin story of a light designed to be noticed.
Deeper Cut: The People And The Mineral
Beryl Burton In Brief
Burton won seven world titles and a long list of domestic championships across time trials and pursuit. Her twelve-hour distance mark in 1967 out-paced the men’s best for two years. She balanced racing with regular work, rode with family, and inspired generations to push long miles with calm efficiency. A first-name tribute suits a rider who made speed look routine.
The Gemstone Link
Beryl is a family of minerals that includes emerald and aquamarine. The common thread is a cool green through to blue-green tone. Tie that to a light that projects a green bike symbol and the brand message lands fast. Even without a word, the colour cues the name.
How To Spot The Branding Cues On Street
You can confirm the story just by rolling a few blocks. On classic pedal bikes, look for the solid basket unit with an embedded light lens. On e-bikes, scan the stem and top tube for the compact controller and a small badge. At night, check the projection: a crisp bicycle icon a few metres ahead. On bays, the painted marks and stickers repeat the same shade of green, so the bike, the bay, and the app feel like one system. That repetition keeps the name in your head long after you dock.
Why It Isn’t Named After A Sponsor
Some schemes run under a sponsor banner in a single city. The underlying hardware and app still carry the Beryl title. That split lets councils rotate sponsors without confusing riders. Your payment screen, your receipt, and your unlock instructions keep the same wording, while local partners get visibility on posters and public notices.
Why The Story Still Matters In 2025
Names drift when companies expand. This one hasn’t. Beryl keeps the same title on lights, bikes, and scooters, and it sticks with a colour that any rider can spot in traffic. That steadiness helps councils and operators roll out in new towns with fewer questions from first-time users. Clear name, clear colour, clear job. For readers, it also answers a small but nagging question the first time you tap unlock.
Method And Sources
This article cross-checks public records and coverage with the company’s own pages. Two helpful reads sit in the middle of the story: a Wired piece detailing the trademark controversy, and a University of Brighton news page where Emily Brooke explains the name as a nod to Beryl Burton and the green gem inspired by Beryl Burton and the gemstone.