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Excuse the Farage-y title. We're lucky enough to have a bunch of amazing bike companies here on these fair isles and if we want them to stay around, simply put, we need to actually buy them. Cotic, Orange, Starling, Deviate, Privateer, Saracen, Atherton and loads more. Bikes in every segment, hitting most price points, on the bleeding edge of race tech to simple but durable rigs. For my money, UK designers and manufacturers are making some of the most compelling bikes anywhere in the world and you can be sure they've been tested to hold up in the shitty UK weather.
So next time you feel like opening your wallet, why not consider supporting domestic jobs and hopefully keeping these companies around for the future. It's not an easy time in the industry right now & if you want your favourite local brand to stay around they need to be selling bikes.
My dad is hilarious when shopping for British goods.... The effort he goes to when trying to buy a British microwave.....
My current bike is a Bird, I bought it partly because it's a British brand... It's worth bearing in mind that your support only goes so far when the company has their manufacture overseas....
Many of those brands manufacture frames in the UK.
I don't buy in to all the patriotic stuff normally, value is a bigger priority for me tbh
wed all be riding Calibre bossnuts if that was totally true tho
In the era of Trump and his tariffs Im actively trying to avoid any American brands, if i was buying a new bike
id probably be looking at Deviate, Ohlins, Shimano, Oneup, Hope, dtswiss , maxxis, I think that would give me a fully non USA bike
I bought an Airdrop Edit MX because it was a great bike, not because it was a UK company.
I have minimised buying stuff from US companies since the whole tarriff silliness from the orange one.
What's that strange golden glow I can see?
Oh, it must be the halo over my head because in the last few years I've owned (UK made) 4 or 5 Oranges, a Starling and (UK owned) a Boardman, a Bird and a Ragley.
Now excuse me while I go and paint some roundabouts. On my Orbea.
The Austin Allegro.
If the product is crap it is crap. I will buy what works not just because of where it comes from. If it is UK built fine, but i am certainly not going to buy something just because of a flag.
I've currently got one British, one Canadian, both made in Taiwan.
I've also got an American BMX and an American corporate e-bike. Both made in Taiwan.
Next bike might be a Geometron. Germany via Wales.
I'm not sure there's any purchasing decisions I can make that will slow the planets descent into poisonous, authoritarian hellscape.
In one way, I agree. But the other side of the coin would be encouraging people from France not to buy uk bikes (because they should only buy french brands). Etc, etc.
At the end of the day, I think if any company relies overly much on a domestic market, rather than developing an international presence (and therefore diversifying their risk) then they will always be at risk.
I make my own frames, but so far (15 years) have only used Columbus tubes as was just more convenient to buy very small quantities from the same place the flux, bb shells, head tube etc come from.
Not super cost sensitive, so maybe I'll order from both places and get Reynolds tubes next time.
Use Hope for hubs etc and Middleburn cranks - but due to durability they are also 15 years old and on the third going on fourth frame iteration 🙂. Must do Hope discs sometime as they put loads back into the local riding and racing scene.
I've owned a British bike (an Orange) but generally, I buy what's best for the money I have available. And that's very rarely British. My current bikes are a steel gravel bike and hardtail made in Germany, because the spec and finish for the price were far better than British ones, and a pair of Swiss carbon fibre full suspension bikes because they're so light and have cutting edge technology that makes a real difference to how they ride and behave that the likes of Orange and Airdrop just don't match. It'd be like running Hope brakes - why run something that's worse AND more expensive? National borders are all just imaginary lines anyway.
I do my best to support British bike brands, but I don't care that it is 100% fully fabbed on UK soil. More than happy for it to be welded in Europe or even Taiwan, especially as I'm EU resident. It's still supporting British small businesses, none of whom could take the risk to bring it all in house.
2 Cotics, 1 Fustle, and tempted by 1 more that will be either Cotic or Sour or Mason (all EU made), with mostly bits from Hope, Ergon and DT Swiss etc. leaving mainly the groupset as the longhaul import. Apparently with such selected bits that classifies as sufficiently UK/EU made to end up as 0% duty if done as a whole bike?
It'd be like running Hope brakes - why run something that's worse AND more expensive?
This opinion I presume is based on not having tried any of Hope's current range of brakes?
I curently own a Cotic RocketMax and a SolarisMax (thanks Kelvin ^^), but have previously owned a Solaris and a Cascade. Go me....I also have a Planet X road bike, and used to have a Ragley Blue Pig and an Orange 5.
I don't necessarily buy them because they are british but rather because, in the case of Cotic at least, the company seems decent, the fact the RocketMax is made in these isles was a contributing factor though.
I'd also rather buy UK or european made stuff just because the products have travelled less mile to get to me. I take the same view with wine and don't buy anything that isn't european.
Why buy someting that has travelled thousands of miles when you can get something equally as good from down the road.
I have an Airdrop, but I have been lusting after a Stanton, I have been very good this year but I don't think Santa noticed
I have a Cotic, a Laverack, a Scott, a Pinnacle and just ordered a Sonder. Not done much for British manufacturing apart from a few Hope headsets and BBs, but I've done my best.
It seems my bikes origins are split 50/50 UK/USA and probably mostly made in Taiwan, which as per a recent article on here seems to have somewhat dubious employment practices for Giant and other big bike corps - not sure how the smaller brands fare in that regard. Generally try to keep my purchases from brands and countries who exercise good employment/decent acting regime, but with China being pretty ubiquitous that's never an easy thing to do.
Excuse the Farage-y title. We're lucky enough to have a bunch of amazing bike companies here on these fair isles and if we want them to stay around, simply put, we need to actually buy them. Cotic, Orange, Starling, Deviate, Privateer, Saracen, Atherton and loads more. Bikes in every segment, hitting most price points, on the bleeding edge of race tech to simple but durable rigs. For my money, UK designers and manufacturers are making some of the most compelling bikes anywhere in the world and you can be sure they've been tested to hold up in the shitty UK weather.
So next time you feel like opening your wallet, why not consider supporting domestic jobs and hopefully keeping these companies around for the future. It's not an easy time in the industry right now & if you want your favourite local brand to stay around they need to be selling bikes.
Absolutely agree they're compelling bikes - I'm not in the UK but over the years I've bought three Cotics, a Starling, a Fairlight and (looks around in case wife is nearby) three Geometrons. Always bought British brands, but Brexit means I'm decidedly less keen, just too much hassle with customs for service/warranty/spares, have already experienced it a few times. My two most recent bikes haven't been from the UK
My last 3 full sus frames have been a Cotic, a Starling and now a Deviate. I've had a Cotic HT of some description for 14 years. And my crap weather road bike is a Sonder. Go me!
The wife also has a Cotic FS and an Orange HT, so we're doing pretty well between us.
It's not really been because they're British however, but because they're all really good companies that make bloody good bikes.
Always bought British brands, but Brexit means I'm decidedly less keen, just too much hassle with customs for service/warranty/spares,
For me one big bonus with Fustle is the fact that it's Northern Ireland based, and shipping to Germany was absolutely seamless. Just like ordering anything in EU pre-Brexshit. Click buy. Huge box arrives via DHL a few days later. Shipping time maybe 2 days longer because Belfast to Maastricht-Aachen airport is probably not a daily airfreight flight.
Owned an Orange Stage Evo with Hope kit for a 5ish years and still enjoying how capable it is.
Some friends feel obliged to reference a filing cabinet. A couple of them have actually ridden it and on giving it back smiling said, they get it. One of them subsequently bought one, with the Hope kit.
Also had/have 70s Carlton road bike, Genesis HT and Cyclocross bikes, several Oranges 4 & 5's and a Camino.
However in a YT sale a couple of years ago I could not ignore the bargain Capra 29er, great bike for enduro trips, bike parks.
So yeah, I do support and rate British, but there comes a point where ££££ becomes to much to ignore.
Sorry British bikes.....nah, I only buy Sussex bikes, most recently an Orro, and spending a lot of time looking at Masons
😜😜
Sorry British bikes.....nah, I only buy Sussex bikes, most recently an Orro,
Ooh, interesting! So, we'll support local companies even when they go out of business, their entire workforce loses their jobs and then the MD starts a new company selling the same product? Buying British even if they are toxic employers?
Joke........
Well, I bought the Orro in 2022, when all seemed good with the brand before their hubristic move to new HQ in Hailsham
I'm not a serial NBD guy, but some of the Masons look v lovely
3x British, 1 British designed (by me), 1 Kiwi and 1 French here. I like buying local when I can, especially if it's sustainable. The Starling was exactly that.
What about 2nd hand? Does that count?
Aside from anything involving general patriotism, supporting the 'village' around you or avoiding big customs and shipping fees, it's not hard to support British bike manufacturers as we have a lot of companies making really good bikes.
Currently, I have Pipedream and Stanton hardtails and a Bird FS. All great bikes. Admittedly, frames manufactured overseas, but designed and supported here and I was going for things that ride well, I can afford anyway.
Aside from other things by the brands I've already got, I often find myself window shopping bikes from Cotic, Starling, Orange, Airdrop, etc. If a large windfall ever happened, it would send me straight to Atherton. There's lots of good US and European bikes, but with such a great choice here in the UK, I'm not sure I need the extra expense and potential hassle of after sales support in a worst case scenario.
What about 2nd hand? Does that count?
I think so, as it demonstrates to the original buyer that there is a market later on for their bike.
hmmm, i think i have failed at this task, the only thing remotely British on my Raaw is a Burgtec stem 😬 .
I have:
Kona - US
Specialized (x2) - US
Production Privee - Andorra
Boardman - UK
Ragley - UK
Stanton - UK
I doubt any were made in the UK though
Next bike will possibly be a Radical Chilli Dog Ti - British, but tooled abroad now. I was thinking of a full British build - mostly Hope, but the derailleur would be the sticking point
Kona is Canadian 😉
5/7 frames designed here, 3 of those made here, festooned with lots of stuff that was designed and made here.
Currently got an Airdrop and a Sonder with a second Sonder frame ready for the building.
I am aware that these are all frames that are manufactured abroad, but the companies who design them are good UK brands that I am happy to support.
Would I like to buy everything from local brands who manufacturer in the UK? Yes. Are my pockets deep enough to occupy that moral position? No.
the derailleur would be the sticking point
Not anymore, Ratio, in the lakes, are working on one (if not released already)
Not anymore, Ratio, in the lakes, are working on one (if not released already)
Somebody has been working on rear mechs for the thirty odd years I've been using Shimano or SRAM. I've been holding my breath for so long...
If you don't mind me asking, what's your personal/professional affiliation to the UK bike industry OP? (If any).
I only ask as my instinct is to be sceptical as soon as someone starts cheerleading for pretty much anything. and this thread did seem to kick off with some unsolicited cheerleading... Especially while we're still living with COL issues and a government that seem to be warming us all up for tax increases.
As for joining in on the Patriotic, flag-shagging consumer signalling, The closest things I currently own to "British" bikes have Ragley and Planet-X written on the downtubes, I'm not sure they really count TBH. Ultimately I'm not Rich enough to own a shiny Atherton or Starling right now (or rather I don't want the Divorce that inevitably goes with spunking that much of my income on one toy) obviously YMMV...
Let's see. Currently...
1 x USA
3 x Germany
1 x Spain
1 x The Netherlands
1 x Taiwan
1 x UK {if pact counts as UK)
Choice hasn't been by "country of origin". In fact I don't think it's ever been much of a consideration for me. I've had 3 Ragleys and an Orange in the past so it's not that I have anything against UK brands. Cost/Quality counts (much) more than anything else.
Our current stable is:
2 x Nukeproof - UK
3 x Vitus - UK
1 x Sonder - UK
1 x Planet-X - UK
1 x Commencal - Andorra
My Nukeproof Mega has Hope wheels, stem, dropper lever, brakes and carbon bars - cranks are next on the list of upgrades.
If I had the money my next frame would be either Hope HB916 or Atherton S170.....
As for joining in on the Patriotic, flag-shagging consumer signalling
I don't think buying British has anything to do with 'flag shagging'. It's a pragmatic choice to support the society that we are all part of. Lots of people were keen to stand on their doorsteps clapping for the NHS during covid, but that doesn't really pay the bills does it? Whereas buying British means the money stays in our economy and therefore pays for the NHS and the public services that we all use. Even if a British co is manufacturing in Taiwan, they're still employing UK staff and paying tax in the UK.
Especially while we're still living with COL issues and a government that seem to be warming us all up for tax increases.
As for joining in on the Patriotic, flag-shagging consumer signalling,
Was that meant to be ironic?
Kona is Canadian 😉
Formed in Vancouver, Head office in Washington if we are being picky 😉
Choice hasn't been by "country of origin"
I think the only time it's had a bearing on me is Stanton - they are literally in my town. I didn't buy the bike new though
I've got a cotic and a pace, what do I win?
I don't think buying British has anything to do with 'flag shagging'. It's a pragmatic choice to support the society that we are all part of.
And who wins when the residents of every country adopt the same approach?
And who wins when the residents of every country adopt the same approach?
The people working for the companies selling the bikes assuming that the domestic market is big enough to support them. Consumers may not be able to buy new bikes as often or have multiple bikes due to their cost.
“And who wins when the residents of every country adopt the same approach? ”
Realistically that will never happen. But in a world where China has cleverly claimed a vast proportion of the manufacturing that used to happen in the West, whilst also making it very difficult for other countries to sell to their increasingly wealthy population, anything that encourages people in Europe to buy from European manufacturers is a good thing.
I’m not saying China are bad at making things - the problem is actually that in high volume production they’re arguably too good (but they didn’t get to this position by allowing a level playing field).
Lots of interesting responses here, thanks to everyone that's contributed.
I didn't make the post as an alternative to painting a mini roundabout (it's too rainy for that anyway), more as an encouragement for people to support the smaller companies we have rather than PE owned megacorps. I was also highlighting how great the products are of UK bike companies.
But on the topic of "Patriotism", I do think it's a really interesting part of the British national character that lots of us are suspicious of it. It's probably to some degree healthy, but internationally this sort of attitude isn't common at all. French people aren't cringing at buying only French food, and I don't think it's overly jingoistic to want to see the companies, and the people that work there, that inhabit the same place as me do well. I live here, my family lives here and I want here to be a good place to live and work.
Anyway thanks for the discussions, it all got way deeper than I expected when posting this on the train this morning. Have a pleasant evening!
Literally none!