Hi all,
I've been noticing more and more products that are made in the UK. Hope, superstar, stanton etc.
Firstly, are there any other ones?
Components mainly as I know there's a lot of frame makers.
And secondly, not to tar all british industry with the British Layland brush but... Are they any good?
Thanks
Works Components, Ride Works, Uber Bike, Fibrax, BETD, Royce, GoldTec, Burgtec, Unite, Brooks, Exposure USE, RaceWare, Reynolds.
I've got a fair few British parts, most of my bikes have Hope and Middleburn bit for example, bought not because they are British but because they are good.
For example, my Hope hubs are more reliable than my Tune ones, albeit not as light, more robust than their German counterparts. Likewise my Hope brakes are more reliable than the Shimano ones on my road bikes, againnmore robust than the Japanese stuff. I started using Middleburn cranks after issues with Raceface ones and have since broken Shimano ones. Again, there is a weight penalty which probably explains most of the reliability gains rather than where they were made.
.
My frames are an odd one. For example have three Cotics. Cotic is a British company, the Reynolds tubing they are made from is made in the UK but they are welded together elsewhere I believe? But I bought them because they are good rather than because they are British
Not aware of any issues with British made stuff. My Soul is so old Cy was still 8 miles away in Nottingham when I bought it, Stanton are now my closest, unless Sonder have any British made.
I like Burgtec for finishing kit, I hung out with the guys at a trade show & they were nice helpful bunch of guys & Stanton bikes having hung out with Dan at another Trade show, for me Hope are too big for their boots now, great for them but not such a small personal company anymore & just can’t stand the guys from Orange 😂
<spam> We make stainless chainrings and cogs (and other projecty bits and bobs) and a lovely selection of handmade soap too-
www.bikepunx.com
😎
</spam>
But I bought them because they are good rather than because they are British
Don't worry, im not suggesting I'd buy them over superior parts because of where they're made. Sometimes it's just nice knowing the actual place something was made.
lovely selection of handmade soap
Talking of the OP (not) knowing where something is made... 🙂
Leyland not Layland.
And the Leyland trucks and buses in the 1960s were good quality and profitable - which is why it got dragged in to fund the car companies.
(DAF badged) trucks and (Alexander Dennis) buses are still made in Leyland today. And still testing at the R&D labs now part of Millbrook.
Innovative companies such as Bayliss Wiley, producing freehubs. Whatever happened to them?
British exports in demand
https://www.pesmedia.com/uk-bike-exports-brompton-bicycle-12062020/
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Inside-Middleburn-from-aerospace-to-MTB.html
Got handy stuff from all of these
Whatever happened to?
British exports in demand
Sadly, the Middleburn in that article are no more. BETD make stuff under that name now.
Whatever happened to?
Learned there was more money and less hassle working outside the bike industry.
That is how it looked.
Demand for Middleburn continues.
https://www.straightcutdesign.com/
https://www.straightcutdesign.com/
https://www.cyclingabout.com/complete-list-of-bikepacking-bag-manufacturers/
Unite components
CarbonWasp in Leeds.
www.carbonwasp.com
I've recently bought some Unite pedals, they are lovely to look at and feel very nice quality. I've ordered a stem off the back of that purchase too.
The bike they are destined for will be with me next week. That will get my old Hope E4 brakes swapped on to it too.
Unite do a pretty good chainring too.
Renthal is a British brand, their website suggests at least some of their manufacturing is still done in Greater Manchester.
In terms of quality Renthal and Burgtec are both up there for finishing kit. Hope have always had an excellent reputation for quality and customer service. I also think they benefit from being designed for British riding, for exampe they properly seal their hubs which isnt always the case!
transition1
Hope are too big for their boots now, great for them but not such a small personal company anymore
How have you concluded that Hope are "too big for their boots"? Did they not want to hang out with you at a trade show?
Hope are the same as they always were, I phoned the up with a problem recently (part missing when I bought something from an online shop). Straight through to a friendly bloke who refused to take any payment and sent my part for free. And when it git lost in the post (at the height pf covid madness) he sent me another one, again wouldn't take cash. Hope are just good people.
Hope so big for their boots that they arranged and paid for a private venue to allow a few local socially distanced cx races to happen.
Also Lusso - some of the best shorts you can buy, made in Manchester and half the price of the boutique brands.
@honourablegeorge @transition1
Also Hope refunded customers who bought the HB-160 at the original RRP once it had proved profitable, not many companies in any industry would do that.
https://www.cardertech.co.uk/shop/twotwelve-pedals
Look tasty. Not actually tried them, but I'm tempted.
My van is a Leyland DAF. Drives like shit.
Hope have great customer service for the they are too bland & mainstream...
Five Land Bikes that do bits of Cotics
…and bits of Swarfs.
Adrian from Swarf did some alterations to a steel Cotic frame I have, made a good job of it and very reasonable price. Their bikes do look very nice....
Can't compare burgtec to hope, burgtec are just another sticker brand that make nothing in the uk. As far as I'm aware the only thing hope don't make are their rims.
burgtec are just another sticker brand that make nothing in the uk.
You might want to let them know.
