I've been looking around for UK manufacturers of bikes and components to write a magazine article about. The idea is to highlight their innovation in materials, design, use of leading edge tech and so forth while making products in decent volume here in the UK.
Thought I'd ask the ST cognoscenti to nominate their favourites. These are the possibles I've come up with so far.
Hope (CNC'd components, new carbon frame, lights etc etc)
Exposure lights - latest LED tech
Orange - innovative frame designs, latest tech, made in volume
Liberty Trillion - *maybe* going into volume UK production??
Brompton - clever design, new ebike, (but still handbuilt frames)
Empire - 3D printed frame prototype
Obviously there's lots of others doing great things from Shand to Carradice but their products tend to be more high-end, low volume and handbuilt.
Show your love for the UK bike industry!
Orange - innovative frame designs
I think one or two people on here will disagree with that! (Not me, I like Orange Bikes)
Edit - but to fend it off, lets not dominate this thread with the usual STW Orange bashing!
Superstar Components.
You may scoff but they have gone from importing Ti bolts to importing generic far east products to producing their own range in house which is easly on par with others.
[url= https://robotbike.co/?v=79cba1185463 ]Robot Bike Co[/url]
Rather cool carbon tubed titanium lugged frames with custom geometry.
[url= http://olsenbicycles.com/ ]Olsen Bikes[/url]
Handmade carbon bikes with custom options, designed around the pinion and belt drive.
The perfect UK winter bike, and [url= http://olsenbicycles.com/blog/2017/5/16/singletrack-world-zombieapocolypse ]Zombie Apocalypse [/url] bike (as featured on STW).
[url=www.workscomponents.co.uk/]Works Components[/url]
UK CNC machined bike parts at a reasonable price. Small outfit but lovely guy.
[url=www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/]BETD & Middleburn[/url]
UK machining co. They offer customer bits too and revived Middleburn
[url=www.racewaredirect.co/]Race Ware[/url]
Small outfit using 3D printers to design and print mounts. They work with local riders/racers. Custom options and colours available too.
Renthal?
Great stuff so far, thanks. Robot and Olsen completely new to me, Superstar, Renthal and other component outfits well worth a mention. This could be a long list.
Mucky Nutz? Were they the first to produce that type of mudguard? I'm sure Marshguard came out just after?
Mudhugger too perhaps for their longer guards?
Pashley.
Brooks.
Royce (still going?)
Enigma.
Countless bespoke builders.
Mucky Nutz? Were they the first to produce that type of mudguard? I'm sure Marshguard came out just after?Mudhugger too perhaps for their longer guards?
Might be showing my age even contemplating them as innovative, but once upon a time... Crud?
Arguably [url=www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/mountain/uk-made-gear/]SuperStar[/url].. Neil has been investing in his own CNC machines to bring manufacturing in-house. That's commendable, given that he could have just carried on importing everything.
Cotic?
BETD?
Bamboo bicycle Club?
TBH though UK manufacturing of bikes/parts is a bit limited and there are regular puff pieces for the few CNC trinket manufacturers, filing cabinet recyclers and Gucci frame builders we already have.
But I think there's still people doing interesting things in the UK designed; foreign manufacturing sub-niche, that's arguably more relevant to more readers maybe? Only a small proportion of us can actually afford to pay more for a "Made in the UK" badge...
A more interesting article might be to ask why we make limited quantities of (mostly) high price point bikes/parts in the UK and if that could change in the coming years? what with Brexit and all...
Orange and Renthal, innovative? Orange who have hardly changed their designs or materials for years and have built an e-bike that literally looks like something built in a shed vs what the likes of Cube etc are knocking out. Renthal who make handlebars and sprockets. Wow.
I wouldn't say either are a leading innovator in the UK bike industry. The last innovative thing I can think of Orange doing was the monocoque/folded metal frames in the late 90s.
Hope I'd say were similar. The frame is the only earth shattering thing they've done in years and even thats made in low volumes at such a stupid price you're never going to see one in the wild. Geometry and materials used are nothing new either. Trek were building carbon MTB frames in the 90s.
Empire is a good shout for trying something different but you've got to ask whether its worth it? Given the seemingly good vfm of the Empire enduro frames, why isn't everyone on one vs an Orange which is more expensive but HUGELY popular. Maybe its solving a problem that simply isn't there.
as great as it is to have this long list of British manufacturers, how many of them are innovative? As in doing something no one else has thought of?
Crud
Robot
Fair enough empire, but they haven't exactly been a roaring success from memory
Lol, great minds think alike, Dave!
Orange. Innovative?! They look almost the same as the first patriot nearly 20 years ago
Empire aren't around anymore?
What Robot are doing is innovative with bonding bits together
NOT Orange...
What Robot are doing is innovative with bonding bits together
Like Giant were doing in the early 90s?
Would Bird count as the first UK bike company to make the direct sales model work? That and their progressive geometry - I suppose the Mojo/Chris Porter/Nicolai collaboration would fall under that banner as well.
A more interesting article might be to ask why we make limited quantities of (mostly) high price point bikes/parts in the UK and if that could change in the coming years? what with Brexit and all..
A Sheffield company is about to turn that on its head I am told, from talking to them (well one of the owners ) the whole Brexit thing was a driver.
Would Bird count as the first UK bike company to make the direct sales model work?
No, they buy foreign stuff and hang bits on it, Planet X have held that crown for as long as people have chased cheapness made special by fanboi's.
I think you'd struggle to see much innovation anywhere in the bike industry. Innovation being something massively game changing - they're just bikes. What was the last innovative thing you've seen anywhere in the bike world? 1x with a narrow/wide ring maybe (clutching - no pun intended, at straws)? Tubeless? The suspension fork? The dropper post I'd say was one.
E-Bikes - not innovative. Its just a leccy motor on a bike.
Geometry - has always been changing. Someone just decided to skip a few years and go from slack to super slack.
Its more a constant changing of standards and marketing guff to trick you into thinking its a massively new 'thing'. All this gravel nonsense - they're cross bikes. Bike packing? The fat bike bubble was bursting so add some more rack mounts on and call it something else.
A Sheffield company is about to turn that on its head I am told, from talking to them (well one of the owners ) the whole Brexit thing was a driver.
Great news! Who, What and How?
Airdrop? Cotic? Someone else? Why the tease?
Dassi
Uk company who were/ are the first to use GRAPHENE in their frames.
Bergtec?
Don't forget all the clothing companies who make tolerating our climate possible: Altura, Endura, Polaris, Berghaus, Montane, Keela, Alpkit...
Why the tease?
It's not I just can't remember the name of them.
Most of those companies above are not UK made products, let alone innovative. Burgtec? I love their stuff, but it's certainly not innovative.
Apart from Brompton, no one.
When it comes to pushing new tech it's pretty hard to see past Shimano, SRAM, Fox and Trek. but end of the day bikes are very mature and there is little new.
[i]Developed at the UK Sports Institute in 2002 by Greek former track sprinter and aerodynamic engineering wizard Dimitris Katsanis, the UKSI bike remains a superb machine, one that has helped the British team dominate Olympic cycling on the track and in the time trial.[/i]
Another vote for Superstar.
They're a discount operator but they're actually bringing manufacturing back to the UK.
In some ways they're doing what hope did years ago, UK made, CNC'd parts for bikes, only instead of asking consumers to pay extra for the "UK made Tax" they're undercutting established makers who knock out stuff in the Far East.
I don't suspect they will be bringing out their own carbon fibre 'clean sheet of paper' bike any-time soon, but you wouldn't bet against it.
What about BTR they where making long low slack hardtail frames by hand! back in 2013 if not earlier! A good while before everyone else jumped on the band wagon and started to do it for the enduro market and the rest of use to be fair.
cookeaaA Sheffield company is about to turn that on its head I am told, from talking to them (well one of the owners ) the whole Brexit thing was a driver.Great news! Who, What and How?
Airdrop? Cotic? Someone else? Why the tease?
Cotic tried it before but it didnt work out however long before them there was a brand called Edge who manufactured bikes in Sheffield. I believe one of the guys is now running Carbon Wasp.
Orange. Innovative?! They look almost the same as the first patriot nearly 20 years ago
They might look it to you, but they're not.
I'm not sure innovative is the right word for Orange but their folded frames are fairly unique, I know others have tried it in the past such as Mountain Cycles, Foes & I think GT but no one has really stuck with it and progressed it as much as Orange.
Don't think Foes and Mountain Cycle were folded like Oranges are. They were pressed in two halves and welded down the middle IIRC.
You could be right with that thinking about it.
[url= http://demonframeworks.com/ ]Demon frameworks[/url] definatley low volume craft end of things but absolutley unique and pretty ingenious.
What Robot are doing is innovative with bonding bits togetherLike Giant were doing in the early 90s?
And Alan were doing for road/CX bikes in the 80's
I don't think Charge have been mentioned just yet
one of the first to try out 3d printed drop outs iirc
Would Bird count as the first UK bike company to make the direct sales model work?
The first apart from Planet-X/On-One, Merlin, Ribble, Dolan, Cotic, Ragley...
Orange have taken that frame design, the fat stiff folded alu construction, and refined it so that it continues to work with the benefits it brings - low maintenance and stiffness and one would assume lower cost of tooling in manufacturing.
Definitely contributing to the state of bike engineering IMO.
Molgrips' comments on Orange +1, but with remarkably few exceptions, so is every other manufacturer. Is Trek's Remedy up any better than a late 90's kona Coiler?
Like Giant were doing in the early 90s?And Alan were doing for road/CX bikes in the 80's
The novel bit is the 3D printed and full suspension parts.
I'm fairly sure someone was already 3D printing lugs with carbon tubes in the road world.
Olsen as mentioned above has also experimented with it.
Fabric are doing interesting stuff with materials and clever little products
Sad to say I dont think many are that inovative.
Absolute Black for getting biopace right?
Carradice are doing their handlebar bags in green now.
Four4th for light innovation.
Thanks for the many interesting suggestions, lots I'd never heard of. The piece is for a trade mag called The Manufacturer so it's probably more about how the bike/component is made than anything else - 3D printing, clever CNC, some kind of innovation in the use of carbon - and done in the UK. Superstar reshoring at least some of their production is spot on for this, maybe not particularly innovative but a very current topic of interest for manufacturing.
Here's [url= https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/uk-textiles-right-place-right-time/ ]one[/url] they ran a couple of months back on ST's favourite trouser company.
If historic stuff, then Pace right at the start with the RC100...
Would Bird count as the first UK bike company to make the direct sales model work?
The first apart from Planet-X/On-One, Merlin, Ribble, Dolan, Cotic, Ragley...
Yeah, ok, good point! 😳
Here's one they ran a couple of months back on ST's favourite trouser company.
I enjoyed that, this made me chuckle:
Richards and Oxley are cagey about sharing specific names of their partners
Yes, quite. I bet they weren't directly on the blower to ask for a correction to
the inspirational tale behind the duo returning trouser manufacturing to Hebden Bridge
on the grounds of it not actually being true anymore, but anyway...
Sorry, you brought it up.
journalist = trouser press-officer?
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hebden-bridge-trouser-company/page/16
Actually Pace might be a good point of reference...(Egg as well?) - outlining what we used to do and then what we 'only' do now...
It's only really Hope for me. It's so difficult to innovate in the bike world that we are now at changing hub widths by 6 ****ing mm and giving it a name. Whilst Hope may not be reinventing the wheel, they are a worldwide name and sell products made in the UK alongside some huge names and their kit is highly regarded pretty much everywhere. They do innovate in terms of developing their own designs (cranks, cassette/hub interfaces, even the external dropper seat post clamp) rather than copying others. I'd like to see them have a good crack at the whole drivetrain.
I can't consider a company making frames (particularly HT/road frames which are just tubes welded together as has been done since the bike existed) or buying HT/FS frames from Taiwan and popping a shock on them as innovative in any way. They may be great bikes, but it ain't innovative.
Current manufacturers only?
Alex Moulton - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulton_Bicycle
Mike Burrows - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Burrows
Kirk Precision - http://www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk/Kirk.htm
I agree about Moulton.
The design is ageing but it's still way ahead.
Would Bird count as the first UK bike company to make the direct sales model work?No, they buy foreign stuff and hang bits on it, Planet X have held that crown for as long as people have chased cheapness made special by fanboi's.
I thought, from their [url= https://www.bird.bike/about-bird/ ]about page[/url] they designed the frames themselves:
At bird we don’t have any catalogue frames. For those of you who don’t know what we mean, a catalogue frame is one which is produced by a manufacturer and then rebadged a dozen times for other brands. Every Bird bike is designed from the ground up by us. In order to keep the price of our bikes keen, we sell direct from our north Hampshire factory.
Rapha. New materials, new combinations to achieve comfort and protection, etc. Their partnership with Sky helped drive this.
Shred XS clothing? Adult stuff for kids...
Endurance seem to be doing similar to Rapha in terms of the road stuff, but their (Endura) MTB stuff seems close to your requirement. It is similar to other outdoor clothing companies but not many cycling-specific.
Sussmybike (or something), the suspension fork tuning thing?
I don't get the love for superstar, they are a good manufacturing story in terms of "uk plc" but nothing innovative. I might be biased though as when i spoke to someone from there they were a dick claiming al sorts of innovations that were just application of modern cutting tools, speeds and feeds. Then was a bit rude about education when i was after input/ data for an assignment, to make a CNC'd seat clamp.
I think they are an ambassador for fusion 360 and that is something to watch as the Autodesk business model is aggressively after the CAD/CAM software market. But again i found limitations with that setting datums for some custom linkages.
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3d Printing parts and carbon fibre? that's "bloke in shed" territory now.
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Is it actually possible to have an all UK bike now?
Every component made in the UK - including the frame materials. Do we even make the steel anymore or just finish it?
No, unless maybe its a singlespeed.
Even single speed seems a push.
Don't think any UK brand make;
- Tyres
- innertubes or sealant
- Cartridge bearings
- Chains
- Wheels (Rims, spokes & nipples)
[N/A for rigid SS but- Suspension fork, rear shocks]
I'm not sure where its made but Steve Peat now does sealant.
Anyone mentioned Islabikes? Brilliant design for kids to learn/progress. Designed here, manufactured Taiwan, built here.
Another vote for Charge/Fabric