BMX General > BMX Chat
British Bmx Companies?
toys19:
--- Quote from: mike@dialledbikes on July 27, 2008, 11:08 PM ---If we're talking present day I can only think of Curtis (although as someone above says, they now get some of their frames made in Taiwan) and Hidden Nation (if they're still going, as I haven't heard much about them recently). Still quite a few quality road and MTB frame builders in the UK though (e.g. Dave Yates, Chas Roberts, Robin Mather, etc).
Unfortunately, the UK is better at "making money" (i.e. banking, financial services, etc) these days than it is at "making things". I would've loved to have got my frames made in the UK, but there's no one who can make them in the volumes I buy them (e.g. 100 at a time) and even if they could, the quality would still probably not be as good as Taiwan (70% of the worlds bikes are made there now, so they've become very good at it) and the price would be a lot more. So instead of trying to get my frames made over here, I use British tubing (Reynolds) and support UK cycling causes instead (e.g. race team, regional/club races, Rough Ride, etc).
--- End quote ---
Mike,
I think what you are doing is exactly the best way for UK companies to make money in the present climate, keep the design and development and product ownership, this is all the high value stuff and get the manufacturing done elsewhere. I think that allows you to compete but still keep "british".
HEYWOOD BMX:
:) Going a tad off-topic here! I don`t think that there`s such a stigma with Taiwanese made frames these days.The quality of most Tai frames seems to be up there with US built frames.Thought one of S&Ms ads could have been construed as downright racist!
dialledbikes:
--- Quote from: HEYWOOD BMX on July 28, 2008, 09:24 AM --- :) Going a tad off-topic here! I don`t think that there`s such a stigma with Taiwanese made frames these days.The quality of most Tai frames seems to be up there with US built frames.Thought one of S&Ms ads could have been construed as downright racist!
--- End quote ---
George French of G-Sport said something similar about that S&M ad (I think he called it industrial racism). But S&M has always liked a bit of controversy, so I don't really think they meant anything by it. I guess S&M was just playing on the "made in America" angle which is one of its unique selling points.
In this day and age, I don't think there are many people out there who wouldn't buy a frame they liked just because it was made in Taiwan.
thesku11s:
--- Quote from: mike@dialledbikes on July 28, 2008, 09:58 AM ---
--- Quote from: HEYWOOD BMX on July 28, 2008, 09:24 AM ---
In this day and age, I don't think there are many people out there who wouldn't buy a frame they liked just because it was made in Taiwan.
--- End quote ---
Im very much in agreement with you mike, that taiwan has the best bicycle manufacturing capability in the world.
But especially because of that fact, im very interested to know whether theres any UK makers still out there.
I know there is still quite a lot of road bike ones, and a few mtb ones.
But as BMX is more of a kids thing (cough, cough) I was wondering If its still viable at all to make frames & parts within a reasonable price range in the UK?
Also, whether there were any small boutique like independent frame builders making super blingy one off frames.
Hve you ever heard of Archie Wilkinson? He makes cycle speedway frames, & sell completes.
The frames are for 26" wheels, british made (by him I think) In a large number. Out of 4130. And he is able to sell frame & fork sets for £99. And Aluminium one for £199 if I remember right.
To me that matches taiwan frames easy in price. So it seems running UK based manufacturing for a niche bike sport (much mroe niche than BMX!) is definetely still possible.
--- End quote ---
dialledbikes:
I'm sure the MTB companies I mentioned above could probably make custom BMX frames too, but they would not be cheap.
I'd be interested in seeing some of these Archie Wilkinson frames. If I'm brutally honest, a UK made 4130 BMX frame and fork set for £99 sounds too good to be true.
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