Are there any British manufacturers?

[Peter Thornton]

i've pretty well settled for a Cube step through, but am puzzled that there don't seem to be any British manufacturers, unless I've missed them? I'm surprised that Pashley aren't making E bikes, I'd have thought there step through would have been a suitable base.
After all, you just need a small workshop, some design flair, and a thorough knowledge of bike mechanics, to manufacture a suitable frame, then buy in the components and a Bosch power train, and you're away.
So, why no British manufacturers?

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Raleigh?
Ive not looked at their bikes, but they are British and trying to make a comeback according to a documentary I saw the other week

 

[soundwave]

Raleigh is haibike

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Raleigh is haibike

Really? No way....thought haibike was German?

 

[soundwave]

they own the brand

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/Haibike

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Raleigh is only a name. Like MG, it's no longer British product.

 

[flecc]

Raleigh pedelecs are made in The Netherlands and Germany by bike brands belonging to the two big Dutch cycle groups, Accell and Pon Holdings. As d8veh says, Raleigh is just a brand name used on various bikes, and no longer a specific make.
.

 

[Crockers]

Volt? Ridgeback? Are these made over here or built abroad?

 

[D8ve]

Whisper and woosh are British owned , they specify the frame and motor setup and have them made for them. That's as near as British built as you currently get.

 

[Peter Thornton]

I wonder what a Bosch powertrain plus all of the other fittings on a basic bike cost when bought wholesale? £1,000?

Working backwards from a selling price of, say, £2,400:

Take off vat of £400, dealer mark up £600 (?). Doesn't leave much for the frame and profit.

 

[Peter Thornton]

I spoke to a dealer yesterday who told me that even Cube bikes aren't made in Germany, just assembled there. Not sure where Bosch units are made.

But I'm not too hung up on where the metal is actually bashed, it's the detailed design that really matters (I'm speaking as a consumer rather than a patriot - which is a whole other conversation)

Do Wisper and Woosh design their own frames, or do they buy off shelf?

 

[Woosh]

Not sure where Bosch units are made.

in France.

 

[Woosh]

Do Wisper and Woosh design their own frames, or do they buy off shelf?

I don't own the copyright to the frames.
I only get the frames modified to suit us, typically redesigning the downtube or the rear triangle.
Like I've done for the Woosh Krieger, to accommodate the crank drive motor and internal cable routing:

 

[Wisper Bikes]

We own the design and tooling for our crossbar and step through bikes, the folder is an existing frame that's been modified to our requirements.

All frames are designed to take heavier riders, that's why we can offer 10 year warranty on all our frames.

We also develop the software to run the bikes, hence the almost silent run, sensitivity and natural riding experience especially on our Wisper Torque bikes.

We are currently developing new frames for our crossbar bikes and a range of 4 new Mountain bikes. The top of the range eMTB will be built with a carbon full sus frame. More details soon.

All the best, David

 

[flecc]

am puzzled that there don't seem to be any British manufacturers,
So, why no British manufacturers?

Apart from an early entry with an add-on electric motor in Germany long ago, Britain in the form of England was a pioneer in electric assist complete e-bikes in the 1980s, a few small companies making attempts then. But as so often with new ideas, we let this slide making no advances while others, notably the Japanese and Chinese, overtook, dominating from 1999 on.

Just one of our early manufacturers, TGA-electrobike, survived into the third millennium but finally stopped production of the bike and trike a few years ago. Typically for us, they had never advanced from their inception as somewhat crude crank drive machines. Today TGA stick to their core mobility business. TGA photo.

The new millennium has seen a few British attempts to re-enter this market with "new" but in truth old designs, chiefly from Viking and Sinclair, but they've been based on the long discredited method of using roller drive onto the tyre surface, not to mention other failings.

We do have one notable exception, designed by a former Formula One manufacturer's engineer, the GoCycle is a very advanced and sophisticated design. However it's very expensive and for many, including me, the design, although clever, doesn't suit the market in many respects so will remain a niche product. GoCycle link.
.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

And of course the Brompton will soon be available electrified.

 

[flecc]

And of course the Brompton will soon be available electrified.

Let's hope so this time! I can't remember how many years it was that we first heard this announced, but it does seem that it will finally happen soon.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Don't forget Cyclotricity do some assembly work in the UK.

Gocycle is the a UK company that does most of the production in the UK. It's a very underrated bike, especially now that the range has been increased. My local bike shop sells more of them than anything else. I think you'll see a lot more of them when they bring out the cut-price version soon.

 

[Danidl]

Raleigh is only a name. Like MG, it's no longer British product.

... Welcome to the world of global production. My raliegh clearly states Nottingham . The motor is Bosch, the brakes magura , the battery probably japanese cells, the frame probably made in China, the tyres and tubes German. ... I could start into a brexit related comment and how it might affect these relationships, but I won't

 

[fatwomble]

. The top of the range eMTB will be built with a carbon full sus frame. More details soon.

All the best, David

Sounds good, I'd better start saving.



If you want anyone to do some free testing for you......