Ultimate Products of Oldham is producing a 25-model range of Land Rover branded bikes, topping out at £400. The bikes, announced on this site in January, ship in May. Most are MTBs, but there are also hybrids, jump bikes and two folding bicycles. Here are the first pix...

2x2s ship soon

The bikes are beind sold via independent bicycle dealers only, said Scott Hillyard, sales director at Ultimate Cycles, the bike division of kitchen-products supplier Ultimate Products.

The Kanaha, pictured above, is an alu hard-tail with twin discs, 27-speed Deore gears, and retails at £399.

This is the flagship model but a new range of higher-end G4 bikes will be produced next year to tie in with the bi-annual Land Rover G4 adventure challenge, a multi-Continent enduro involving off-road driving, mountain biking, trekking and kayaking.

Ultimate’s Defender, Discovery and Freelander ranges start at £200.

"It is not often a global market player with the instant recognition that Land Rover enjoys moves into a new field," said Hillyard.

"I feel it will provide retailers with a product that the average buyer will feel comfortable with immediately, especially as many of them will have no knowledge or experience of the brand names we all take for granted in the bicycle trade.

"Land Rover conjures up thoughts of solid British engineering, ruggedness, durability and quality."

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