BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
REYNOLDS COMPOSITES
Reynolds Composites operates from a posh HQ in California and was formerly part of Coyote Sports, which also owned Reynolds Cycling Technology, the Birmingham tube extruder.
Coyote Sports Inc of Boulder, Colorado filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 22nd September 1999. Both Reynolds Composites of the US and Reynolds Cycling Technology of the UK were taken over by their respective managements.
"We still license the name Reynolds but apart from this there is not connection between our two companies," Steve Santel of Reynolds Composites told Bikebiz.co.uk.
"We are still good friends with everyone at Reynolds in the UK and we share a booth at many of the international trade shows as well as work together to help promote the Reynolds brand."
Reynolds Composites produce top-end forks such as the pro-quality Ouzo. Mario Cipollini and Robbie McEwen use Reynolds Composites forks.
The company’s website says:
"We’re composites specialists (and avid bike racers) working within the cycling industry, instead of cyclists delving within the composites industry."
In October, the company announced a tie-up with a major composites player, MacLean Quality Composites.
MQC is the composites and sports side of MacLean-Fogg, a 77-year-old privately held company with $400 million in annual sales. In addition to other products, MQC has been producing carbon fibre tubing for the leading carbon fibre bike manufacturers in the world for 12+ years.
"We could grow at a leisurely pace for the foreseeable future but we would miss a number of market opportunities," said Jim Pfeil, president of Reynolds Composites L.L.C.
"The synergy provided by MacLean-Fogg will give us the means to impact the market at a much quicker pace. By entering into this strategic alliance we bring together engineering, manufacturing, and marketing resources that create a powerful team within the bike industry."
Most recently MQC purchased the assets of LEW Composites which produced high-end composite wheels used by many pro athletes. The wheels will now be manufactured at MQC and distributed under the Reynolds Composites brand.
The Cirrus DV UL weighs in at sub-1100grms for the pair. These wheels are said to be mechanically stronger, lighter, more aerodynamic, more reliable and faster than other comparable wheels. Stratus and Cirrus DV wheels, and the Reynolds Composites line up of forks, will be available from Jim Walker in January.
http://www.reynoldscomposites.com
THOMSON
Thomson seatposts and stems are the "best in the world," argues Jim Walker.
All are manufactured from solid 7000 series aluminium billets.
"Thomson seatposts are over 40 percent stronger than the strongest seatposts on the market," said Walker.
The Thomson website features a variety of photos of its products being tested, including the one below being put to extreme ‘real world’ testing by a lard-arse.
Thomson kit will also still be available from Reece.
Tel: 01825 762400
