If you owned a bike in the 1980s or before in the UK, it was probably British-made. If you own one today, most likely it’s made abroad.
My 1980s Falcon racing bike was made in England. It is superb quality and a rides like a dream despite its age. Falcon Cycles is still going. The company owns and sometimes uses a number of different former British bicycle brands including Elswick, Hopper, Holdsworth (the Holdsworth brand is also used by Far East manufacturer Planet X Bikes), Falcon (once the second largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK after Raleigh; the factory in Barton-on-Humber closed in the mid-1980s and production was moved to nearby Brigg; in 2006 Falcon ceased UK production entirely, but by this time only a few high end bikes were being assembled in the UK by Falcon and most Falcon bikes were already being made abroad, since about 2002), British Eagle, Coventry Eagle (also previously a motorcycle manufacturer), Townsend, Wearwell and Claud Butler. The same company (Tandem) now owns Dawes cycles (the Dawes factory in Tyseley, Birmingham closed down in around 1990 and production was moved to the Far East) too. Like Raleigh Cycles, Falcon and Dawes (Tandem) do not make bikes in the UK nowadays, all their bicycles now being foreign made.
Be First on a Falcon, a 1950s adevrtisement for Falcon Cycles
Sadly Raleigh stopped manufacturing bikes in the UK in 2002 (having already ceased volume production of bikes in the UK in 1999), and is no longer British owned, but at one point it was making more bikes than any other company in the world. Raleigh also made three-wheel cars (these operations were later spun off in 1934 to form the independent Reliant motor company) and mopeds (up until 1971).
Over the years Raleigh / Tube Investments Group / TI-Raleigh subsumed in various ways other famous British bike makers including Humber Cycles (originally cycle makers; later automobile makers too; the bicycle business was sold to Raleigh in the early 1930s and production under the name continued until the 1970s), Phillips Cycles, Triumph Cycles and BSA Cycles, Rudge Whitworth Cycles, Norman Cycles (Rambler), Carlton Cycles, Sun Cycles, Armstrong Cycles, Hercules Cycle (the Hercules brand still lives on in India, along with Philips and BSA, as part of the TI Cycles of India company, with production taking place in India still), Brooks (now Italian owned – see below), Sturmey-Archer (now Taiwanese owned and made in Taiwan), Moulton (now an independent company again – see below), Accles & Pollock (at one time a leading British bicycle tubing manufacture; now part of the Caparo Group; they ceased tube manufacturing in 2001 and now concentrate on manipulation projects for the aerospace and nuclear markets) and Reynolds (now an independent company again – see below). I sold my black Raleigh Record for just a few pounds a few years ago (which I regret now) and have since purchased, again for just a few pounds, an old British made Raleigh bike with with straight handle bars (which is a great everyday bike).
The 17 minute film below is about the Raleigh bicycle factory. Filmed in 1945, it tells the story of bicycle manufacture in what was once the largest bicycle factory in England. The site was demolished in 1996.
During the mid-1970s Falcon produced a range of UK made Eddie Merckx branded cycles, as well as their own brand bikes. These were on sale in the UK and at the same time a company called Kessel of Belgium produced Eddie Merckx branded cycles for sale in Europe. There is a Belgium company called Eddie Merckx selling Eddie Merckx branded cycles today but these are made in the Far East I think.
Tonard Brazing Co Ltd of Croydon made good quality rear bicycle racks (they came on Falcon and Raleigh bikes in the 1980s I think) and also made bicycle frames. I don’t know what happened to this company but as I can’t find them on the internet I assume they have closed down. Their postcode which was shown on their products was CR0 6TN, which is a modern postcode, so I assume they closed fairly recently.
A vintage Made in England rear bicycle rack by Tonard Brazing Co Ltd of Croydon on a Falcon bike. Photograph by author 16 June 2018.
A vintage Made in England rear bicycle rack by Tonard Brazing Co Ltd of Croydon on a Falcon bike. Photograph by author 16 June 2018. Label detail.
Ernie Clements appears to have been a designer at Falcon Cycles at some point, designing the Eddie Merckx branded cycles by Falcon mentioned above, various Falcon bikes, and a range of Falcon Ernie Clements branded cycles too. He also had a cycle shop in Ledbury, Herefordshire in his later years.
Harry Quinn Cycles was a bicycle maker in Liverpool. In the 1980s the company moved to South Wales, with bikes having been made at both locations. The business began in 1890 as Coronet Cycles, with their last frame being build in 1993 when the company was wound up. At one point Falcon Cycles were badged as Harry Quinn, but did not carry the Harry Quinn frame numbering system. Harry Quinn bikes were apparently known for their short wheelbase and steep angles, relative to other marques and for being lightweight cycles. Frames were mostly Reynolds but sometimes used Italian made Columbus tubing. Judging by the prices (£230 – £775) in their 1988 brochure, these were high-end bicycles. Many famous cyclists rode Harry Quinn bikes including former World Champion Reg Harris (more normally associated with Raleigh) and 1959 Milk Race winner Bill Bradley. Mr Harry Quinn also designed bikes for Viking Cycles and Falcon. From 1981-89, Townsend and Falcon were licensed to use the Harry Quinn brand, after Harry retired. He and his son Peter bought back the name in 1989 and started making frames again in Wales. During this period in the 1980s attempts were made to cash in on the the brand name by having HQ bikes made in Ireland, in England and even aboard (in Japan?). Pre-1980 and post-1989 frames will carry a frame number in the format Qxxxx.
Viking bicycles were made in England from the mid 1930s (the company was founded in 1908 as a cycle assembler) until their demise in 1967. The brand then went through various ownerships and manufacturing locations. During the 1970s it appears the Viking factory in Wolverhampton made Lambert / Viscount bikes and that production was later moved to Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Lambert / Viscount bikes were popular in the USA (Viscount “the aerospace bike”) and are seemingly best remembered for their aluminium “Death Fork” and various other bits snapping off. The Viking name is currently owned by a company called Avocet based in Manchester, with manufacturing taking place in the Far East.
The Enfield Cycle Company (Royal Enfield) made good quality bicycles (and motorcycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines and rifle parts) in the UK and also made proprietary parts for other manufacturers under the Eadie name. UK production ceased in 1970. Enfield of India continue to make Royal Enfield motorbikes in India.
Haden Bros. was a well known cycle and motorcycle parts manufacturer (and at one point motorcycle maker), until 2002 when the company closed down. One of the brothers, Denis Howard Haden, founded his own separate company D.H. Haden Ltd. to manufacture electric kettles. There was also a different company’s Hayden motorcycle, produced in 1904 only for F. Hayden of Cheltenham, by Kynochs of Birmingham.
Hetchin’s (or Hetchins) Cycles started selling bicycles in the 1920s and from 1934 built bicycles originally in Leyton, London (they also had a shop in Tottenham), and from the 1970s in Southend (where they had a shop until 1990) and Leeds (at Bob Jackson Cycles – see below) and in Italy, with all production eventually by Bob Jackson Cycles (JRJ Cycles) in Leeds. Hetchin’s cycles are best known for the fancy lugs and curly stays on some of their models and people seem to be willing to pay larger sums for a vintage Hetchin bike than for other brands. In 1993 the brand name seems to have left Jackson Cycles and passed to David Miller who subcontracts the construction of Hetchin’s bikes under the name Hetchins Lightweights. On the internet it says that the current frame builder is Paul Riley of Preston, but perhaps tellingly there is no information about this or country of origin generally on the Hetchin’s Lightweights website, so you should ask about where these cycles are made before buying.
Bob Jackson Cycles (JRJ Cycles) is a specialist in frame building (all frames being built in the UK), frame repairs, and frame modifications, frame resprays and refinishing. They do not do bike repairs or builds and no longer have a shop or manufacture complete bikes. At one point they made own branded complete bikes under the Bob Jackson name, in 1955 they purchased the Merlin brand and made bikes under this name as well, and they used to make bikes for Hetchins (see above).
Jack Taylor Cycles started in the mid-1930s, and were built in England. The works was closed in 1990 but Norman Taylor continued building frames in very small quantities until 2001.
Bates Cycles – Horace Bates and EG (Eddie) Bates were brothers and initially produced frames and cycles as a partnership under the name Bates Brothers from 1926. They went their separate ways after the war with Horace Bates trading as Bates of London and later Bates of Westcliff, while Eddie Bates traded as EG Bates Cycles. EG Bates, who also had a cycle shop, appears to have traded up until the 1980s or even 1990s. Horace Bates production changed from thousands of machines post-war to small scale production throughout the 1960s. When Horace Bates died in 1968 his son Peter carried on with frames still produced in small numbers until the late 1980s. After Peter Bates retired in the early 1990s the design rights for the Bates Cantiflex frame and Diadrant forks were acquired by Ray Etherton who arranged for frame builder Ron Cooper (see below) to continue to build frames to order. In 2001, the production of new Bates Cantiflex frames was taken over by Martin Coopland of Classic Bikes, based in Scotland. I do not know whether they are still in production or if are UK made still.
Ron Cooper cycles started in 1971 and closed upon his death in late 2012. Ron Cooper bicycles were made in England.
Rick Powell was an employee at Carlton Cycles Worksop factory from the mid 1950’s until the factory closed in 1981. He then set up his own business, D D Enterprises, in Dinnington, and built high quality bicycle fames there until 2003.
The famous motorcycle manufacturer Matchless was also a bicycle maker. It is unclear how long bicycles were produced but they seem to disappear after W.W.II. The Matchless company operated from 1899 to around 1967.
Classic Rendezvous has details of many more vintage British bicycle manufacturers.
Many independent cycle shops have closed in recent years (for example Braggs in Abingdon; A. S. Gillott of Camberwell, London who also used to make bikes), but there are still some around. For example Graham Weigh (Deeside Cycles) in Shotton, Deeside sold their own brand of frame badged as Graham Weigh and now only sell / repair bikes. Ellis Briggs is a bicycle shop, based in Shipley, West Yorkshire, England. Post WW2 they started building their own frames and I understand they still do so today. Swinnerton Cycles in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent used to make their own branded bicycles with frames made by the likes of George Longstaff, Mercian and Keith Coppall, but these days only sell / repair bicycles. Harry Hall Cycles of Manchester used to make their own branded frames and bicycles, but now only sell / repair bikes. Peak Cycles, a bike shop that used to be in Matlock Bath in the 1980′s, used to sell their own branded cycles with frames made especially for them, but the shop has now gone. Geoffrey Butler Cycles is the name of a bike shop in Croydon, England and they used to have their own brand bicycles made for them, although these days now only sell / repair bikes.
There are other small cycle shops and repairers out there.
Argos Racing Cycles offer a frame re-spray and renovation service and custom frame making.
H Lloyd Cycles, the biggest supplier of cycle transfers (decals) in the world, have supplied bicycle transfers (decals) to individuals and the refinishing trade since 1982. I get the impression the stickers are made in England, but I am not sure so you will want to check – http://www.hlloydcycles.com
New foreign made mass produced bikes are just not in the same league quality wise as British made ones.
The TI made in England decal (sticker) on a vintage Raleigh Record racing (road) bike.
A red 10 speed Falcon Black Diamond road bike, designed by Ernie Clements and made in Lincolnshire, England of “Tru-Wel electrical resistance welded steel tubes”. Made in England. From the 1970s or 1980s?
The Made in England Falcon badge on the above bike. Flacon Black Diamonds were produced from the 1960s – 1980s apparently.
A (re-built) Dawes Super Galaxy c.1980s. Made in England.
A (re-built) Dawes Super Galaxy c.1980s. Hand-built in England. View of handlebars on the above bike.
Reynolds 531SL Fork Blades
Reynolds is a manufacturer of tubing for bicycle frames and other bicycle and non-bicycle components (such as wheelchairs, sports cars, motorcycles, and industry) in Birmingham, England. They were established in 1898 and are still going. Sadly most Reynolds products are foreign made these days, for example the Reynolds “520” steel alloy range is made under license for Reynolds in Taiwan. Reynolds have supply partners in Taiwan, China and South Africa for their higher volume products. They still have a UK factory, but UK production now appears to be limited to specialist or custom-made steel and titanium tubing applications and made-to-order products. Their website gives some limited information on country of origin but you will need to ask Reynolds directly to be clear on where a particular product is made. Italian Columbus Tubing was a main competitor to Reynolds for many years and appear to still manufacture in Italy – http://reynoldstechnology.biz
TOC Ltd have a Cycle Frame Building & Finishing service under the name tocycle (clever use of their name here). Renovation, Re-spray and Frame Finishing Services. Bespoke Cycle frames in built the UK with the benefits of batch production prices and lead times. TOC Ltd also make the best mess tins in the world. TOC (Tools of Coventry) Ltd supply products to the Ministry of Defence –
Brooks England still make most of their bicycle saddles in England, but some are made in Italy. Most Brooks cycle bags, handlebar tape, trouser straps and so on are made in Italy or China. The company are Italian owned and seem to labour under the misapprehension that Euros are used in the UK, as prices are in Euros on their website. They make one or two cycling rucksacks in the UK, e.g. the Eton leather satchel and the Piccadilly leather knapsack. Some Brooks leather toolbags are made in the UK, some Brooks shoulder bags are UK made, and some Brooks saddlebags are UK made. Mostly country of origin is clearly stated on their website. Brooks mud flaps are made in England, but their other accessories are foreign made. Brooks spare parts might be made in the UK or abroad, but you will have to ask them as country of origin is not given on their website for spare parts. Most of Brooks John Boultbee clothing is made in Italy or Romania, but a couple of pieces such as the Oxford Roll Up Rain Cape and the Criterion ladies cycling jacket are made in England. There’s an interesting article about Brooks that tells you something of their history here – http://www.brooksengland.com
A Brooks B66 bicycle saddle. Clearly labelled Made in Great Britain. Photograph by author 21 Jan 2019. This particular Brooks saddle is over 12 years old.
Wrights saddles date back to the early part of the 20th Century. In 1962 they became part of the Brooks~Sturmey Archer~Raleigh empire. The Brooks website gives a little information about Wrights. The Wrights and Brooks saddles were similar and production was amalgamated onto a new site in Smethwick. Wrights saddles were made in England but are no longer made,
Brooks B17 S Standard saddle. Made in England.
South London Saddles repair and recover saddles in leather in a design of your choice – http://www.southlondonsaddles.com
Sturmey-Archer are now Taiwanese owned and manufacture only in Taiwan. “In use, Sturmey-Archer variable gear hubs are the easiest, cleanest and most convenient means of making a change of gear. The change may be made while the cycle is in motion or when it is stationary, which is a great advantage to cyclists riding in traffic where stops and gear changes are frequent” (from a 1956 service manual). A brilliant invention, that used to be made in Britain, but one that is now entirely foreign owned and made.
Pashley classic black bike in Oxford August 2012
Brompton and Pashley, are both UK-owned, with factories in west London and Stratford-upon-Avon respectively. Brompton is now the largest volume bicycle manufacturer in this country, with Pashley, who made the last all UK-sourced bike in 1986, before Michelin closed their tyre factory in Stoke-on-Trent, not far behind.
Brompton s2l-x bikes. Made in England.
Pashley Cycles Guv’nor bicycle. Made in England.
Pashley Cycles is England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer. Founded in 1926 and based in Stratford-upon-Avon, all their bikes are made in England. Their range includes classic and commuter bikes as well as retro beach cruisers. Adult and children’s tricycles provide stability and pleasure on three wheels, with a range of trikes for those with special needs. Pashley also supplies high-quality work bikes, cargo bikes and load carrier tricycles for industrial and commercial use, offering companies an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for transporting food and equipment, vending, or delivering post. Note that Pashley also sell a child seat, racks and a basket made by Pletscher of Switzerland. In addition to making their bikes in Britain, Pashley also sell a great range of made in Britain cycle bags – saddle bags, handlebar bags, dispatch bags, frame guards and basket tote bags. They also sell mens and ladies cycling clothing, a few pieces of which are made in Britain (most items being made in Portugal and New Zealand). They also sell things like bells and pumps and baskets under their ‘spares’ category but most of ‘spares’ appear not to be British made – http://www.pashleycollection.co.uk– http://www.pashley.co.uk
Pashley Clubman Urban bicycle. Made in England.
A made in England Pashley tri-cycle parked up in Cambridge 29 Oct 2016. Photograph by author.
A made in England Pashley tri-cycle parked up in Cambridge 29 Oct 2016. Photograph by author. Close up of the made in England label.
A 2014 Pashley Poppy ladies bicycle, made in England, 17 1/2″ frame, in blue.
A 2014 Pashley Poppy ladies bicycle, made in England, 17 1/2″ frame, in blue. Made in England label detail.
Also, there are folding / separable bikes with small wheels from the Moulton Bicycle Company, which are made in England. The Moulton Bicycle Company manufactures beautifully engineered small wheeled bicycles in Bradford-on-Avon. Moulton pioneered the small wheeled bicycle revolution 50 years ago and has continuously developed and refined this concept. Today it offers a range of models for touring, sport, racing, audax, commuting and leisure use. All Moulton bicycles are made in England, except for the Bridgestone Moulton which is made in Japan. I assume some or all Moulton accessories are UK made, but do check before buying. In 1967 Moulton was taken over by Raleigh. In the early 1980s, Alex Moulton bought back the rights to the Moulton design from Raleigh and the company was once more independent. In 2008 Moulton merged with fellow British bicycle manufacturer Pashley Cycles – http://www.moultonbicycles.co.uk
Moulton AM202 bike. Made in England.
Brompton Bicycles is a manufacturer of folding bicycles based in Brentford, London. All Bromptons are designed and built in England. Brompton state their philosophy is “a product that increases people’s independence and freedom” and they describe he Brompton as “a personal transport solution, allowing people to rethink and vary and adapt their journeys at will; their Brompton sets them free from the constraints imposed by the combustion engine, city planners, the weather, public transport administrators, bike thieves and countless other layers of complexity”. Brompton also have a stolen bikes database, which appears to be a rather good idea. There’s a Brompton World Championship race. There are Brompton shops or your can buy online or from a dealer. Brompton sell a range of spares, available from dealers. They also sell accessories but I am not sure where these are made as country of origin is not stated on their website, although some are certainly British made for example the Chapman Brompton Game Bag. You can also hire a Brompton from various locations across the UK – http://brompton.com
Brompton S1E folding bicycle. Made in England.
Brompton Junction on Long Acre (near Covent garden) London. The Brompton Cycles London shop. Taken in the evening on 20th January 2016. Photograph by author.
Frog bikes lightweight aluminium bicycles for children, from the summer of 2016 onwards, have been assembling bikes in UK, in their own factory in south Wales. The parts used are presumably all foreign made, but at least they are put together in the UK – https://www.frogbikes.com
Starling Cycles tagline on their website front page is “High quality, hand built and bespoke steel full-suspension mountain bikes, made in Bristol, UK.” “Starling Cycles is a small, custom steel mountain bike frame manufacturer. Starling’s products are built by hand by Joe McEwan in his workshop in Bristol, UK.” 2017 sees McEwan make the step forward to building frames full-time – http://www.starlingcycles.com
Moore Large & Co. Ltd. used to make or have made in the UK bicycles judging by the mountain bike pictured below which is labelled as British Built. A company called Moore Large, founded in 1947, describe themselves as a bicycle distributers but make no mention of country of origin on their website. “Moore Large is one of the UK’s largest suppliers and distributors of bicycles, bicycle accessories, and motorcycles” according to their website.
Vintage Moore Large & Co. Ltd. mountain bike, British Built. Photograph by author 060420
Vintage Moore Large & Co. Ltd. mountain bike, British Built. Photograph by author 060420. Label detail
Crosshead, a recent follower of mine on twitter, are a folding bicycle manufacturing business looking for new investors. The project started in 2010 and on their website they mention a desire to start production during 2015 (as it is the 13th December 2015 as I write this, there’s not much time left to do that really; in any case 2010 to now seems a long time ago so no matter I guess). I get the impression it is their intention to manufacture in the UK. The below video say they are exquisitely designed and proudly manufactured in Britain” – http://crosshead.co.uk
But what if you don’t want a separable or folding bike or an upright? The good news is that it is still possible to get a British made or at least partly British made bicycle. There are still a few small companies producing hand built frames and complete bikes such as Mercian Cycles, Shand, Ted James, Wilson Cycles (F.J. Wilson), Villiers-Velo, Roberts Cycles, Chickens Frame Emporium, Orange Mountain Bikes (note that whilst high end Orange bikes are built in Yorkshire using components from all over the world, Orange entry level bikes are made in Taiwan) and 14 Bike Company. Lee Cooper make frames in the UK for the 14 Bike Company. Saffron Frameworks is another British frame builder (using Reynolds and Columbus tubing (erhaps you could specify British made reynolds and as many British made parts as possible?).
Below is an interesting video from Mr Porter about a Paul Smith Mercian Cycles order.
Enigma Bikes make bikes and frames in the UK. Thorn (St. John Street Cycles) touring bikes are assembled in Bridgwater to customer specifications; it is not clear from their website but seemingly using mostly foreign made components including foreign made frames. Vickers Bicycle Company build frames and wheels and assemble in Britain. Sven Cycles are hand built in Dorset, England (also available from Meccanica). Starley Bikes are built in the UK (also available from Meccanica). T.J. Cycles (Trevor Jarvis Cycles) make hand built lightweight frames including the ‘Flying Gate’ design, as well as making complete bicycles, and doing bicycle repairs and restoration. Moss Bikes make bespoke adult and children’s bikes using UK handmade frames and, where possible, British parts (see below for more on Moss Bikes).
Woodsman Bicycle Company bikes are made in England, using Reynolds tubing. Stanforth Bikes are built in the UK; their Kibo cross over is made using Reynolds 631 tubing by Lee Cooper. Gladstone Motorcycles also make bicycles, using a Mercian frames and forks made from 725 Reynolds tubing. Baldwin Titanium specialise in building high end, custom fitted titanium bicycle frames and each and every bike is hand crafted in Beverley, East Yorkshire, England. Sword Cycles hand build steel cycle frames, forks and complete bikes in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England. Steve Goff Cycles make custom built cycle frames and complete bicycles. Hobo bicycles are made in Coventry, England. Craddock custom carbon fibre bike frames manufactured in England. Grimcycles make frames (using Reynolds possibly English but more likely foreign made tubing or Columbus Italian made tubing) and complete bicycles in England (they also make messenger bags). George Longstaff manufacture custom build bicycles, tricycles and tandems and also adapt machines for use by those with special needs. Vernon Barker Cycles (previously known as M&B Cycles) manufacture custom built bicycles and tandem bicycle frames and carry out renovations from their workshop in Dronfield, England. Rourke Framesets have been make steel frames for the touring, leisure and racing cyclist in the UK. They say on their website “Brian Rourke framesets have been hand made in Stoke on Trent England since 1972”. Rourke also sell many foreign made bikes and parts,including road and mountain bikes from Specialized,
8 Ball Bikes assemble bicycles in the UK, using Chinese made frames. Wheels are built in the UK around foreign made Sturmey Archer hubs. Tyres are foreign made (not surprisingly; no-one makes tyres in the UK anymore). The chainset is foreign made. The bike racks are foreign made. So basically foreign bikes put together in the UK. Their Illuminati lights are made in Scotland they say (I can’t find any more information on these). Their Copenhagen lights are made in Denmark. Their wooden mudguards are foreign made. Their Kryptonite cycle locks are foreign made. Overall then pretty much all foreign made stuff from this company – http://www.8ballbikes.co.uk
Heritage Bicycle Company, produce hand built Britsh made bicycles. Heritage say that the key criteria for every component of our bicycles are that wherever possible, they are produced in Britain and are of the highest quality, if this is not possible, they will only source the best components available outside Great Britain. All Heritage bicycle frames are built using 100% British manufactured T45 tubing- http://www.heritagebicycleco.uk
Temple Cycles build retro-styled road bikes in Bristol. They say on their website “Every bike is handbuilt to order at our workshop in Bristol”. The steel frames though are made in Taiwan. They use Brooks saddles (which might be made in England) and otherwise, as they don’t say, it seems mostly foreign components (such as a 5-Speed Sturmey archer hub and German made tyres). They say their ” aim is to keep as much of the production process in the UK as possible without the cost getting too high”. They also sell a few British made accessories such as a leather D-lock holster – http://www.templecycles.co.uk
Prices for bike handbuilt in the UK can be reasonable. You can also try to specify British made components for your bike.
Curtis hand-make off road competition bicycles (mountain bikes) in England – http://www.curtisbikes.co.uk
Cotic mountain bikes are currently assembled in the UK using pre-painted Taiwanese made frames and other foreign made components. Starting in 2014 all their droplink full suspension frames (such as the Rocket) will be produced in the UK at their sister company Bicycle Manufacturing Limited, in South Yorkshire. Bicycle Manufacturing Limited (BML) is a new venture that hopes to make bicycle frames and components in the UK, starting with some for Cotic, and they hope to be able to compete with Taiwanese factories on price but with greater flexibility on production and speed of development. Eventually they hope to be able to manufacture for other brands too – http://www.bicyclemanufacturing.co.u
Dassi exclusive carbon fibre famed bicycles are assembled in the UK. I wondered at one point if their frames were made in the UK but as their website does not explicitly say they are I assume they are foreign made. The parts for the bike are not shown on their website and I assume most will be foreign made. They describe themselves are being “quintessentially British” and talk of “bringing biker production back home” so hopefully we’ll see more British made parts to their bikes in time – http://dassi.com
Gosforth cc steel and titanium road bike frames tubesets are made in the UK or the USA and welded together in Taiwan and the forks are made in Taiwan.
Empire Cycles mountain bikes are made in the UK. Quoting from their website – “All Empire frame parts are designed, manufactured, and assembled in the UK: no exceptions” and “wherever possible, we will source British products over imports as a matter of course. The more local, the better” – http://www.empire-cycles.com
Boxer Cycles cargo and child carrying tricycles Rocket, Shuttle and Cargo models are made in England. Other models such as their Transporer are foreign made. Gears, motor assisted bike engines and such that they use are foreign made. They say their trike frames are now made in the UK but they don’t say who makes them. The company was previously known as Velo Electrique and was an importer of Chinese made products but since early 2015 have been manufacturing themselves in the UK as well as importing. They state of their website that they now source locally when they can – http://boxercycles.com
Moss Bikes make “frames and build bikes using as many British made parts as possible”. Perhaps they could be encouraged to have their tee-shirts, bags, and mugs made in the UK too but they are printed in Cheshire in the UK. Moss Bikes sell a very well made British made traditional bicycle water bottle, as well as USE seat posts and bars, and Exposure lights. Wound Up are an American company and the forks Moss Bikes sell are made in the USA. Moss tell me they use British made Reynolds tubing. – http://www.mossbikes.co.uk
Moss Bikes Racing Bidon (cycling water bottle). 500cc. Made in England.
Moss Bikes Racing Bidon (cycling water bottle). 500cc – base view. You can see the words “made in England”. Photograph by author.
Bottle Sport plastic custom made water bottles are all manufactured in the UK. Bottle Sport are the UK’s leading manufacturer of Sport Bottles, Bike Bottles and Bidons for the cycle trade and sports in general. For educational insistutions, schools, sports clubs, businesses, etc. Minimum order quality is 50. No purchase option for individuals on their website – http://www.bottlesport.com
Sport Bottles Direct sell a wide range of UK made sports bottles, running bottles, school bottles, and so on. They appear to be trade only – http://www.sportbottlesdirect.co.uk
I also came across a UK made water bottle from a company called Swans on the internet and one from another company called Vyofit, these Highways Agency ones on eBay and one by a company called Laurie King.
Miles Stronger sell a British made water bottle (along with British made sports clothing, accessories and nutrition drinks) – http://www.milesstronger.co.uk
Vélobici Cyclewear sell a UK made water bottle, the VCB Bidon, as well as clothing and other accessories are made in the UK. See below – http://www.velobici.cc
VB Bidon. 750ml capacity. Made in England
DryBum bike seat covers are made in the UK. This waterproof bicycle saddle cover provides waterproof protection for your bike seat. It fits any size saddle (it’s basically like a shower cap) and is easily fitted and removed. My saddle has a split in the cover and and is taped up and this cover stops the water soaking into the sponge inside. I leave mine on my bike with no problem but the idea is to remove it when it gets wet and then sit on the dry saddle underneath. It looks a lot better than a carrier bag! The drybum is black in colour and unobtrusive. Their website says it is “Made in the UK”. Their website also tells us “If you store your bike outside and use the drybum every day then it will crack after about 9 months but will probably last about a year before completely falling apart.” This is a great product. It just works which is perhaps the best thing you can say about a product, but do remember that it is only meant to last 9 months and will then need replacing. In March 2018 it was only £4.99 with free postage to UK. By Christmas 2018 the one I got in March 2018 is showing signs of wear and will need replacing shortly. I do however use it most days and all the time rather than just as a cover. Available from their website and they also sell on EBay and Amazon – http://www.drybum.co.uk
Drybum bike seat cover. Made in the UK. Photograph by author 10 March 2018.
Drybum bike seat cover. Made in the UK. Photograph by author 10 March 2018. Outside view.
Drybum bike seat cover. Made in the UK. Photograph by author 10 March 2018. Inside view.
Drybum bike seat cover. Made in the UK. Photograph by author 12 March 2018 on my old Raleigh bike along with a vintage British made Midland saddle bag.
“Sheepskinshop is the on-line retail outlet for the Easirider Company Limited. Easirider specialises in manufacturing seat covers and over rugs for cars and aircraft using genuine sheepskin. Sheepskinshop offers an eclectic selection of items made in the UK by Easirider Company using one of the world’s finest natural materials – real sheepskin”. The Easirider Company was formed in 1971 and are a specialist manufacturing company who work primarily in automotive and aviation crafting floor and seat covers out of genuine natural sheepskin. Easirider manufactures luxury floor over rugs and real sheepskin seat covers for all car makes and models and supply owners of such prestigious cars as Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Range Rover, Ferrari etc. In addition to cars they also provide sheepskins for the use in aviation crew seating suitable for all types of aircraft, commercial and private. They also undertake one-off manufacturing of items like rugs and seat re-upholsetering, and they say “if it can be made in sheepskin, we probably make it or have made it.” They say on their website “all sheepskin cover made in Britain” and they use the British Made for Quality marque. They do not say where they source their wool on their website. I get the impression that all products are made in the UK but it would be advisable to check before buying. They make and sell on their website sheepskin bicycle seat covers (washable; universal fit to fit most bicycle saddles), motorcycle seat covers, wash and polish mitts, insoles, hot water bottle covers, car seat covers, and lambswool car floor mats. They say on their website that they make “UK manufactured genuine sheepskin products” – http://www.sheepskinshop.co.uk
Easirider Company made in England sheepskin cycle seat cover, in charcoal grey. Photograph by author 17 April 2019
Easirider Company made in England sheepskin cycle seat cover, in charcoal grey. Photograph by author 17 April 2019
Easirider Company made in England sheepskin cycle seat cover, in charcoal grey. Photograph by author 17 April 2019
KAPZ make custom bicycle headset caps, headset spacers, bar ends and bottles. They say on their website “We design, manufacture, customise and deliver cool, custom-made bicycle products to our customers, all over the planet, where 100% of every single product we sell, we manufacture ourselves, right here in Great Britain and our focus is always firmly on quality!” – http://www.kapz.com
The only UK made metal water bottle cage (handlebar mounted or frame mounted) I can find is the USE one below (and no country of origin information is given for that). Are there any British made water bottle cages?
“Stique is a British cycling accessories business based near Cannock Chase. Our team is made up of cycling enthusiasts, design junkies, and manufacturing obsessives. Everything we sell is made in the industrial heartland of England — mainly in Cannock but also from Sheffield down to Worcester. Not only does this support British business, but it ensures a level of quality that runs from paper right the way through to product.” This is what it says on their website introduction page. Founded in September 2014, Stique make bicycle tyre levers and bicycle multi-tools, apparently marked “made in Blighty”. They also sell a water bottle but I am not sure where this is made and a cycling jersey, made in conjunction with Milltag, London and therefore presumably foreign made as Milltag, London products are “handmade in Europe” not the UK. Whilst it is great that their levers are UK made, unless I have mis-understood something Stique’s website is a little misleading – https://stique.bike
Rehook make a simple tool that gets your chain back on your bike without the mess and Rehook is British made. They say on their website “Rehook is designed and manufactured in the UK by Bambusa Ltd…” – https://www.rehook.bike
Hope Technology (IPCO) Ltd make bike components and lights in England. On their website they say “Hope Technology is one of the world leaders in engineering bicycle components. Since 1989, owners Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp have been pushing the industry forward through designing, testing and manufacturing virtually all products in-house at the factory in Barnoldswick, United Kingdom”. Good stuff. Hope Technology products include hubs, brakes, stems, grips, headsets, lights, wheels, chain rings, jockey wheels, chain guides, bottom brackets, pedals, seat clamps, stem caps, stem spacers, end caps, quick releases, and bike wash.
Their clothing though is made by others and they do not bother to give country of origin, so it it may well be foreign made. One of their suppliers is Endura (see below) who do make some products in the UK. Another supplier is RoyalRacing who make no mention of UK manufacture on their website, so are presumably just importers – http://www.hopetech.com
Hope Shifter bike wash. Manufactured in England.
Endura make some of their cycle clothing in the UK. “The company currently manufactures both with partner companies and also in its own custom built 42,000 square feet (3,900 sq m) facility in Livingston, Scotland”. Unfortunately Endura do not bother to state country of origin on their website, so you will want to ask them where each particular item you might be interested in is made – http://www.endurasport.com
Ultimate Sports Engineering (USE), parent company of Exposure Lights which I mention below, also produce bike components in the UK – seat posts, handlebars, wheels, stems and headsets, cranks, chainrings, shims, bottle cages and water bottles. On their website they say they pride themselves on production in Bury in the South Downs National Park. USE market cycling components under the USE brand, cycle lighting under the Exposure Lights brand and marine lighting under the Exposure Marine brand. On the Facebook pages for USE they describe themselves as “Designing and manufacturing the best cycling components at Petworth UK”. On the Facebook page for Exposure Lights it says in About “Exposure Lights are designed and manufactured in the UK by Ultimate Sports Engineering” but it does not say this on the Exposure Marine Facebook page. It would be advisable to carefully check that the particular product you are interested in is actually made in the UK. Some USE products, such as their clothing, are undoubtedly foreign made, but unfortunately country of origin is not always given against individual products on their website – http://www.use1.com – http://www.ultimatesportsengineering.com
Middleburn Cycle Components Ltd in Surrey make British made bicycle components; chainwheels, spiders and cranks, bottom brackets, chain ring bolts, cable oilers, headset spacers, self extract bolts, and valve caps; all 100% made in their factory in their UK – http://www.middleburn.co.uk
Middleburn Bottom Bracket. Made in UK.
Royce UK, founded in 1980, make cranks, hubs, bottom brackets and chainrings in the UK – http://www.royceuk.co.uk/Royce-Uk.html
PEEKrings make chainrings in the UK. PEEKrings are handmade to order in Coventry by Pyramid Composite Design – http://www.peekrings.co.uk
Superstar Components, founded in 2006, make and sell mountain and road bike components and they sell quite a few UK made parts for mountain bikes including headsets, direct mount covers (including one with an integral bottle opener), chainrings, pedals, bash guards, etc made by them in-house and wheels for mountain and road bikes that are assembled in the UK by them. They say on their website “We now offer a wide range of products for both mountain and road bikes, building all our wheels inhouse and CNC machining parts in the UK” and “we’re proud to say our manufacturing facility is now up and running” and “All of our wheels are built in the UK using the best equipment in the world. We work with Holland Mechanics who are leaders in wheelbuilding machinery and we commissioned a custom high end build line from them which hits our high standards for build quality and accuracy”. Holland Mechanics are a bicycle wheelbuilding machine maker with factories in the Netherlands and China – http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/
Great British Bike Build (GBBB) was started as a hobby in 2012 rebuilding a bike using as many British made parts as they could find. They are now manufacturing a small number of components themselves (at present just a headset), repairing bikes and spraying bikes with company logos. Great British Bike Build build bikes to order, using British made components where possible. They specialise in the utility bicycle and bicycles from GBBB usually come fitted with carriers, dynamo lighting, mudguards and stands. You can purchase on line or by visiting their retail shop in Gloucester. – http://www.greatbritishbikebuild.co.uk
GB Cycle Components was so named after its founder Gerry Burgess (and not Great Britain as many presumed). The last GB brakes were made in the 1970s, but GB continued with bars and stems into the early 1990s. There are rumours on the net from 2011 that GB Cycle Components are back, revived with Pashley marketing GB componenets as a joint venture with Jeremy Burgess son of the late Gerry Burgess, with parts being made in the UK using the original tooling. The wingnuts are back on sale through the Pashley Collection website and feature on some Pashley bikes (as shown in their August 2013 catalogue), but otherwise all seems quite on the GB Cycle Components revival. This was the brand that revolutionised cycle brakes after the Second World War and it would be great to see it back and manufacturing in the UK. They is a GB Components website, but it does not seem to do very much – http://www.g-b.cc
An old style rod brake
The revolutionary (at the time; 1945) GB hiduminium (aluminium) side-pull brake.
Vintage GB, map of England pantographed, handlebars (view 1)
Vintage GB, map of England pantographed, handlebars, with GB embossed stem (view 2)
Modern GB Wingnuts (Pashley website February 2015). Made in England.
Cyclo was a company that ran from 1932 – 1969 and, all produced in Birmingham, they made derailleurs, freewheels, frame bits, and accessories such as pump pegs and saddle supports.
Vintage Cyclo Pump Pegs. British Made.
Shimano (best known for gears) of course is a Japanese company and I’m not sure where they manufacture. SunTour (best known for gears) are a former Japanese company, now Taiwanese owned, and I don’t know where their manufacturing takes place. Weinmann (best known for brakes) were a Swiss company (now defunct). Weinmann were a large volume supplier of brakes and rims, especially in the 1970’s when most British ‘sports bikes’ featured Weinmann as original equipment. This was true for Raleigh, Carlton, Dawes and Falcon. Weinmann were most successful with their brakes where they achieved a near dominance of the UK market; only top-end cycles would feature Mafac, Universal or Campagnolo. Weinmann products were made in Switzerland or Belgium. Weinmann closed in the 1990s. Campagnolo (best known for gears) is an Italian company and again I don’t know where they manufacture. Mafac were a French company and they closed down in the 1980s. I don’t remember this company. Universal were an Italian company who closed down in the 1980s. Again, I do not remember them. Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive list of notable international bicycle brands and manufacturing companies past and present and a less comprehensive list of international bicycle part manufacturers and brands past and present.
Fibrax manufacture brake pads, disc pads and control cables both for bicycles and industrial applications are at their Wrexham site, as well as rubber and plastic moulded parts, for Automotive and other industries. You will want to check with them whether the product you want is UK made, as country of origin is not stated for particular products. Their website has the words “UK made cycling components” at the top left of each page – http://www.fibrax.com
VeloSolo distribute a range of own-branded UK made precision bike components including bolt-on and threaded track cogs, CNC chainrings, spacer kits, and handlebars for fixed wheel or singlespeed bicycles, as well as selling foreign made parts from other companies –http://www.velosolo.co.uk
As far as I can gather, BETD own brand bike components are made in the UK (please note they sell foreign made bikes and bike gear) – http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk
Restrap say on their website that most of their products are still made in Yorkshire. Unfortunately they do not give country of origin against the products on their website. In some instances you can see the words “made in Yorkshire” on pictures of products, but this is just their logo and does not mean a particular product is made in Yorkshire! For example their beanies are clearly labelled “made in Yorkshire”, but in fact are made abroad! They are very helpful and you will just have to ask about the provenance of a particular product you are interested in. They started off making pedal straps and now also make hip pouches, messengers bags, musettes, ruck sacks, lock belt holsters, a belt bottle holster, etc. Their t-shirts and crew necks are printed in Yorkshire, but foreign made. Their jerseys and bibs are foreign made. Given the lack of clarity about where their products are made, best to ask before buying – http://restrap.co.uk
100% acrylic Restrap grey beanie hat. NOT “made in Yorkshire” despite the big label that says it is! Restrap beanies are foreign made.
Brampton Brothers were manufacturers of cycle chain and cycle fittings; they were purchased by the Coventry Chain Company in 1925, who subsequently merged with Hans Renold in 1930. Renold do still have a factory in the UK and a factory in the USA, but most production now takes place in Shanghai and Changzhou in China, and as far as I can gather they no longer make bicycle chains. Does anyone still make bicycle chains in the UK?
A few small companies make bicycle lights in the UK;
Exposure Lights (see Ultimate Sports Engineering, the parent company, above), make high end bicycle lights, marine lights and other torches in the UK. UK made products are labelled as such. On the Facebook page for Exposure Lights it says in About “Exposure Lights are designed and manufactured in the UK by Ultimate Sports Engineering”. It would be advisable to carefully check that the particular product you are interested in is actually made in the UK – http://exposurelights.com
Exposure Lights TraceR MK1 DayBright USB rear light, 75 lumens, made in Great Britain. Front of box view. Photograph by author 23 December 2018. This light is rechargeable (USB connector, chargeable from a wall plug or a computer), durable and very very bright. It can be used day and night. Constant, pulse and day bright modes. Charge indicator, long lasting charge and a good charging period. Compact, light weight, water resistant. Will mount on a seat post or, at a push, on the rear forks. All that and UK made. An exceptional light.
Exposure Lights TraceR MK1 DayBright USB rear light, 75 lumens, made in Great Britain. View of the lights itself which is also marked Made in Great Britain. Photograph by author 23 December 2018
Exposure Lights TraceR QR spare Bracket. Made in Great Britain. Photograph by author 12 January 2019.
Hope Technology (mentioned above) say on their website “…virtually all products in-house at the factory in Barnoldswick, United Kingdom” so hopefully that includes their bike lights but do check before buying – http://www.hopetech.com
Lumicycle. According to their website “Since 1997 Lumicycle have produced high quality performance LED bike lights. Lumicycle bicycle lights are designed and built in the UK to withstand tough conditions and to last for years” – http://www.lumicycle.com
See.Sense, founded in 2013, have their ‘smart’ re-chargable by USB bicycle lights made in the UK. They say their Icon lights, which were launched in 2016, are “Designed and manufactured in Northern Ireland (UK)” and of their ACE lights, launching in 2018, they say “We have established manufacturers in the UK…” so hopefully these will be made in the UK too – https://seesense.cc
I have used a Clulite (Cluson Engineering) small torch attached to my handlebars as my front head light and it’s very bright and an old made in England Eveready red light at the rear (sadly Eveready no longer make bike lights in the UK), backed up by tiny foreign (French) made modern flashing lights front and rear. Clulite also make purpose made cycle lights. Please see my article on torches for more bike lighting.
VINTAGE EVEREADY 1960’s BICYCLE LAMP. Made in Britain. This is an exceptionally well designed and well made light. Sadly Eveready no longer make bike lights in the UK.
CLULITE (BIK-1) BIKE/HEAD LIGHT
For the safety of others it is essential you have a bell on your bicycle. As far as I know Lion Bellworks are the only company currently manufacturing bicycle bells in the UK. Lion Bellworks produces high-quality solid brass bells based in retro designs, and is particularly proud of the ring, which it describes as having “a musical quality that is loud and clear with a long sustain”. Parts are manufactured in Birmingham and Barnsley, England. The bells are assembled in Manchester. You can see and hear a Lion Bell in the YouTube video below – http://www.lionbellworks.co.uk
BRASS BICYCLE BELL by Lion Bellworks. British made.
Mapdec handlebar map boards are now being made in the UK (previously they were made in China).
Mucky Nutz mudguards for mountain bikes are all made in the UK – http://www.muckynutz.com
Mudhugger mudguards for mountain bikes are also all made in the UK (with the exception of the frame tape) – https://www.themudhugger.co.uk
Powa Products mudguards for mountain bikes are all made in the UK too – http://www.powa-products.com
Full Windsor (folding) mudguards are NOT made in the UK.
Woodguards wooden mudguards appear to be made in the UK.
It is stated on the Freeman’s Cycles website that Spencer mudguards (or at least the ones featured there) are manufactured in the UK. I wrote to Spencer Manufacturing Ltd to try to confirm this on 11th July 2014, but they have not replied to my email. Please check with Spencer yourself if you are thinking of buying any of their products , as to whether they are still British made or not.
I’m told that CycraGuard plastic road and mountain bike mudguards are made in the UK, however it does not say on their website where they are made so you will want to check – http://www.cycraguard.co.uk
Crud Products was founded in 1991. They make mudguards for mountain bikes and road bikes. They design, manufacture and test all their products in the UK. I found their products on the Cycle Solutions websites, but they are elsewhere on the web too – http://www.crudproducts.com
Crud Road Racer Mudguards MK2. Made in the UK.
Duck Smart bicycle and car spray or foam cleaning products are made in the UK – http://www.duck-smart.com
Muc-Off do not bother to give any information about country of origin on their website but some of their cleaning products for pedal cycles, motorbikes and cars are made in the UK and the products themselves are labelled as such. Some Muc-Off products are labelled made in the EU and are foreign made. Some of the Muc-Off range is made in the UK such as their Wet Lube and Matt Finish Detailer whereas other Muc-Off products such as their MO94 are foreign made. Check the labelling on the product itself or ask them directly before buying – https://muc-off.com
Some of the Muc-Off range is made in the UK such as their Wet Lube and Matt Finish Detailer whereas other Muc-Off products such as their MO94 are foreign made. Display at Heathrow Cycle Hub photographed by author 8 June 2018
Muc Off bicycle cleaning and lube products on display in Wilko in Staines-upon-Thames. The All-Over bike cleaner on the left and the 4 Dry Oil on the right are made in the UK, whereas the 2 Chain Gears Degreaser in the centre is foreign made. Photograph by author 26 August 2018.
Wilko (Wilkinson) sell a good number of quality British made items including various motor oils, car wash liquids, car cleaning sponges, 3-in-1 type oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, bicycle cleaners and oils (lubes), bicycle tyre sealant, cycle puncture repair kits, various paints, dustpan and brushes, plastic containers, washing-up bowls, sink drainers, rubbish bins, mops, DIY fillers, paint roller sets, hand cream, hand cleaning gel, toner, garden bird peanuts, etc. Many of their own brand products are made in the UK. Check the packaging in-store – https://www.wilko.com
Wilko all waether lube with teflon and Wilko oil’s well bike oil, both made in the UK. On display in Wilko Staines-upon-Thames. Photograph by author 26 August 2018.
Wilko bike cleaner spray, Wilko oil away citrus degreaser spray, Wilko disk brake cleaning spray and Wilko lubricant with teflon surface protector. All made in the UK. On display at Wilko Staines-upon-Thames. Photograph by author 26 August 2018.
Wilko Keep on rolling tyre sealant, 250mm. Produced in the UK for Wilkinson. It clearly states only for Schrader (car type) valves but assuming it’s the same product as Dr Sludge Puncture Protection Sealant, then it should be suitable for Schrader type and other valves with removable cores. Photograph by author 13 January 2019. Comes with a valve core remover and seals up to 3mm holes. For puncture prevention not repair after a pucture I assume. For use in bicycle inner tubes. Also for use on trailers, wheelbarrows, golf carts, etc.
Wilko Keep on rolling tyre sealant, 250mm. Produced in the UK for Wilkinson. It clearly states only for Schrader (car type) valves but assuming it’s the same product as Dr Sludge Puncture Protection Sealant, then it should be suitable for Schrader type and other valves with removable cores. Photograph by author 13 January 2019. Label view.
Wilko puncture cycle repair kit and Wilko deluxe puncture cycyle repair kit. Both produced in the UK. On display in Wilko Staines-upon-Thames 13 January 2019. Photograph by author.
Fenwick’s bike care products are all manufactured in the UK (as incidentally is 95% of their packaging as well) – cycle cleaning fluids, bike and chain cleaning sponges, grease and oils, maintenance kits, and tubeless sealant. Fenwick’s also make caravan, motorhome, tent and awning (cleaning and re-proofing) care products in the UK. http://www.fenwicks.info
Fenwicks Stealth road bike chain lube. Made in the UK
Silkolene motorcycle and bicycle lubricants are made in the UK. They have a manufacturing site in Stoke-on-Trent. Owned by German company Fuchs since 1989. I am not sure if all Silkolene products are made in the UK and I don’t know if any other Fuchs products are UK made – http://www.silkolene.com
WD-40 is made in the UK (careful though, the little bottles sold in the pound shops are imported). WD-40 UK is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WD-40 in the USA and is manufactured in various locations across the globe, including it seems the UK. WD-40 also owns 3 in One oil and 1001 Carpet Cleaner, but I am not sure where these are made currently, as there is scant information about product manufacture and country of origin on the WD-40 websites. In any case there is much debate about the efficacy of the use of WD-40 and 3-in-1 for bicycles as a chain lube, so you might want to consider other products if you feel they are more suitable.
Green Oil cleaners and lubricants are mostly British made. It says on their website “Every Green Oil product is made in the UK, except the fairly traded Philipino Ecosponge”. Their bottles are made from recycled plastic is sourced from the UK and the bottles and labels are British made. Their plastic tubs though are made in Germany. Their display racks are made from reclaimed wood, mainly from pallets and are made here in the UK. Their products include chain oil, wax and grease, degreasing gel , degreasing oil, bike cleaner, and a chain and bicycle brush – http://www.green-oil.net
Some Purple Harry’s Bike Cleaning products are manufactured in Great Britain, for example their bike floss, super sponge, bike maintenance spray, and chain lube. For other products check country of origin before buying – http://www.purpleharry.co.uk
Bicycles are best kept securely inside, but that’s not always possible. There’s some advice here in the Guardian about how to stop your cycle being stolen – tips I have heard include – always use a lock (or better still 2 different locks; perhaps a D-lock and robust chain with padlock are ideal because thieves are less likely to carry the tools to break both locks) and never use a cheap lock (or a cable lock), make sure you don’t attach your bike to something that can easily be broken, moved or lifted off, leave it where there is good light, CCTV and lots of people if possible (remember even the busiest streets empty out eventually and watch out for deliberate flat tyres), lock the frame and wheels, remove accessories, and register and insure your bike. More detailed bicycle security advice can be found here on the Pragmasis website and here on the British Cycling website. Lock through the frame and back wheel and add a second lock (perhaps a chain with padlock or even a cable lock) through the front wheel and frame. Keep the lock off the ground, but don’t place it too high. No bicycle lock can withstand attack from an angle grinder but a quality bicycle lock will withstand picking and attacks by bolt croppers and suchlike. Sadly cities like London have a major problem with bike theft.
Squire Snaplok (a carabiner shaped combination bicycle lock), Squire wall / ground anchors and some Squire padlocks are made in Britain. Only high end Squire products are made in the UK nowadays, with most Squire products being foreign made. British made Squire products are listed with a little Union Flag against the products details in their UK price list – http://www.squirelocks.co.uk
Squire Snaplok Combination Lock – Black, 26 cm. Made in Britain.
Squire SS50 Combi Padlocks. Made in Britain
Litelok (Zeal Innovation Ltd) make lighter weight, flexible bike locks tested to Sold Secure Gold standard. Their website carries the Made in Britain logo. They come in Original and a slightly longer Wearable version. Of the locks they say they are “Very, very strong and very difficult to pick. The lock is made using a trusted and established British manufacturer.” The lock snaps shut without the need for a key. You can order more than one lock keyed the same if you want. The locks come with wrap straps for attaching to a bike frame and three keys. The company was founded in 2013 – https://www.litelok.com
Litelok Sold Secure Gold Wearable, in black, size medium. Made in Britain. The medium size is suitable for a 32-34″ waist to wear or it comes with wrap straps to attach to a bike frame. The medium is Weight: 1.40 Kg, Length 1000mm, so should be big enough to wrap around a lamppost for example. Its weight at 1.40kg is slightly more than a Chinese made Sold Secure Silver rated Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 which weighs 1.29kg. A Taiwan made Sold Secure Gold Pragmasis D lock weighs 1.5 to 1.92kg. A Chinese made Sold Secure Gold Kryptonite New York Standard D lock weighs 2.02kg and a Chinese made Kryptonite Sold Secure Gold Evolution Mini weighs 1.61kg. The Litelok wearable is certainly not lightweight but it is fairly light for a Sold Secure Gold rated lock. The Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 came with 4 foot long, 10 mm thick cable which can help secure your wheels or seat, although this additional cable would be easy to cut through. The Litelok does not come with a second cable, so you will want to get an additional lock too. Their Lockstopper means you can carry the lock unlocked and you can then just lock it without the key when in use (take care not to lose this though; it falls off easily when locking and unlocking). It comes with three keys. Photograph by author 9 July 2018.
Apparently there is a knack to using the lock on the Litelok bike locks. Their website offers this advice and a helpful video of using the key on their website – “ALWAYS push the key in fully before turning 180º clockwise. This is very, very important. If you force the key to turn when it’s not fully inserted you might jam the lock, making it inoperable. This scenario is NOT covered by the warranty. If you have trouble turning the key ensure it’s fully inserted and then gently wiggle the key from side to side, turn anticlockwise, remove and try again. If the issue persists please contact the place of purchase.”
Hiplok sell the rather neat and very basic security Hiplok Z-Lok Security Ties and wearable lock chains, but please note their products are all Chinese made.
Bulldog Security products are mostly made in the UK and include chains and ground anchors. These products are more aimed at motorbikes, caravans and trailers than bicycles – http://www.bulldogsecure.com
Abtech Precision Ltd make and sell on eBay a British made bicycle lock wall anchor – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-made-Bike-lock-fixing-fully-hardened-and-tamperproof/253076550559?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Tklamp is a new product, a device is focused on locking the bike at the crank arm and chain stay, possibly destined for release sometime in 2014 and set to be made in the UK by the Man Group co-operative. It’s described as a bicycle immobiliser and immobilises the crank arm to the chain stay. The Tklamp website does not mention country of origin and gives no information on where the project is up to or cost or when it will be available – http://t-klamp.com – http://www.man-group.co.uk
For British made padlocks for chains, and more chains and ground anchors, please see my section on padlocks.
Pragmasis (securityforbikes.com; formerly torc-anchors.com) manufacture in the UK ground anchors, security chains (suitable as bike locks) and shed shackles, useful for a variety of securing applications including securing bicycles and motorbikes. They also supply Squire padlocks to go with these products, some of which are made in the UK (you will have to ask which or better still ask Squire – only Squire high-end high security padlocks are made in the UK nowadays). The raw chain is from Europe but the specialised treatment – cutting, hardening, de-embrittlement and electro-plating are all done by companies in the West Midlands and the final cutting-to-length and sleeving at the unit in Tamworth. Each chain comes with a woven polyester sleeve. A Sold Secure Bicycle Gold Pragmasis Protector 11mm chain weighs 2.1kg plus the weight of the lock. Their more secure bigger chains are heavier. Their other products, such as their D-locks are foreign made – http://securityforbikes.com
Pragmasis Protector 11mm Security Chain. Finished in the UK.
Almax security chains for for motorcycles, quad bikes, bicycles, cars, caravans, boats, trailers, etc are British made. In answer to the FAQ “Where are the Almax Chains made?” they say “We are proud that all our processes are carried out here in England, even down to the logo’s on our sleeves. We are a British Company and take pride in British engineering prowess.” Elsewhere on their website they say “All Immobiliser Chains are triple tempered, BRITISH steel, enhanced with carbon, manganese and boron, case hardened with 3 separate processes and zinc plated.” The padlock they sell to go with their chains is the British manufactured Squire (see above) SS65CS Stronghold closed shackle padlock. They also sell a ground anchor called the Defiant (or Rhino Defiant) Ground Anchor which they say is “Designed and manufactured in Britain!” (this is made by a company called Defiant Security Systems but I can’t find any more information about them on the net) – http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk
Cyclehoop specialises in producing innovative indoor and outdoor cycle parking infrastructure, for local authorities, business and the home. Cyclehoop design, manufacture and install their own products, which are made in the UK (they also sell a few foreign made products). Made in Britain items are clearly labelled as such under the specifications on their website – http://www.cyclehoop.com
Cyclehoop Lambeth Bikehangar. Made in Britain.
Cyclehoop Folding Bike Rack. Made in Britain.
Cyclehoop public bike pump. Made in Britain.
GearHooks wall mounted single hooks or rails for multiple hooks, for storing bicycles, skis, snowboards, skateboards, climbing equipment, fishing gear, garden tools, and so on are “Designed and made in the UK” – https://gearhooks.com
Bicyclelights247 sell British made Wall Mount Butterfly Cycle Racks, Lock Loop/Ground Anchors, Curved Steel Wall Mount Cycle Storage Racks, and 1up 1down Cycle Stands. I don’t think they sell anything else that is British made – http://www.bicyclelights247.co.uk
Thornton Sports specialise in the design, manufacture and installation of artificial sports surfaces such as tennis courts, rooftop pitches, athletics tracks, hockey pitches and artificial grass made in the UK – http://www.thorntonsports.co.uk
Continental is the leading UK manufacturer of equipment for gymnastics, sports halls, physical education, trampolining and changing rooms. I assume all their own brand equipment is made in the UK but you will want to check when buying as country of origin is not clearly stated against individual products. They are also an importer of foreign made sporting goods – http://www.continentalsports.co.uk
A batch of timber PE benches made in the Continental Sports Huddersfield factory ready for final inspection, wrapping and shipping to customers (from twitter 31/10/16).
Playrite are UK manufacturers of specialist surfaces for sport, play and leisure. Based in Yorkshire, where they manufacture a range of woven, tufted and needlepunch synthetic sports surfaces and artificial garden grass, and playground surfaces – http://www.playrite.co.uk
Stuart Canvas Products, established in 1971, has over 40 years experience in manufacturing covers out of variety of materials like PVC and cotton heavy duty tarpaulins. They specialise in the manufacture of covers for the sporting world let that be for cricket to tennis for rain protection to football and rugby for frost protection. They can manufacture all sizes of industrial covers for commercial and industrial uses. they also supply all sorts of cricket related equipment but no country of origin information is given on their cricket website – http://www.stuartcanvas.co.uk
TigerTurf UK Ltd synthetic sport surfaces (they are an artificial grass manufacturer) are made in Britain, using TenCate yarns from the Netherlands. TigerTurf sports surfaces are also made in United States and New Zealand and in Europe, Australia and India. They work with Stuart Canvas (see above) on cricket surfaces – http://tigerturf.com/uk/
Bulldog Gear gym (bodybuilding) equipment manufacture some of their kit in the UK. The company market themselves particularly to the Crossfit community. Their British made gear includes – the 5 Series flat bench, the Mammoth Olympic Bench, their floor rigs, Ballistic Bumpers (weights to attach to bars), their Olympic platform, a wall Mounted Pull Up Bar, Wooden Gymnastic Rings, Manilla Climbing Rope, Polyhemp Climbing Rope, Parallettes, Multi-Use Plyobox, Sleds, Sled straps, Farmers Walk Handles, Farmer’s Handles, an Axle bar, the BSY1 Yoke, Strength Wraps, and their WOD (“workouts of the day”) shorts. The other gear they sell is all foreign made – http://www.bulldoggear.eu
Glasdon make cycle shelters, cycle lockers, and bike stands for businesses, institutions and local authorities. They also make waiting shelters, smoking shelters, recycling bins, benches, bollards and road safety products, litter bins, cigarette bins, and so on. Country of origin is clearly labelled on their website and the majority of their products are made in the UK – http://www.glasdonshelters.com
Cyclepods provides cycle parking solutions, many of which are manufactured in the UK, for institutions, businesses, local authorities, and individuals with products including cycle entry systems, bike shelters, bike lockers, cycle stands, public cycle pumps and public cycle repair docks. Some of the items they sell may be foreign made – http://cyclepods.co.uk
H-B Designs manufacture infrastructure for cycling, sports and recreation – bicycle racks and stands and cycle parking solutions, shelters and sheds, sports grandstands, golf driving range shelters, cycle path infrastructure, etc. – for businesses, corporations, institutions, and local authorities – with all their products being made in Britain – http://www.hbdesigns.co.uk
Woodscape design and manufacture hardwood street furniture. They frequently use the words “British craftsmanship” on their website but actually tell us very little about themselves on their website and do not expressly state that anything they sell is UK made. If you purchase street furniture it would be worth asking if anything they sell is British made but it might well be imported from abroad. They also own SlateScape who import slate and slate products (they tell us this; they do not use any British slate) and trukitchen which imports German made kitchens to the UK – https://woodscape.co.uk
Whether you own a vintage road bike or a high spec modern British made bike, you’ll want to keep it looking its best and keep it safe from thieves.
Asgard provide a range of British made virtually theft-proof ALL METAL bike storage sheds made from heavy gauge steel with a range of approved locking mechanisms, and fitted with an integral metal floor – designed to deter criminals and keep your bikes safe. They also make secure garden sheds, motorcycle storage sheds and storage sheds for schools and other institutions. They also sell foreign made bike locks, padlocks and suchlike – http://www.asgardsss.co.uk
Pendle Bike Racks manufacture a wide range of British made bicycle racks for your car, indoor bicycle storage hangers, indoor bicycle stands, garage mounts, outdoor cycle stands, bike trailers, and cycle shelters. Pendle Bike Racks are designed, tested and made in their factory in Nelson, England. Pendle Engineering Ltd. also make KLIPONOFF Motorcycle racks and a range of iPad and laptop stands; again all made in England. They say on their website “ALL Pendle Bike Racks’, Trailers, Accessories and Spares are designed, manufactured, tested and despatched at our home in Nelson, Pendle, England” – http://www.pendle-bike.co.uk
Quarterre indoor bicycle storage hangers and stands for the home are made in Britain – http://www.quarterre.com
Kestrel Cycle Stands (part of Pressco Group) manufacture repair stands and display stands for cycles, in the UK – http://www.kestrelcyclestands.co.uk
Perhaps because of concerns about weight, bicycle kickstands (or prop stands) seem to have gone out of fashion somewhat, even though they are very useful. I do not know of any current British kickstand manufacturers.
Pod-it Bike Pod Pro (by Polaris Bikewear) is made in the UK and is a case designed to protect your bike when you travel with it. Available to hire or buy – http://www.pod-it.co.uk
Bike Box Alan bike transport boxes are made in the UK – http://bikeboxalan.co.uk
Velovault bike box by Bikebox Online is made in the UK. They say on their website “We are very proud to say that our bike box is British made and we mean proper British made! The Plastic shells are produced near Birmingham, as are the Protex™ catches and the piano hinge, the webbing and foam are made either side of the Peak district, even the weight saving aluminium washers are made in England. Assembly is carried out in the UK at our factory in Birmingham” – http://www.bikebox-online.co.uk/product/velovault/
The Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC; a cycling charity) site is a useful source of cycling information, for example about how to transport bicycles by air and they even sell a large plastic bag (the CTC Plastic Bike Bag) for this purpose (not sure where that is made though). There’s more information about flying with your bike on the Two Wheel Travelblog site. The CTC site also has useful and clear information on topics such as lighting regulations for pedal cycles and how you can take bikes by public transport. The Heathrow website has advice on getting to and from Heathrow by bike, tells you about the Heathrow Cycle Hub for airport workers and has information on cycle routes into Heathrow. Bicycles can weigh 20 – 30+ lbs (10 – 14kg), so bear this in mind when flying – most airlines will fly your bike as part (or more likely all) of your checked baggage allowance and remember baggage allowances vary from airline to airline (for your cabin baggage that is true too). The fab “My Ten Speeds” website considers weights of vintage bicycles amongst other things.
CycleStreets is an online UK-wide cycle journey planner which lets you plan routes from A-B by bike. Sustrans is a charity that encourages people in the UK to walk, cycle and use public transport and helps enable that for example through the National Cycle Network of interlinked quiet roads and traffic free lanes.
Companies such as Dunlop, John Bull (the Leicester Rubber Company; later know as the John Bull Rubber Company; later taken over by Dunlop) and Rubberweld used to make cycle puncture repair kits in the UK, but sadly these companies are now closed.
VINTAGE DUNLOP R0/7 MADE IN ENGLAND ‘LONG’ CYCLE PUNCTURE REPAIR KIT (TOP VIEW).
VINTAGE DUNLOP R0/7 MADE IN ENGLAND ‘LONG’ CYCLE PUNCTURE REPAIR KIT (INSIDE VIEW).
Vintage John Bull bicycle puncture repair kit. British made (top view).
Vintage John Bull bicycle puncture repair kit. British made (inside view).
Weldtite still has a manufacturing site in Lincolnshire. Their picture repair kits used to say British made on them but they no longer do, which made me think they are now foreign made but this is not exactly the case (as I was pleased to hear by email on 4/7/14). All Weldtite Repair Kits are manufactured in England, and they also mould their own plastic boxes which the kits are packed into. Some of the materials within are sourced from abroad, but the tyre levers they mould themselves and the rubber solution tube is also filled by them. Weldtite also fill the majority of their cleaners and lubricants. One of the key products within the Lubricant range is our TF2 aerosol spray (03015/03021) which they do buy in ready filled. The main items Weldtite import are tools, valve accessories and axles, however that said they do pack the items in their factory in Barton Upon Humber. They all sell British made bearings and a British made tyre pressure gauge (05026 ‘In Line’ Tyre Pressure Gauge 6-50 PSI Schrader type). So, Weldtite is still the brand to buy for British made puncture repair kits and some other cycle repair stuff too. No doubt they will be happy to tell you if the product you are interested in is British made or not, so do ask them – http://weldtite.co.uk
Weldtite Airtite Puncture Repair Kit. Made in England.
Vintage Weldtite cycle repair kit. British made.
Vintage Weldtite cycle repair kit tin. British made.
Weldtite TF2 Plus dry lubricant with Teflon. Made in UK. Photograph by author 28 April 2018.
Weldtite TF2 Plus dry lubricant with Teflon. Made in UK. Photograph by author 28 April 2018. Rear of packaging label view.
Does anyone know of any other current British made cycle puncture repair kits?
Not the same thing, but I did come across a company called Puncturesafe on the net who manufacture tyre sealants in UK, including one for bicycle use which you can buy on eBay and elsewhere on the net. It is coloured orange and is apparently suitable for all types of cycles with Schrader valves. It is not possible to apply PunctureSafe through the narrow Presta valves. Seals punctures caused by puncturing objects up to 3mm in diameter – http://www.puncturesafe.com
This article recommends you always carry 2 inner tubes (and a puncture repair kit and latex gloves) – good advice!
This interesting short article tells you how to make your own bike tool roll.
A cycle emergency toolkit at its most basic ought to contain a bicycle spanner stamped made in England and a British made cycle puncture repair kit and perhaps some British made tyre levers. Any suitably sized bike spanner marked made in England would do, but does anyone know of current British cycle spanner manufacturers?
2 Vintage BROOKS Bike Spanners Made in England.
VINTAGE KING DICK 4 INCH ADJUSTABLE SPANNER, marked on one side KING DICK and on the reverse BRITISH CHROME STEEL MADE. KIng Dick still make the majority of their tools in England, but do not appear to make a baby adjustable like this one anymore.
VINTAGE No.1322 CYCLE MULTI SPANNER,MADE IN ENGLAND.
Brands such as Dunlop, Adie, and Terry’s all made their tyre levers in England, but either no longer make tyre levers or manufacture abroad or have gone. Weldtite plastic tyre levers are made in the UK still. Who else still makes tyre levers in the UK I wonder?
Weldtite glass nylon reinforced tyre levers – set of 3. Made in England. If you look carefully at this photograph you can see these Weldtite tyre levers are stamped “made in England”.
Vintage Dunlop tyre levers. Made in England.
VINTAGE, TERRY’S SET OF 3 CYCLE TYRE LEVERS. Stamped Made in England.
Terry’s also made saddles, cycle clips (trouser clips; trouser bands) and much more. Some great pics of their pump clips, tennis racket clips and Primus stove carrier can be found here. Herbert Terry & Sons Ltd (Terry’s) of Redditch, Worcestershire, was established in 1855 as a spring company and the UK company Central Springs and Pressings Ltd. (the successor to that firm) is still in operation today…although they no longer make anything related to bicycles and it is not clear from their website whether they still manufacture in the UK but possibly they do. Herbert Terry also made the famous Anglepoise Lamp (Anglepoise are still going, but these days they are expensive and made in China). The term ‘Terry Clip’ is now in generic usage to mean a spring metal clip used to hold a cylindrical object.
VINTAGE TERRYS 1″ BRAKE CABLE FRAME CLIPS. Made in England.
Terry’s cycle trouser clip, from 1963 – made in England – considered by some to be far superior to the conventional circular wrap-around cycle-clip.
Vintage Terry’s wrap-around cycle trouser clips. Made in England.
Vintage Terry’s Tennis Racket and Hockey Stick Clip. Made in England (box view).
Vintage Terry’s Tennis Racket and Hockey Stick Clip. Made in England (Clip view).
Vintage Terry Trouser Bands. Made in England
Vintage (1950’s) TERRY’S Basket Lamp Clip. Made in England. Front view
Vintage (1950’s) TERRY’S Basket Lamp Clip. Made in England. Side view.
Vintage Terry’s 1″ x 7/8″ Rex Pattern Inflator Clip (pump clip). Made in England.
In 1992 the ADIE brand of cycle accessories was incorporated into Weldtite. Today they are well known for baskets, bells, stabilisers and trouser bands (cycle clips). Weldtite still has a factory in Lincolnshire, but on their website ADIE do not state country of origin, so you’ll need to check with them directly before buying – http://www.adieuk.co.uk
Are any companies still making cycle clips (trouser clips) in the UK? Possibly Adie above but please check before buying.
Vintage Adie Bicycle Trouser Clips. Made in England.
Are there any companies still making bicycle pumps in the UK?
Turbo bicycle pumps. Made in UK.
Marwi and Turbo bicycle pumps. Made in UK.
Marwi bicycle pumps. Made in UK.
I found bicycle pumps branded “Turbo” and “Marwi” that said “made in UK” on them in Cycle King in Oxford last month (October 2014) but I can’t find any further information on them. There is a Taiwanese company called Marwi but I don’t know if it is them that make these pumps. I took 3 pictures in Cycle King and these are above. I have also seen these pumps on eBay but they are not on the Cycle King website. Are they old stock?
15″BRITISH MADE BIKE PUMP TURBO BICYCLE PUMP, POWERLOCK, ALL VALVES on eBay.
Mamnick. Gifts, clothing, cycle stuff for men (and women). Shirts, t-shirts, socks, jackets, shoes, pocket squares, a foul weather wallet / pouch, penknives, hip flasks, and other Sheffield Steel items such as a chip fork, money clip, card holder, cycling trouser clip (with a hole to attach it to your key ring when not in use), bracelets, key rings, etc. Products manufactured in the UK and Japan. Available from their website and they also have a shop in Tokyo. Country of origin is clearly labelled on their website. Also Mamnick 42.21 steel road summer or winter steel road bicycle frames are handmade in Derbyshire, England, using Reynolds 531 lightweight tubing. Some Mamnick products are also, sold by Campbell Cole. Mamnick 42.21 frames are also available at Vernon Barker Cycles. There’s a fascinating interview with Thom Barnett of Mamnick here – http://www.mamnick.com
For information, there are three types of valve used on bicycle inner tubes: Woods (or English or Dunlop) which are shorter, with a screw on collar below the cap; HP / Presta (or French or Racing Valves) which are long slim and thin with a screw fitting at the end; and Schrader (or American or Car Type) which are like the valves on car tyres. Woods valves were once popular on bicycles tyres in Great Britain, northern and Eastern Europe and Asia (including Japan). The rim drilling is the same for both Woods and Schraeder. A Woods valve can be inflated with a Presta valve adapter. The Woods valve is too short to readily accept a push-on connection, a screw-on hose or presta/schrader adapter works better. A Woods valve opens and closes with a collar screwed on to the stem. This collar must be removed to put the valve through the hole in a rim. With the collar off, the valve core is free. Take care that it doesn’t fall out and get lost. On bikes, Schrader valves tend to be used on lower pressure tyres, such as children’s bikes and mountain bikes. To inflate or deflate via Presta Valve, the top section must be unscrewed, allowing the core of the valve to be free to move. To let air out of the tube, with Presta valves unscrew the fitting depress the top, this will deflate the tube; with Woods valves unscrew the collar and remove the valve centre; and with Schrader; depress the stalk in the centre of the valve and squeeze the tube. Woods and Presta valves have screw on rings which hold the valve in the rim. To release the valve Woods valves need the collar and the ring removed and Presta valves need the ring removed, whilst Schrader valves will push into the rim with no ring to undo. There are a couple of pictures to make all this clearer below.
Inner tube valves sketch, from yarecycle, from their useful and informative article on how to repair a puncture.
Bicycle inner tube valves, adapted from buzzle.
“Greentyre are the world’s leading brand of puncture proof flat free tyres for wheelchairs, bicycles and industrial applications” according to their website. They say “over 80% of all manufacture is exported” and they have a Union Flag logo saying “actually made in Britain”. Greentyres was founded in 1992 and they have a factory in Middlesbrough. Their tyres are made of microcellular polyurethane foam. Their website is not great and gives no idea of price. I found them on this website at £20 each. Greentyre say to ring or email them – http://www.greentyre.com
In days gone by English bikes usually had pump pegs brazed on the seat tube, between which you could keep your bicycle pump. Modern bikes tend not to have pump pegs. I found some English made clamp-on pump pegs on eBay and the same supplier (Veloheaven) also has English made leather bicycle portaging straps (carrying handles) – I’m not sure whether these are old stock or if someone still makes these items.
Vintage BLUEMELS 13 inch Bicycle Pump (c.1950s). Made in England. View 1. Bluemels the cycle and auto accessories manufacturer was taken over by German company SKS in 1983 and the factory in Wolston closed.
Vintage BLUEMELS (Bluemel Bros Ltd) 13 inch Bicycle Pump (c.1950s). Made in England. View 2
Apex Inflator Co of Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham. The company appears to have closed down. An advertisement for their pumps and mudguards from November 1935; from Grace’s Guide.
What about current British made (rear or front) pannier racks (pannier carriers) – are there any?
If you do manage to find a British made rack and you’re not using pannier bags, you’ll need a way to secure loads to it. In the past I’ve always used bungee straps (bungee cords / elastic luggage straps). Regray Textiles appear to make their bungee straps in the UK but appear to be basically trade only however you could contact them to order just a couple I suspect. Compression straps are suggested as a good alternative and I’m going to try this myself. I found a company called Wetkama selling British made compression straps on eBay.
Regray luggage straps. Made in the UK?
Wetkama Utility Straps Quick Release Compression Straps – UK Made.
Cyberglow high visibility accessories are manufactured in the UK and include reflective belts, tape, stickers, hi-vis waistcoats and so on – http://www.cyberglow.co.uk
Urban-Glow designs and manufactures a range of riding vests and accessories and their website has the words “Made in England” on the front page. Mesh vests with reflective tape – http://www.urban-glow.com
Some Brightkidz high visibility accessories are made in Britain (those that are, are clearly labelled as such on their website), including a reflective sash for adults and children, some reflective armbands and stickers, key rings, badges, zip clips, reflective tags, lace reflectors, spoke reflectors, snap bands, children’s reflective tabards and waistcoats, book bags, PE bags, duffle bags, and so on – http://www.brightkidz.co.uk
Brightkidz fluorescent, reflective sashes. Adult (or junior). Made in England.
Brightkidz super stick reflector (day view). Size: 4cm x 7.5cm. Fluorescent for day visibility and reflective for night. Very sticky! Once stuck cannot be repositioned. Made in England.
Brightkidz Spoke Reflectors (or wheel reflectors). Made in Britain.
HiVisBike ( London Catwalk Ltd) HiVis Covers, Hivis Bag Attachment, HiVis Sleeves, HiVis Forearm Sleeves and 4 in 1 Multi purpose Arm/Leg/body/bag bands are British made – https://hivisbike.com
Tinwolf hi vis mesh waistcoats featuring eye catching designs are “designed and created in the U.K.” and they use the Made in Britain logo. One size, with adjustable elastic sides. Made to order or off the shelf – http://www.tinwolf.co.uk
Day Glow Doris reflective jackets for women are manufactured in the UK (using materials sourced in the UK and Europe where possible) – http://www.dayglowdoris.co.uk
For a subtle way to be seen and be safe, FlipFlip is designed to flip out of both your front and rear pockets when riding in low-light conditions and is manufactured in the UK – http://flipflip.co.uk
FlipFlip -a cyclist from the rear using FlipFlip. FlipFlip is made in the UK.
Does anyone know where to get a UK made rear bicycle reflector? Like the one in the picture below.
Rear reflector on an old Raleigh 3-speed roadster. Note the “white tail” mudguard (these were a legal requirement in the UK at one point – the white patch was required to be of 12 square inches, centred 13 inches above the ground; alternatively a small white disk traffic side or a white tail were permitted). More “white tail pictures can be found here.
Does anyone still make duel pull brake levers (extension levers / auxiliary brake levers) in the UK, like those in the picture below? I find them very convenient and just the job on a touring bike.
Some duel pull (or auxiliary or extension) brake levers.
MECCANICA (Meccanica Coritani) mens clothing, which is inspired by racers of cycles and motorcycles from the 50s, 60s and 70s, is made entirely in Britain, and suitable to wear on the bike or for casual. Clothing includes t-shirts, polo shirts, shirts, jeans, jackets, knitwear and boxer shorts; all made in Britain.
Meccanica also sell some Brooks made in England saddles (and Brooks foreign made saddles, Brooks foreign made handlebar tape, Brooks foreign made trouser straps, Brooks foreign made toe straps and Brooks foreign made tools), foreign made helmets, Bolin Webb made in Great Britain razors, Truefitt and Hill mens grooming products (it is not clear where these are made), art prints (country of origin is not stated for these), bikes from Sven Cycles, Starley Bikes and Baldwin Titanium Cycles and they offer a restoration service for vintage bicycles – http://www.meccanicacycles.com
MECCANICA Basic Polo. Made in England.
Buffalo Systems manufacture an excellent range of cycling tops; all made in Sheffield, England – http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk
Buffalo Systems Teclite Cycle Shirt. Made in England.
Corinne Dennis Performance Cycle Wear is a small company based in Cornwall, selling cycle clothing for men and women. Quite a few Corinne Dennis products are British made, as denoted by a little Union Flag against products on their website. Other products are foreign made. Their cycle shorts, short sleeved tops, long-sleeved tops, cycle trousers, cycle tights, and cycle jackets are available via their website and in a few cycle shops as listed in their stockists section – http://www.corinnedennis.co.uk
Lancashire Pike Clothing outerwear is made in Bolton, England using Ventile cotton. Cycling jackets, Alpine smocks, and classic Alpine ski jackets. Available via their website – http://www.lancashirepike.co.uk
Vélobici Cyclewear own brand clothing and accessories are made in the UK. On their website they say “All Vélobici clothing is 100% designed and manufactured in the UK”. They have a shop in Leicester and they list other stockists on their website or you can order online. Roadwear, knitwear, padded boxer shorts, arm warmers, leg warmers, headbands, hats, gloves, fingerless gloves, socks, scarves, caps, t-shirts, a water bottle and base layers for men and women. They also sell Brooks bags and accessories but do not give country of origin for these and I assume they are foreign made (check the Brooks website – see above – most Brooks bags and accessories are foreign made) – http://www.velobici.cc
Vélobici Sleeveless Performance Baselayer. Manufactured in the UK. VB/Pro-VR1 fabric produced in Nottingham and the garment made in Leicestershire.
Sealskinz – All their socks, except the liner socks, are made in England. Their Ultragrip Gloves also are all made in England. Unfortunately their other products are foreign made. On their website they state “We are extremely proud to manufacture over 50% of all our product range by hand in the UK, with factory, warehouse and office facilities in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.” That’s great but bear in mind their other products are foreign made, for example my Sealskinz waterproof Belgian Style Cycling Cap is made in China – http://www.sealskinz.com
Sealskinz Belgian Style Cycling Cap – 100% waterproof, unisex, 100% windproof, breathable, short, stiff peak keeps rain and sun out of riders’ eyes, ncreased visibility with reflective knit on the back panel, black – but made in China. 13 December 2018
Velocity Cycle Wear creates stylish, yet functional clothes that you can wear on and off your bike. They say on their website “We design and manufacture all our clothes in the UK (London to be precise)”. Womens trousers, shorts, t-shirts, jackets, snoods and mens shorts and trousers – http://velocitycyclewear.cc
ForceGB produce custom-made cycling clothing for clubs, associations, charity rides and groups, with no minimum order quantity and all garments being made in West Yorkshire, England. For example they make a cycling shirt for a company called Bikemonkey – http://www.forcegb.com/
Resolute Bay Clothing Cycling Jeans are made for them in the UK, using Japanese denim. They say on their website “All our Apparel is 100% manufactured in the UK” – http://www.resolutebayclothing.com
William & Irene accessories are all made in the UK – bow ties, cufflinks, bags, e-cigarette pouches, handbags, clutch bags, hand muffs, scarves and neckwear, covered buttons, barrier face masks, cossack hats, keyrings – They also have an eBay shop. On their website and their eBay shop they say “All of our goods are produced in house on the coast of South Wales, UK, by our small family run business”. I mention William & Irene here because of the face masks they do, which I assume are British made (do check), because they may be good for cycling. I feel a re-usable, machine washable and reasonably priced face mask could be just the thing for keep a few pollutants at bay whilst cycling in polluted areas like say central London or around Heathrow – https://www.williamandirene.com
William & Irene Reusable Machine Washable Cotton Canvas Dust Debris Barrier Face Mask.
Bikemonger’s Happy Bottom Bum Butter is made in England. It’s a a cosmetic product, a skin cream to reduce chaffing and rubbing in your private areas. Available online and in cycle shops. There’s a review here. Charlie the Bikemonger is an bike shop in Swanage and an online shop. Whether they sell anything else that is made in England I don’t know – https://www.charliethebikemonger.com/happy-bottom-bum-butter-vegan-cycling-chamois-butter-6781-p.asp
Bikemonger’s Happy Bottom Bum Butter. Made in Dorset, England.
Bikemonger’s Happy Bottom Bum Butter. Made in Dorset, England. Label detail.
Vulture cycling themed t-shirts (and the Vulture woven labels) are printed in Yorkshire, but sadly the t-shirts themselves are foreign made. Their labels and stickers are made in England – http://www.bethevulture.co.uk
Route Clothing sell clothes that celebrate bicycles and cycling culture. On their website they state that where possible their products are made in the UK, although mostly they sell t-shirts and none of these are made in the UK (although they are printed in Glasgow). They have a nice UK made cycling cap and bag and they offer free delivery in the UK – http://www.routeclothing.com
Charcoal cap with contrasting blue peak. Made in the UK. Route Clothing. One size fits most (new version available in two different sizes). Hand wash and drip dry,
Route Clothing CLASSIC MUSETTE BLUE. Made in Scotland.
Bike Nicks are padded cycle undies especially for women. Their “range includes 2 cycle styles: a knicker and a thong and 3 sizes made from stylish moisture wicking fabrics with padding that protects against chaffing” and they are “Designed to be worn like your regular undies”. “The garments are made in Carmarthen, Brecon Beacons, Wales”. “Bike nicks is a British company established in 2015” – http://www.bikenicks.com
Queen of the Mountains cycling apparel for women is made in Italy.
No Such Thing Clothing is a fashion brand for women who ride bicycles. Based in London, some of the collection is manufactured in London too. Other products are foreign made. Country of origin is generally stated against individual products on their website. Looking around the internet the useful phrase “There is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” or “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes” (which I assume is where their name come from) is attributed to various people including Alfred Wainwright and as a Norwegian saying – http://www.nosuchthing.clothing
Findra sell performance clothing and bike wear specifically for women, some of which is made in the UK. UK made items are clearly labelled as such on their website. Other items will be foreign made and for these no country of origin is given – https://findra.co.uk
Impsport specialise in custom cycling clothing, triathlon clothing & athletics clothing. They also sell a retail range of shirts, vests and jackets. Their tagline is “UK Based / World Renowned”. In their about section they mention having a factory in Lincoln, UK. It is not clear from their website how much of their range is UK made and no country of origin information is given against individual products. Check where an item is made before buying – http://www.impsport.com
Tudor Sports no longer seem to have a factory of their own but they do say on their website that they use” local companies to manufacture our high quality products whilst continuing to have fabric specially knitted and dyed for our own requirements by local manufacturers” and that they “aim to continue the supply of the classic Tudor Sports Cycle clothing, wherever possible British sourced and manufactured, for many years to come.” Tudor Sports specialise in cycle wear. Previously I guess they had a factory in Birmingham but I assume this closed when they moved to Leicester. Whether all or some of their own brand products are UK made I can’t tell because no country of origin information is given against most of their products although some non-own brand are labelled made in China. If you are interested in their products I think you will have to ask where they are made before buying – http://www.tudorsports.co.uk
Ride with Wolves use the tagline “Hand screen-printed reflective ethical clothing from South East London” implying manufacture in London. Possible they mean the printing and sewn-on parts are sewn on in the UK, on foreign manufactured garments. Vests, t-shirts, tote bags, sweaters, musette bags, patches, beanies, bandanas, badges, mostly with reflective ink printing and described as gender neutral. Check before buying as no country of origin information is given on the their website – https://www.ridewithwolves.com
Owl and Monkey are currently (July 2014) selling ‘The Race’, a cotton musette bag celebrating L’Eroica Britannia & Le Yorkshire Tour routes, which was deigned in York and is screen-printed in Leeds onto bags made in Accrington – http://www.owlandmonkey.co.uk
Owl and Monkey teal musette bag. Made in England.
Wildoo sell British made ‘VeloPac’ branded water resistant cycling musettes with zip closures, off-the-shelf or custom printed, a made in Britain ‘VeloPac” phone case. Other Wildoo products are all foreign made – http://www.wildoo.co.uk
Albam cycling caps are made in England – http://www.albamclothing.com/product/18817/premium-navy/cycling-cap.asp
Shutt Velo Rapide (Shuttvr) cycling caps are made in the UK, as are some of their cycling jerseys.The rest of their products are made in China or Italy – http://www.shuttvr.com
Some Dashing Tweeds products are made in the UK, for example their reflective cycling leg warmers and their reflective cycling caps. For other products check country of origin before buying – http://www.dashingtweeds.co.uk
This is Cambridge (tic) specialises in cycling caps made in Cambridge, England. Inspired by the enthusiasm for cycling in one of Britain’s greatest cycling towns, they produce a range of vintage style caps made from British tweeds and wool. Their other products are likely foreign made – http://www.this-is-cambridge.co.uk/Shop/Cycling-caps.html
This is Cambridge Urban sprinter cycle cap in olive overcheck. Made in England.
Road Rags cycling wear and classic bikes are made in Britain. Merino wool is used in some products and the merino wool used comes milled from Italy and is manufacturered in the Midlands. Cotton is also used and that seems to be milled in England and the products made in England. T-shirts, jackets, jumpers, and cycling trousers for men and women. Bikes are refurbished – http://www.roadrags.cc
Much of the Lusso range of cycling apparel (shorts, bibs, warmers, jerseys, base layers, jackets, etc. for men, women and children) is made in the UK. Much Lusso clothing is also foreign made, so select with care and choose British made items – http://www.lusso-clothing.co.uk
Cyclodelic make clothing and accessories for women who love cycling, in London, including saddle and handlebar bags that also become handbags, reflective sashes and trouser cuffs – http://cyclodelic.myshopify.com
Bee Clothing, established in 2012, sell a range of limited edition mostly men’s clothing that is made in the UK – outerwear, shirts,and suchlike. They often say where fabrics used are from; some are from the UK , others from abroad. They say on their website they they “have a strong affinity with city cycling, often featuring reflective strips, back pockets, advanced waterproofing and a little give and stretch for greater pedalling comfort” and that they are “creators of distinctive, limited edition menswear, outerwear and shirting all handmade here in East London.” However, I do not think everything they sell is UK made, for example their Basics Bamboo White Tee is probably foreign made, but clothing made in London is clearly labelled as such. Available from their website and elsewhere for example at Made in These Isles – http://beeclo.com
HackneyGT have the words “Made in England” at the top of the website landing page. Cycle apparel for men and women. They say on their website ” All garments are now made in the UK using the very best materials and manufacturing”. Fabrics used are from Europe, not the UK. Some products use British made Zipex zips. Everything they sell is made in England. Cycling jerseys, base layers, cycling jackets, bib shorts, arm warmers, socks, and bobble hats for men and women – https://hackneygt.com
Michaux handbags, rucksacks, shoulder bags, and handlebar tape and cork handlebar end plugs are designed for cyclists and made in Britain- http://michauxclub.com
Gropes cork handlebar end plugs are made in the UK, but their handlebar tape is made in Italy and they do not specify where their laces are made on their website – http://nonusual.com/gropes
Some Carradice bicycle bags may still be made in Nelson, England; possibly the cotton duck bags (Super C range and Originals) and perhaps the rainwear and the drywool jerseys, but you will have to ask them as it is not always clear from their website. This company was founded in 1932 – http://www.carradice.co.uk
Wildcat Gear is all made in Brecon, Wales, UK – saddle bags, handlebar bags and frame bags – http://www.wildcatgear.co.uk
Although most Alpkit gear is foreign made, quite a bit of their bike luggage is now made in the UK, including frame bags, handlebar harnesses, handlebar pouches, top tube pouches, stem tube pouches, a saddle bag and handlebar mounted water bottle pouches. Alpkit also sell UK made kitbags, UK made bouldering mats, UK made socks, a UK made figfour dry tool, a 9 litre stash bag, a UK made climbing rucksack, a UK made bike type water bottle and some UK made instant freeze-dried foods. Based on the edge of the Peak District, Alpkit have their own small factory making duffles, packs and bike packing bags and are selling increasingly more UK made products. Alpkit Sondar bike frames are made in China and I assume the rest of the bikes are made there too – https://www.alpkit.com/bike-luggage
Alpkit Stem (handlebar) mounted 600ml bottle/accessory bag. Made in England.
I also found a similar made in the UK handlebar bottle / snack pouch to the Alpkit one above on eBay.
BIGxTOP (or Big Top) make rucksacks (daysacks), a messenger bag, accessory pouches, phone pouches, hip pouches, pedal foot straps, and saddle rolls. Designed and made with cycling and the outdoors in mind, all BigxTop bags are made in the UK – http://www.bigxtop.com
BIGxTOP Saddle Roll. Made in the UK.
BIGxTOP Saddle Roll. Made in the UK. In use. Photograph by author 12 March 2018
The Bridge Street Saddlebag is designed and made in Warwickshire, England. There’s a review here – http://bridgestreet.cc
In addition to making their bikes in Britain, Pashley also sell a great range of made in Britain cycle bags – saddle bags, handlebar bags, dispatch bags, frame guards and basket tote bags. They also sell mens and ladies cycling clothing, a few pieces of which are made in Britain (most items being made in Portugal and New Zealand). They also sell things like bells and pumps and baskets under their ‘spares’ category but most of ‘spares’ appear not to be British made – http://www.pashleycollection.co.uk
A website called Pretty Maison sell a UK made bicycle front willow basket with faux leather straps. I could not find any other British made goods on their website.
Alfie Douglas leather goods are made in England and include items such as leather backpacks, tool rolls, utility cases, saddle bags, duffle bags, etc. – http://alfiedouglas.com
Trakke manufacture all of their products in the UK, using as many British made materials as they can. Backpacks, messenger bags, and even a Yurt. Trakke say on their website “When we started Trakke, we realised that if we want manufacturing to come back to Britain, we had to lead by example. That’s why we use as many British materials as possible, and build the best bags we know how” and ‘handmade in Scotland”. Their range uses Harris Tweed, waxed cotton, foam, metal D-rings, stainless steel buckles, webbing, and felt padding made in the UK. Their range includes backpacks, messenger bags, duffel bags, and accessories (rucksack accessories, packing cubes, a hip flask, a key shackle with bottle opener, webbing straps, pouches, a tool roll, etc and they even sell a pack of playing cards which they label as “British made”) which appear mostly if not all to be made in the UK. Because their bags are mostly made using waxed cotton they should be pretty water resistant. Products are available via their website. I like their slogan too which is “Adventure Everywhere”. There’s an interesting interview with the company’s founder here and With Love took a tour of Trakke’s Glasgow premises in 2016. Well Dressed Dad reviewed their Trakke Arkaig backpack in 2014. The company was found in around 2010 and many products are designed with cycling in mind – http://www.trakke.co.uk
Aiguille Alpine rucksacks are all made in England. Aiguille Alpine do a wide range in their renowned quality rucksacks and many other useful bags including rope bags, chalk bags, travel bags, holdalls, shoulder bags, zipped pouches, bumbags, camera cases, belt pouches and so on. Based near Kendal, their own brand stuff in made in their own workshop – http://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk
Aiguille Alpine Midi Rucksack. Made in England.
Hill & Ellis leather bike bags and panniers are currently all made in India, but they hope to introduce some British made bags in 2014. Update May 2015 – Hill and Ellis have a British made satchel type pannier bag for sale on their website now, as well as the Indian made ones, under a ‘British made’ section on their website. The bags themselves are made in Britain, although the leather is sourced from Holland, and the hooks are from Germany. The waterproof covers are made in Devon. Additionally their Mo saddle bag is made in Britain (using Italian leather) – http://www.hillandellis.com
BoxBag sell a made in England leather tote bag with 2 leather straps design to strap in onto a pannier with – http://www.boxbag.co.uk/portfolio/pannier/
Bags4Everything make bags and covers for, well, pretty much everything including bike covers and bags with all their bags being made in England – http://www.bags4everything.co.uk
Vel-Oh is cycling bags are all Made in England. Vel-Oh bags transform from a tote bag into a backpack – http://www.vel-oh.com – https://twitter.com/Vel_Oh
Aquapac (waterproof bags and cases) make all of their submersible cases (the cases with the hard grey clamp on) in London. The rest of their products are either made in China or Taiwan. A waterproof case or bag for your phone and other EDC stuff when you are riding is a good idea – http://store.aquapac.net
Aquapac Mini Whanganui waterproof case. Made in England.
For British made bags in general, including more rucksacks, day sacks, messenger bags and the like, please see http://wp.me/p2KOue-11z
If you are thinking about getting a vintage British made cycle, there are bargains to be had. There are many places to look. Here are just a few of my suggestions:
- Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Cardiff
- Recycles Swindon (Salvation Army), Swindon
- The Heroic Bicycle Company, London
- Chelsea Bikes, London
- Station Bicycles, London
- Camden Cycles, London
- Recycling, London
- Isambard’s Cycles, London
- Oxford Bicycle Company, Oxford
- Walton Street Cycles, Oxford
- Bike Rescue Project, York
- Yarecycle, Great Yarmouth
- eBay
- Facebook marketplace.
If you are restoring an old bike or getting accessories for one, do make the effort to buy British made because that is what would have been on the bike originally in most instances.
Advice on buying a second hand bikes can be found on the Cambridge Cycling Campaign website. A forum for the exchange of information on classic racing bicycles of all marques may be found at Classic Rendezvous. The Classic Lightweights website concentrates on British and Italian made classic bicycles. Much historical information manufacturing in Britain can be obtained from the informative Grace’s Guide and on Wikipedia.
For Euro style see the fab Cycle Chic blog from Copenhagen and for advice on what to wear when commuting by bicycle see here. There’s also a British site called Cyclechic that promotes cycling for women (and men) through the sale of bicycle accessories and a blog and they do sell a few British made accessories. The Veteran Cycling Club was formed in 1955 to promote the riding and conservation of old cycles in addition to the study and exchange of information about the history of cycles and cycling.
Elephant Bike sells re-painted and re-conditioned former Royal Mail British made post bikes. These days there are more parcels and less letters being delivered and the Royal Mail are reducing their bike use. Elephant Bikes re-purpose these tough bikes and for each one purchased in the UK another is sent to Malawi for use there after refurbishing there. They come with a rear rack and a big front tray if you want one. They cost around £280 + £30 postage. Refurbishment in the UK is done by prisoners in the Midlands. Availability is obviously limited but they were still available in the summer of 2018 – https://elephantbike.co.uk/
A British made Royal Mail post bike from around 2010, made by Pashley
Is urban cycling bad for your heart?
The Wiggins factor: Why cycling is a healthy option.
The benefits of cycling for people of all ages.
Dutch cyclists have longer lives say researchers.
Incidentally, Boris’ Bikes (the London cycle hire bikes and docking stations) are made in Canada! Pashley, the country’s oldest bicycle manufacturer, had its bid rejected in favour of international services company Serco, which sub-contracted to DeVinci, the Canadian firm behind Montreal’s scheme. This was massive opportunity to support British bicycle manufacture missed and the authorities is London have let us down badly on this one. Update December 2018 – from October 2017 London’s fleet of cycleshare Boris bikes is being overhauled and replaced with new London Sadiq-cycles which are made in Britain by Pashley in Stratford-upon-Avon along with Telford based LVS Small Plastic Parts producing the plastic components. On their website Pashley say “The bikes have been built by England’s longest established cycle manufacturer, Pashley Cycles in Stratford-upon-Avon, as part of an industrial team assembled by scheme operators Serco.” The LVS site has a “manufactured in the UK” logo on it. The London cycleshare bikes sponsor has changed from Barclays Bank to Santander Bank. The Blaze (now Beryl) Laserlights used on the London hire bikes are I assume foreign made, as their website just says they are designed in London. I assume the cycle docking stations are still foreign made but I don’t know for sure if that is the case but it’s good to see the London hire bikes now being made in Britain.
Condor Cycles are made in Italy these days, not London. Whytes bikes are made in Taiwan I understand. The Donkybike is not made in the UK (Donkybike bikes are made in Taiwan).
Foreign bicycle companies (like Giant – Taiwanese, Scott – Swiss, Specialized – American, Mongoose – American, and Cannondale – American) only manufacture outside of the UK.
Halfords may have a few British made products in their stores, but they are likely to be far and few between. Halfords have been around since 1892. Very little sold in Halfords these days is British made but you may find a few items that still are, such as ice scrapers and touch up paint pens for cars and the Halfords puncture repair kit pictured below is assembled in the UK – https://www.halfords.com
Halfords puncture repair kit on display in Halfords Staines-upon-Thames. Assembled in the UK. Photograph by author.
Knox make motorcycle and mountain biking gear and body armour. Their products are suitable for motorcycling, motocross, mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing and equestrian. A few of their products are made in Britain, with the items made in Britain clearly labelled on their website – http://www.planet-knox.com
All CGR own branded bike gear is made in England – http://www.cgrbikegear.co.uk
Ventz are a hot weather riding solution for motorcyclists, a kind of vent worn on the arms, and they are made in Britain – http://www.ventz-range.com
Lewis Leather (Aviakit) are Britain’s Oldest Motor Cycle Clothing Company – Established 1892. They say on their Facebook page in a comment dated 31/5/15 that “all of our leather garments are handmade in the UK” – leather jackets, leather boots and leather gloves. There is some history on the company on Wikipedia. They have a shop in London. Their non leather products are presumably all foreign made, although they do sell some made in England wool mix socks. They also sell British made leather key loops for belts and a British made leather wallet. No information is usually given on their website about the country of origin of individual products or more generally, so please check where the leather boots or jacket or gloves you are thinking about buying are actually made before buying – http://www.lewisleathers.com
Grn Bikewear cycle jerseys are made in Britain. Their other products are foreign made – http://www.grnbikewear.com
Gear Grinder is a small chain driven coffee grinder that grinds a single hopper of coffee, and is attached to the seat stay of a single speed bicycle and the device is made in the UK –http://www.geargrinder.co.uk
I haven’t been but I like the sound of L’Eroica Britannia “The most handsome bike race in the World” which was held in the UK, in the beautiful Peak District, for the first time in June 2014, with a FREE ENTRY 3 day festival and bike tour. Entry criteria was a pre-1987 road racing bike. The L’Eroica festival, which means heroes, centres on the village of Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany and began in 1997 as a celebration of vintage cycling and in 2014 the event has been exported to both the UK and Japan. The 2015 Eroica Britannia was held 19-21 June 2015. The 2016 Eroica Britannia will be held 17-19th June 2016, with the cycling on June 19th, although this year tickets are £10 (day) or £20 (weekend) for the festival and £60 to ride (including the festival) and extra to camp £65-£120 and £15 for parking (or £5 a day) – http://eroicabritannia.co.uk
Glory Days Bikes provide reliable retro bicycle hire in the Peak District. All bikes are pre-1987. Great if you don’t have your own vintage bike. All their frames are steel tubing and of British manufacture. As well as offering a beautiful selection of retro bicycles to rent, Glory Days also provide guided ride packages for groups. They are located in Bakewell, Derbyshire. They occasionally sell retro bikes too, as well as a few vintage cycle jerseys (all the ones I have seen are foreign made though) – http://glorydays.cc
And of course 2014 saw Le Tour de France & its British Grand Depart from Yorkshire (Tour de Yorkshire – The ‘grandest’ of Grand Departs). It was really exciting to have the Tour de France returning to Britain. This was the fourth Tour de France to contain stages in England (after 1974, 1994 and 2007) and the only edition to contain more than two stages in England. Also see British Cycling (formerly the British Cycling Federation), the national governing body for cycle racing in Great Britain.
Tour de France Stage 2 York to Sheffield. Poster by Paul Smith.
Mountain biking, road racing and track cycling all featured in the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in the UK, in Glasgow in 2014, beginning 23rd July and ending 3rd August.
Haycyon manufacture British made motorcycle goggles in Hertfordshire, England. Haycyon also make motorcycle mirrors and classic car mirrors. Manufactured in the UK and based on the original RAF flying goggle of the 1940′s Halcyon Goggles are a popular choice for use with all styles of open face helmets. Leather or PVC. Wholesale or via their website. Prescription lenses can be accommodated with the Halcyon lens frame by your optician (+6 to -6 lenses) or Halcyon goggles can worn over prescription glasses – http://halcyonclassic.store.buegle.com/index.php/2/
Mark 49 Halcyon Goggles – Black Leather. Made in England.
I found Haycycon goggles on the Davida Helmets website. Davida helmets – stylish handmade open face helmets made in England. Davida are now the sole UK manufacturers of open face motorcycle helmets – http://www.davida.co.uk
Dr Who (Matt Smith) and Clara (Jenna Louise Coleman) in The Bells of Saint John, March 2013, riding a Triumph and wearing the Davida Classic helmet (sadly the goggles are French made).
Dashel Cycle Helmets has developed a flattering cycle helmet that is slim and light. “Dashel is manufactured in the UK, at a family owned factory in Cornwall which has diversified from making helmets for the military and marine industry.” The company was started in 2012. Well Dressed Dad describes it as “a great looking and very functional helmet” and talks about ““the joy of not feeling like a dork when wearing a cycle helmet” in relation to Dashel cycle helmets –https://www.dashel.cc/
Dashel Cycle Helmet. Made in the UK. The Made in Britain label can be clearly seen in this photograph of the inside of a blue Dashel helmet. These helmets come with a leather carrying strap at the rear and a magnetic catch for ease of use.
Side view showing organic lines of design of the Dashel cycle helmet.
Top view showing the five half inch air vents on top of the Dashel cycle helmet.
Hexr cycle helmets are British made. They say on their website “We are proud to produce each helmet in the UK” – https://hexr.com
Kitnetik kit trying hanger that magnetises to a radiator in your home is made in the UK. They have a “made in the UK” logo on their front webpage – https://www.kitnetik.com
Founded in 1921 Thomas Meldrum Limited of Sheffield are now known world wide for the “Melco” range of tools and equipment, particularly their car and motorcycle tools, but they also make construction tools. According to an email from the company (on 6/7/14), 99% of their products are still made in Sheffield, England – http://www.thomasmeldrumltd.co.uk
For more British made tools in general, please see http://wp.me/p2KOue-wT
An article on the CTC website states that traditional British made leather cycling shoes are still available from a company called Reynolds. Their website, such as it is, does not state country of origin on it but an email I received from the company on 3/9/14 confirmed that Reynolds shoes are made in Northamptonshire. Prices and further information are given on the order form on their website – http://reynoldsshoes.co.uk Possibly unconnected to Reynolds Tubing. The company now seem refer to themselves as REW Reynolds and appear to have changed their website address to http://reynolds-england.com
Reynolds cycling shoes. Made in England.
William Lennon & Co also still manufacture a traditional cycling shoe in the UK, called the Arturo it is a wide fitting cycle touring shoe, with an all leather upper and smooth thermoplastic rubber sole. William Lennon & Co have been manufacturing shoes and boots in Derbyshire since 1899. Their own brand boots and shoes all all made in England. They are also stockists and distributors of other footwear brands and styles, some of which like Solvair boots and shoes are made in the UK but others, like CAT, are not – http://www.williamlennon.co.uk/footwear/arturo-wide-fitting-cycle-shoe.html
William Lennon & Co Arturo cycle touring shoe in use. The Arturo cycle touring shoe is made in Britain.
For more British made outdoor gear, including clothing, from companies like Ussen, Fairfield Clothing and Miles Stronger and please see my sections gloves, scarves and hats my outdoor gear category. For socks please see my socks section.
For current British made motorcycles please see here.
VINTAGE 60s OR 70s SADDLE MOUNTED MIDLAND BICYCLE BAG. Made in England.
British made bicycles, frames and accessories – Bicycles made in the UK – UK made bicycles – British bikes – British bicycles – Made in England bicycles – English bicycles – English bikes – British bikes – Bikes made in the UK – British Made Motorcycle Gear – British cycles.
Villiers-Velo 10 speed Dec 2012
Pashley bikes
Brompton H6L Black
ukmade - UK Made Products - BRITISH MADE 
I was disappointed to read today that Boris’s bikes (the London cycle hire bikes and the docking stations) are made in Canada!
There are many independent frame builders operating in the UK such as Chickens Frame Emporium or on a larger scale Enigma Titanium Ltd. They make very high quality steel and titanium frames for mountain, road racing, sportive, touring or audax riding and anything else you can dream up.
Hope are probably the biggest UK component manufacturer and USE (parent company of Exposure lights which you mentioned) also produce here.
Many thanks for your detailed and knowledgeable comment. I have updated my post on British bikes with the companies you mention. It’s good to know that there are still people out there making bikes and bits for bikes in Britain. Thanks again.
I got to ride on a Brompton for the first time today. Very impressed. Very well made, very comfortable and remarkably nippy. And it folded up. An ideal town bike.
You have missed out Orange Bikes off your list, they make their full suspension mtb frames in Sheffield . Quite a big outfit and make some very good bikes. http://www.orangebikes.co.uk
I thought they were the biggest uk built bike , I may be wrong ,or maybe its the one I see most of out on the trails.
S
Hi Simon
Thanks for pointing out this omission – I will add Orange Bikes to my list. Cheers
Love the designs. I’ve seen a lot of posts like this recently. This info graphic on bicycle design was released recently too: http://www.headwater.com/blog/50-years-of-bicycle-design-infographic
No Moulton though!
Thanks for your comment. Nice info graphic. Great that there are still fab British made bikes out there. It’s just a shame that companies like Raleigh have shifted their production abroad.
Scooters – Swifty Scooters (http://swiftyscooters.com) are 100% foreign made (they have a vague ambition to bring 100% production to the UK at some time in the future). Dirt Scooters (http://www.dirtscooters.co.uk/the%20dirt%20machine.html) ARE made in the UK (https://www.facebook.com/dirtscoots/info). 81 Customs (http://81customs.wordpress.com) are a British Manufacturer of Scooter and Skateboard Components and some (all?) of their parts are made in the UK.
Hobo Bicycles are made in Coventry. http://www.hobobicycles.co.uk/Home.html
Hi. Thank you for telling me about Hobo bicycles. I have added them to my article on British made bikes. Thanks again.
We got Hope! Pun intended! We need more Hopes. It seems to have become easier to just choose stuff and brand stuff from Taiwan. I love how Taiwan embraced the manufacturing of bike bits, but I want to see more Hopes. For us there is no recovery or social mobility without decent wages and industry. I notice my Cycra Guard mudguards have Made in UK on them, which is nice. You can still buy Swiss spokes, rims, and French rims as an alternative to the mostly Taiwanese production. We have become a nation of dunces oblivious to the manufacturing we buy from abroad. We might as well be Chinese. Almost everything we are is from there. All of the regulations we spent years developing, and someone gets to flout them, with very little scrutiny or question.
Hello
I didn’t know CycraGuard mudguards were made in the UK. Thanks for the comment. It seems a lot of people do not care where things are made and it is good to hear you give it thought.
We manufacture all of our products in the UK, using as many British made materials as we can get our hands on! http://www.trakke.co.uk
Hello. Thank you for your comment. Great looking bags and great they are all made in Britain. I have added details of Trakke in a couple of places on my site. Cheers.
Figures from the Department of Transport show that for every hour cycled in England you are 16 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on a bike than driving a car. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29853789 Cycling in the city: Chris Boardman’s top tips
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29878233 another BBC article – How safe is cycling?
I got myself a Lion Bellworks made in England retro brass bicycle bell and they are right the sound has “a musical quality that is loud and clear with a long sustain”. Top quality. My Lion Bellworks bicycle bell is the best bicycle bell I have ever seen.
Great article. Did you get any further information on UK cycle chain manufacturers?
Thank you. No I’m afraid I didn’t get any further information on British cycle chain manufacturers. I have however added PEEKrings to my site.
Hi. I hsve a circa 1970 Falcon Black Dismond Racer.
Still has original tyres as i storage for decades.
Size 27 x 1 1/4.
I bought replacements i Holland 27 x 1 1/4 but too narrow, kept popping out of rim.
No other metric size shown.
After much research I think 32 – 630 is the correct size. I even contacted Falcon who were unable to help. Pathetic.
Can you please confirm tyre size?
Thanks so much.
Regards
Robert
Hi. Apologises for my slow response. I’m just catching up on my emails. 27 x 1 1/4 in Imperial would indeed be 32 – 630 in the modern ISO sizes. This guide on on the CTC website explains it all if you are interested http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/components/wheels-tyres/tyre-sizes
UK made mountain bikes! Many options.
http://www.curtisbikes.co.uk/
Hi. Thanks for telling me about Curtis Bikes 🙂
Hi there to every , for the reason that I am truly keen of reading this blog’s post to be updated regularly.
It carries fastidious data.
Bristol Bicycles are all built in Bristol, UK (using components from mainland Europe and the Far East) and are, as far as we know, the most affordable British-built bikes available. http://www.bristolbicycles.co.uk
I was curious if you ever considered changing
the page layout of your site? Its very well written; I love what youve
got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content
so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or two pictures.
Maybe you could space it out better?
I am thinking to simplify things a bit. Watch this space! But it may take a while!
http://www.bikebiz.com/.svn/text-base/index.php.svn-base/news/read/made-in-britain-the-tradition-of-english-production/020916
Interesting article. I have a 1978 Falcon Black Diamond I’m restoring (https://falconrestorebike.wordpress.com/) at the moment. Nice to see Falcon bikes mentioned.
Should look great when you’ve finished. Love my Falcon bike
INCREDIBLE WEBSITE!!! And now I need some help. A friend is selling an old Loop Frame bicycle he found, and I’m trying to identify the company. You can barely make out a decal on it that shows a Bulldog and the wording “Made In Britain”. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thank you, Fred Appel
Hi Fred. Thank you. Most of the world’s bicycles were made in Britain in days gone by. These days they are made in China mostly. Bulldog is not a British bicycle brand I am familiar with though. Love to know if you find out more.