So you want to start your own bike brand?
When Dutch prodigy Mathieu van der Poel slipped down the start ramp of the Stage 1 time-trial at this year’s Tour de France, it was aboard a state-of-the-art Canyon Speedmax TT bike. This futuristic aero superbike is the result of years of research and development, meticulous design and rigorous testing. Perhaps, more surprisingly, it is also the work of a brand that, by founder Roman Arnold’s own admission, had humble beginnings, selling simple bikes built around rebadged Taiwanese frames.
This route isn’t an uncommon one for new bike brands to follow. Step one: find a reputable vendor and choose a frame design. Step two: select your components and build the bikes. Step three: slap your logo on. Step four: profit.
Anyone with the money can buy a plane ticket to the Far East and recruit a third-party manufacturer to supply them with bicycle frames, which begs the question: couldn’t anyone create their own bike brand?
One handy tool that Canyon’s Arnold had on his side when he first set out was experience. He had enjoyed a short road racing career, owned a successful bike shop and even worked in Asia, allowing him to see how the industry operates from the inside. But is a background like this a prerequisite for starting a bike brand, or is it enough to simply love bikes and have a vision?
‘Unlikely,’ says Will Pearson, director of
