Hi-
I have just joined this great forum, and notice that a couple of threads discuss bikes I know quite well.

DBS*) is/was Norway's by far largest bike manufacturer. They started their own production under this name in 1934, but the owner family Øglænd had imported bikes since 1892 and produced bikes under various names since 1906. The factory was located in the city of Sandnes in southwest Norway. The population today is 60,000, and the bike factory used to be quite important for the local employment. For decades, they had almost a monopoly situation over here, this was THE bike to buy, and when they were at their peak they also exported a large part of their production. This was in the period when the bike factories built almost every part from scratch. I believe, but cannot confirm, that our Knut Knudsen rode a DBS when he won his Olympic gold in the 1972 Olympics. Yup, that was the Munich games, usually remembered for more tragic events.

For the most part, the company sold their bikes under their own name; DBS. BUT: Some sport chains got their bikes re-branded. Like, when I bought my first 10 speed racer in 1978, I happened to buy it from a Gresvig shop (today G-Sport) - and the DBS bikes they sold were branded "Svithun" (after the English saint). AND: The DBS bikes sold through the large co-op chain ("Samvirkelaget") were branded "Vello". But in both cases it was all DBS, and the salespersons made that very clear to their customers because of the DBS favorable reputation. Colors, equipment etc. were identical, just the name was different.

Imported bikes started flooding Norway during the eighties, and DBS struggled. In 1989 the owners sold out to the Swedish company Monark, and through various mergings they are now a part of Cycleurope - the company that produces Peugeot, Crescent, Bianchi and Monark. -And DBS, even if there is no production in the city of Sandnes anymore. Or in Norway at all, for that matter. The names like "Vello" and "Svithun" are history too. DBS still has a large market share over here, but nothing like in the old days. You can see their bikes - aluminium frames from the Far East with Shimano equipment, same as every other bicycle - here: http://www.dbs.no/home/index.asp

BTW, I loved to hear how this forgotten old "Kombi" model, today only found under the bottom of old ladies over here, has got a new life as a chick magnet over there!

Regards,
Erling.


*) (DBS is short for "Den Beste Sykkel" - "The Best Bicycle", but few remember the abbreviation's origin today. A 12 year old boy won a naming competition in 1932.)