Guns & Bikes
 

I know BSA started as a gun maker who then also moved into bicycle and motor cycle manufacture. After all BSA stands for Birmingham Small Arms. The same is I believe true for Steyr of the Steyr, Daimler, Puch company of Austria. Also true for Iver Johnson in the USA IIRC. What other bicycle manufacturers started as arms makers or combined the two businesses?

Enfield

mossberg, miyata

Related, Look started out as a ski and binding manufacturer -- thus the evolution to clipless pedals and carbon bikes.

Isn't Thompson also a US-based military arms contractor?

Yeah, and Shimano makes fishing stuff. How the heck is that related to guns?

Thompson does not equal Thomson.

Guns are to bikes like pickles are to masonry.

The Swiss and Finns had some bad-ass ski troops in WWII. Probably still do. Maybe they use/used Look gear?

Shimano started with bike parts. After they became a major bicycle component manufacturer they realized that making fishing reels involved the same design parameters (size, forces involved, e.g.), degree of precision, materials & tooling as bike parts. Not to mention profit potential in a market built on limitless variation & funded by discretionary income.

The connection to guns is this: when manufacturers that make one thing enter another market, the reasons for choosing the new product says a lot about how that company sees itself. Also, the way its original products & processes influence the new ones can be instructive.

The effect of making guns on making bicycles would be fun to explore.

Bsa
 

Surely BSA stands for Bl**dy Sore Arse, innit?

The Finns at least, had bicycle troops as well. Probably bad-ass:

http://www.kevos4.com/Wartime%20Photos%207.htm

I'm still looking for masons equipped with pickles.

The Finns were pretty bad-ass all the way around, as the Russians found out in The Winter War.

If memory serves me correct Remington Firearms Company manufactured bicycles. Of course they also made Typewriters, and Sewing Machines, and Washing Machines as well.

Don't forget Vespa!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l..._resized-1.jpg

Still don't see a Look, or Shimano for that matter, connection to firearms.

Sterling made pistols and bikes in the 1800's

John Deere made bicycle is the 1890's then again in the 70's. Tractors, guns; same difference.

As I learned in this thread this morning, Orbea.

http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20espag...irearms-11.jpg

http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20espag...irearms-04.jpg

(More.)

Sorry John, it's a difficult concept -- manufacturer of one type of product taking that expertise to the manufacture of bikes.

Not the topic of the thread, Bob. Conceptually, I get it. Do you?

S & W, but I doubt they actually make them.

No one but you seems to be complaining. Open your mind.

Ceska Zbrojovka made, before wwii and perhaps still, bicycles at the Straconice plant.

Also, FN Herstal for several decades beginning in the late '90s, including a shaft-driven design...

http://bsamuseum.wordpress.com/c1905...tal-chainless/

Oops, meant Thomson. I've seen some missile and plane components they've made.