Company names from Cycling's past.
 

In a discussion with a co-worker the other day, the name "Rhode Gear" was mentioned, and all the cool stuff they used to make. Alas, they are no more. So, what company names
from cycling's past can you come up with? This is not a competition, so don't get too excited. Here's mine:

-Rhode Gear. Anyone know why they died?

-Vistalite.

-SR. They made components, and entire bicycles at one point. Not sure where they went.

-Balin. Remember Balin helmets?

-Suntour (?) Not sure about this one.

-Avocet. Saddles, tires, computers, some other items. Not sure where they went either. Their cross mountain bike tires, with the inverted treads, were pretty bullet proof.

Cool Gear comes to mind. Sergal clothing. Was it Lutz that made the cool track suits?

Kirtland (packs and panniers)
Ofmega (cranksets, derailleurs, etc.)
Modolo (brakes)
Skid Lid
Benotto (Cello bar tape)

Lambert/Viscount and the "death fork".

Is Silca still around?

Vigorelli - clothing
Protog - wool clothing
Blackbottoms - wool shorts!!!
Kirtland - panniers ( I still have my front and rear sets from 1982, they ready to go!
SunTour - I used to have a 1980 Centurion Semi-Pro (pearlized yellow, so pretty!) that had SunTour Cyclone parts and Gran Compe brakes. My Whitcomb track bike had a SunTour track crankset.
Detto Pietro - shoes
Duegi - shoes (I still have a pair!)

-Balin. Remember Balin helmets?
I remember them, the Balin Bucket........

J.C. Higgins.

Avocet is still alive and well.

I ran across my old Detto Pietros last night while going through a box of old cycling stuff. Haven't worn them in about 25 years but they still fit. May have to try a training ride in them one of these days. :D

Isn't this thread about bike company names? The Sun Tour name is still alive and kicking. Of course, current company has no connection to previous company.

Mafac brakes
Simplex d/r's
Jeunet bikes

Peugeot, Mercier, Motobecane, Gitane, Ideale, Magistroni, Balilla, Frejus, Legnano

Well, if you want to go old, old, incredibly old school there is always Orville and Wilbur Wright. :D

What! Too early? :p

I have some of the old Avocet Cross tyres and would never part with them... they are 700:35 and if the new Cross 2 is as nice could see myself using the 26 inch size.

Suntour (U.S.A.) and SR (Sakae Ringko) merged to form SR / Suntour, a good number of European manufacturers merged under Sachs / Huret which was then bought up by SRAM.

Many of these companies are gone and some exist in name only... Mercier and Dawes are captive names used for marketing and have nothing to do with their origins.

Back in the mid 70's I had a bike, European made I believe, called a (K?)Crystal Pro. I've searched and can't find any info on them. I thought it was a pretty cool bike at the time.

Hercules??

Does TA still make cranks?

Detto Pietro is still alive in Milan I bought a city bike from them 2 years ago. Alas, they no longer make those great shoes.

Hi-E made some great lightweight bike stuff: bottle cages, rims, etc

Zeus: A Spanish component company that made knock-off copies of Campagnolo components.
Coolgear: saddles and jerseys.
Lucas: British makers of cyclometers.
Stewart-Warner: made speedometers that ran off a little wheel rubbing front tire.

Yes, they still make them, see herehttp://www.specialites-ta.com/gb/manivelle-vortex.html

My first bike shorts were Cool Gear - wool with real chamois. First jerseys were Cool Gear, as well - 100% cotton:eek:.

Weinmann