Jamis Bicycles is an American distributor of bicycles, designed in the US and built in China and Taiwan. Jamis was acquired in 1990 by its parent company, G. Joannou Cycle Co. It is headed by Carine Joannou, chief executive of G. Joannou Cycles since taking over the family business when her father died in 1981.
Jamis Bicycles was based in Tallahassee, Florida, taking its name from founder Ron Jamis, and originating from distributor East Coast Cycles. It introduced the Earth Cruiser, a beach cruiser, in 1979. In 1980, it made the Boss Cruiser, featuring a double-diamond frame and a Cheeks saddle. Jamis sold its Boss Explorer comfort bicycle in 1981, combining the Boss Cruiser and early mountain bikes. In 1983, Jamis launched the Dakota, Jamis Lightfoot and Jamis Roughneck. The first Jamis Dakar in 1985 was a custom-built, race-ready bicycle from the factory. The Dakar is still sold, although revised.
In 1988, Jamis introduced the Eclipse and Quest, their first road bikes. In 1991, Jamis introduced Coda and Tangier hybrid-style bikes with an upright seating position and 700c tires. Jamis sold the Dragon, its mountain bike, in 1993, featuring a fillet-welded, hand-polished tube frame, Rock Shox front suspension, XTR drivetrain and Ultegra Hubs. It made its first full-suspension bike in 1995.
The off-road Dragon and on-road Eclipse were the first American-made production bikes to have Reynolds 853 tubing on their frames. In 1998, Jamis made the Diablo, with a vacuum-resin, molded-carbon monocoque frame. Its Dakota mountain bike won the Bike of the Year Award from Mountain Biking.[ citation needed ] In 2000, Jamis won Bike of the Year again for bicycles under $800 with its Dakar Sport.[ citation needed ]
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which makes them heavier, more complex and less efficient on smooth surfaces. These typically include a suspension fork, large knobby tires, more durable wheels, more powerful brakes, straight, extra wide handlebars to improve balance and comfort over rough terrain, and wide-ratio gearing optimised for topography and application. Rear suspension is ubiquitous in heavier-duty bikes and now common even in lighter bikes. Dropper posts can be installed to allow the rider to quickly adjust the seat height.
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, such as air or coil-sprung shocks used as suspension, larger and wider wheels and tires, stronger frame materials, and mechanically or hydraulically actuated disc brakes. Mountain biking can generally be broken down into five distinct categories: cross country, trail riding, all mountain, downhill, and freeride.
A cyclo-cross bike or cyclo-cross bicycle is a bicycle specifically designed for the rigors of a cyclo-cross race. Cyclo-cross bicycles roughly resemble the racing bicycles used in road racing. The major differences between the two are the frame geometry, and the wider clearances that cyclo-cross bikes have for their larger tires and mud and other debris that they accumulate.
Hybrid bicycles blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting "hybrid" is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, comfort and ease of use make them popular with novice cyclists, casual riders, commuters, and children.
A single-speed bicycle is a type of bicycle with a single gear ratio. These bicycles are without derailleur gears, hub gearing or other methods for varying the gear ratio of the bicycle.
Independent Fabrication (IF) is a bicycle company located in Newmarket, New Hampshire, USA. IF fabricates bicycle frames from steel, titanium and carbon fiber. Independent Fabrication has twice won the Bicycling Magazine "Dream Bike of the Year" with its carbon-tubed, titanium-lugged XS road frame. Independent Fabrication was founded by and is owned by its employees. In 2005, the company took part in a CNN television program called The TurnAround. The show paired a growing business with a mentor from a more successful company. Independent Fabrication was paired with Jeff Swartz, chief executive of Timberland.
There are many systems for classifying types of motorcycles, describing how the motorcycles are put to use, or the designer's intent, or some combination of the two. Six main categories are widely recognized: cruiser, sport, touring, standard, dual-purpose, and dirt bike. Sometimes sport touring motorcycles are recognized as a seventh category. Strong lines are sometimes drawn between motorcycles and their smaller cousins, mopeds, scooters, and underbones, but other classification schemes include these as types of motorcycles.
Mountain bike racing is the competitive cycle sport discipline of mountain biking held on off-road terrain. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recognised the discipline relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Durango, Colorado. The first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series took place in 1988. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North America—and was sponsored by Grundig. Cross-country racing was the only World Cup sport at this time. In 1993, a six-event downhill World Cup was introduced. In 1996, cross-country mountain biking events were added to the Olympic Games. In 2006, cross-country mountain biking events became part of the World Deaf Cycling Championships for the first time in San Francisco, USA.
A lowrider bicycle is a highly customized bicycle with styling inspired by lowrider cars. These bikes often feature a long, curved banana seat with a sissy bar and very tall upward-swept ape hanger handlebars. A lot of chrome, velvet, and overspoked wheels are common accessories to these custom bicycles.
Keith Bontrager is a motorcycle racer who became a pioneer in the development of the modern mountain bike. Between 1980 and 1995, he was president of his own Bontrager Company, which continues to develop components for Trek Bicycle Corporation after Trek bought out Bontrager.
A cruiser bicycle, also known as a beach cruiser or (formerly) motobike, is a bicycle that usually combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drivetrain, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. Cruisers are popular among casual bicyclists and vacationers because they are very stable and easy to ride, but their heavy weight and balloon tires tend to make them rather slow. Another common feature is their ability to be customized with accessories including fenders, lights and saddle bags. They are designed for use primarily on paved roads, low speeds/distances, and are included in the non-racing/non-touring class and heavyweight or middleweight styles of the road bicycle type.
GT Bicycles designs and manufactures BMX, mountain, and road bicycles. GT is a division of a Canadian conglomerate, Dorel Industries, which also markets Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose, IronHorse, DYNO, and RoadMaster bicycle brands; all manufactured in Asia.
KHS Bicycles is a bicycle manufacturer founded in 1974 with main operations in the United States and Taiwan. Its bicycles are distributed in over 30 countries. Although KHS' main focus has been in mountain bikes, it has offerings in road bikes, folding bikes, tandem bikes, cruiser bikes, single speed bikes and BMX bikes. Some of its products have been favorably reviewed.
Bicycle suspension is the system, or systems, used to suspend the rider and bicycle in order to insulate them from the roughness of the terrain. Bicycle suspension is used primarily on mountain bikes, but is also common on hybrid bicycles.
Merlin Metalworks, Inc. was a pioneer in titanium bicycle design and construction. Merlin introduced the first titanium alloy mountain bike, oversized tubesets, s-bend chain and seat stays for mountain bikes. For road bikes, Merlin commercialized the first titanium butted tubing and many other innovations.
Fox Factory Holding Corp. is an American company best known for their Fox Racing Shox brand of off-road racing suspension components.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to bicycles:
Diamondback Bicycles is a major bicycle brand that is based in Kent, Washington. Diamondbacks are sold in many countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Most Diamondbacks are considered to be mid-type bicycles, with a high-end prototype in development as of 2011. Diamondback is owned by global private equity firm Regent, L.P., which also owns the Mavic cycling brand and Redline Bicycles.
Redline Bicycles is an American company offering BMX, freestyle, cyclocross, mountain (MTB), and road bicycles and components that is currently owned and operated by Regent, L.P.. It also owns and operates a clothing line and five race teams. Redline is predominantly known for its long heritage in BMX racing. It is often referred to as the original BMX bicycle manufacturer having innovated many revolutionary components for the sport such as tubular chromoly forks and cranks.
