Pacific Cycles

Last updated
Pacific Cycles
Type Private
Industry
  • Bicycle design
  • Bicycle manufacture
Founded1980;42 years ago (1980)
FounderGeorge Lin (Founder and President)
Headquarters Xinwu, Taoyuan,
ProductsFolding bicycles
Website www.pacific-cycles.com

Pacific Cycles is a Taiwanese bicycle designing and manufacturing company headquartered in Xinwu District, Taoyuan City. The company manufactures its self designed cycles including folding bicycles, electric bicycles, tricycles and other supportive cycles. It has an in-house research and development studio known as "Section Zero" for new product development and also provides original design manufacturing services for over 40 bicycle brands and original equipment manufacturers worldwide from this facility. The company has a bicycle museum in Taoyuan City known as "Pacific Cycles Museum".

Contents

History and overview

One of the earliest versions of Birdy bike designed in 1995 BIRDY bike, 1995.jpg
One of the earliest versions of Birdy bike designed in 1995

Pacific Cycles was established in 1980 by George Lin, a Taiwanese entrepreneur. Lin started his career as an English teacher in 1972.[ citation needed ] He established the company as an ODM with a capital investment of US$ 0.2 million. [1] [2] The company developed a research and development center inside its manufacturing facility later known as the "Section zero" division. One of their first clients was "The Alpha Cycle" which manufactured the cycle brand Lotus during 1982-1983.They also produced "Alenax transbar" bikes around the same time. [2] At present, the company's investment in R&D accounts for 2-3 percent of their annual revenue. [1] "Section Zero" is an evolution from single R&D function to an integrated workshop, founded in 2012. [3]

Pacific Cycles was one of the first companies in cycling industry to use AutoCad in their design process. They started using AutoCad in 1985 to design their bicycle. In 1988, they introduced 7005 aluminium alloy frame bikes in Taiwan and introduced twin shock full suspension bike in 1992. [4] Their first successful self manufactured bicycle was "the Birdy", launched in 1995 which increased the capitalization of the company to US$ 3 million. [5]

In 1998 they set up their first CNC machine shop for faster prototyping of bicycles. In 2005, they released their "the CarryMe", a micro-folder bicycle designed by George Lin. [6] Their "iF Mode" bicycle brand was introduced in July 2007, and won the "iF Award Gold" in 2009. [7] In 2012 they started 3D scanning and rapid prototyping to design their bikes. [4]

In 2010, they opened "Pacific Cycles Museum" in Xinwu, Taoyuan City. [8]

Bikes

Folding Bikes

Electric bikes

Special bikes

In addition to two wheeler folding cycles, the company manufactures tricycles, hand-cycles and other special bikes for multiple passenger carrying, and also for people with disability. [22]

Pacific Cycles Museum

The company turned its old office building in Taoyuan into a bicycle museum in 2010 and named "Pacific Cycles Museum" in order to preserve historical items related to bicycles. [23] [24] According to the company around 8,000 visitors around the world visit the museum each year. [25] The museum has a collection of several vintage bicycles including classic European bikes manufactured before WW1, a steel penny-farthing's replica, an aluminum made Draisine balance bike, old Taiwanese mail bikes and American cruiser bikes. It also has a display of over 150 types of bike designs, in which more than 80 percent are products developed over the past 40 years, as a proprietary brand or for other brandings. It also has some of the current designs for display. The Museum was moved to their new manufacturing facility in 2014 and continues its expansion. It is certified as a Tourism Factory by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan. [23] [24]

Section Zero

Bicycle testing at Section Zero Maxxis tires in bike.jpg
Bicycle testing at Section Zero

Research and Development center of the company is known as "Section Zero" led by present CEO Michael Lin. [26] [27] The section was founded as a single R&D facility in 2012 and later converted into an integrated design shop. [28] Most of their notable designs including 2013 IF MOVE, Mando Footloose and the 2015 BIRDY 3rd generation all designed by Section Zero. [29] [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taoyuan International Airport</span> Primary airport serving Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is an international airport serving Taipei and northern Taiwan. Located about 40 km (25 mi) west of Taipei in Dayuan District, Taoyuan, the airport is Taiwan's largest. It was also the busiest airport in Taiwan before the COVID-19 pandemic which began in 2020. It is operated by the Taoyuan International Airport Corporation. In 2016, it was ranked the best airport for its size in the Asia-Pacific region by Airports Council International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taoyuan, Taiwan</span> Special municipality in Taiwan

Taoyuan is a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in northwestern Taiwan, neighboring New Taipei City to the north-east, Yilan County to the south-east, and Hsinchu County to the south-west. Taoyuan District is the seat of the municipal government and which, along with Zhongli District, forms a large metropolitan area. Taoyuan developed from a satellite city of Taipei metropolitan area to become the fourth-largest metropolitan area, and fifth-largest populated city in Taiwan. "Taoyuan" literally means "peach garden" in Chinese, since the area used to have many peach trees. Formerly a county, Taoyuan became the most recent special municipality in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the bicycle</span>

Vehicles that have two wheels and require balancing by the rider date back to the early 19th century. The first means of transport making use of two wheels arranged consecutively, and thus the archetype of the bicycle, was the German draisine dating back to 1817. The term bicycle was coined in France in the 1860s, and the descriptive title "penny farthing", used to describe an "ordinary bicycle", is a 19th-century term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safety bicycle</span> Type of pedal-driven vehicle with equal-size front and rear wheels, geartrain, and tires

A safety bicycle is a type of bicycle that became very popular beginning in the late 1880s as an alternative to the penny-farthing ("ordinary") and is now the most common type of bicycle. Early bicycles of this style were known as safety bicycles because they were noted for, and marketed as, being safer than the high wheelers they were replacing. Even though modern bicycles use a similar design, the term is rarely used today and is considered obsolete outside circles familiar with high wheelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birdy (bicycle)</span>

The Birdy is a folding bicycle designed by Riese und Müller in Germany and produced by Pacific Cycles in Taiwan. As of 2010 over 100,000 had been sold. Three distinct models have been marketed, in addition to some specialist variations, with the third (Mk3) introduced in July 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riese und Müller</span>

Riese & Müller is a bicycle manufacturer in Darmstadt, Germany founded by Markus Riese and Heiko Müller. It designs and makes suspended bicycles. Frames are produced by companies such as Pacific Cycles, Taiwan. All of their bikes are assembled by hand in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taoyuan Airport MRT</span> Airport rail link of Taoyuan Airport, operated by Taoyuan Metro

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT, commonly known as the Airport MRT, is a rapid transit line of Taoyuan Metro that connects the municipalities of Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan with Taoyuan International Airport. The 51.03 km (31.71 mi) line, from Taipei Main Station to Huanbei, has 21 stations and began commercial service on 2 March 2017.

Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, recognized as the world's largest bicycle designer and manufacturer. Giant has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, the Netherlands, China, and Hungary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaft-driven bicycle</span> Type of bicycle which uses a drive shaft to transmit power instead of a chain

A shaft-driven bicycle is a bicycle that uses a drive shaft instead of a chain to transmit power from the pedals to the wheel. Shaft drives were introduced over a century ago, but were mostly supplanted by chain-driven bicycles due to the gear ranges possible with sprockets and derailleurs. Recently, due to advancements in internal gear technology, a small number of modern shaft-driven bicycles have been introduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kemp Starley</span> English industrialist and inventor (1855-1901)

John Kemp Starley was an English inventor and industrialist who is widely considered the inventor of the modern bicycle, and also originator of the name Rover.


CCM is a Canadian bicycle manufacturer based in Montreal, Quebec.

Dahon is the world's largest manufacturer of folding bicycles with a two-thirds marketshare in 2006. The company was founded in 1982 by David T. Hon, a former laser physicist, and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with assembly factories in China, Macau and Bulgaria. Dahon markets bicycles under its own name as well as other brand names, including the affiliated Yeah and Biceco Brands, and Novara for REI in the U.S. The company is a member of the Global Alliance for EcoMobility. Dahon holds over 200 patents, some having become industry standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small-wheel bicycle</span>

Small-wheel bicycles are adult bicycles that have wheels of 20 inch nominal diameter or less, which is smaller than the 26", 27.5", 29" or 700c sizes common on most full-sized adult bikes. While many folding bicycles are small-wheel bicycles, not all small-wheel bicycles can fold. Some small-wheel bicycles neither fold nor separate, such as the Moulton, which comes in both fixed-frame and separable-frame versions. While BMX bikes also have 20" wheels, they are not normally categorised as "small-wheel bikes".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neobike</span> Company and brand of folding bycicles

Neobike is a company and brand of folding bicycles, made in Taiwan. The company manufactures copies of folding bicycle designs, including those originally created by Brompton Bicycle and Dahon. Neobike's operation in copied products later became Grace Gallant (美捷士企業有限公司), sold under the Flamingo (佛朗明哥) brandname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folding bicycle</span> Bicycle designed to fold into a compact form

A folding bicycle is a bicycle designed to fold into a compact form, facilitating transport and storage. When folded, the bikes can be more easily carried into buildings, on public transportation, and more easily stored in compact living quarters or aboard a car, boat or plane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John McCammon</span>

John McCammon, of Belfast, developed an early safety bicycle in 1884. It had a step-through frame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whippet (bicycle)</span>

Whippet was a brand of safety bicycle designed by C. M. Linley and manufactured by Linley and Briggs in London. Examples exist from 1885 and 1888. They are notable for their use of springs to suspend the frame. An early external derailleur, that enabled two gear ratios and used a freewheel hub was introduced in the summer of 1894, and was available only on Whippet bicycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Softride</span> American bicycle manufacturer

Softride was a manufacturer of bicycles located in Bellingham, Washington. They specialized in bicycles for triathletes. The bicycle frames were distinctive for their lack of seat tubes and seat stays. The idea was to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve ride comfort. The company no longer manufactures bicycles, and focuses on bicycle carriers instead.

Lezyne is a manufacturer of bicycle accessories headquartered in Reno, Nevada, with offices in San Luis Obispo, Berlin and Taichung. The company is known for producing pumps, multi-tools, saddle bags, bottle cages, lights and GPS cyclocomputers. Most of their products are manufactured in-house at their factory in Taichung, Taiwan. In addition to selling products in the aftermarket, Lezyne is an original equipment manufacturer for electric bicycle lights.

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