Rabasa Cycles

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Rabasa Cycle is a Spanish bicycles company, headquartered in Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona, Catalonia). The company, which started as a bicycle repair shop in 1922, was founded by Simeó Rabasa i Singla. [1]

Mollet del Vallès Municipality in Catalonia, Spain

Mollet del Vallès is a municipality in the comarca of the Vallès Oriental in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Besòs river, and is an important communications hub from Barcelona towards the north: the AP-7 Motorway passes through the municipality, as do the RENFE railway lines to Vic and Puigcerdà and to Girona and Portbou. The town is also served by the C-17 highway.

Province of Barcelona Province of Spain

Barcelona is a province of eastern Spain, in the center of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The province is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Lleida, and Girona, and by the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is 7,726 km2 (2,983 sq mi). 5,609,350 people live in the province, of whom about 30% (1,620,343) live within the administrative limits of the city of Barcelona, which itself is contained in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

Catalonia Autonomous area of northeastern Spain

Catalonia is an autonomous community in Spain on the northeastern corner of the Iberian Peninsula, designated as a nationality by its Statute of Autonomy. Catalonia consists of four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. The capital and largest city is Barcelona, the second-most populated municipality in Spain and the core of the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union. It comprises most of the territory of the former Principality of Catalonia. It is bordered by France (Occitanie) and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the Spanish autonomous communities of Aragon to the west and Valencia to the south. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish, and the Aranese dialect of Occitan.

Contents

History

The first Rabasa bicycle shop opens to the public in 1922. Founded by Simeó Rabasa i Singla, its business activities originally consist of the sale, rental and repair of bicycles. [2] [3] Three years later, Rabasa enters into partnership with his brother in law, Vicens Solà, and within a few years they manage to open twenty-one bicycle sales and rental branches throughout the Vallès region in Barcelona, Spain. The company introduces sale on credit without interest and promotes bicycling classes for women. [4]

Barcelona City and municipality in Catalonia, Spain

Barcelona is a city in Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people, making it the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan. It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres high.

Spain Kingdom in Southwest Europe

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country mostly located in Europe. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula. Its territory also includes two archipelagoes: the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The African enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country (Morocco). Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory. The country's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north and northeast by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1930, Rabasa and Solà separate and, one year later, Rabasa opens a new shop in the municipality of Martorelles (Barcelona). The new building allows him to manufacture fenders and specialize in the production of frames and accessories. During the Spanish Civil War, production is greatly reduced due to the difficulty of supplying the factory. Later during the war, the factory is confiscated by the Republican Government for use in the repair of military airplane engines.

Martorelles Municipality in Catalonia, Spain

Martorelles is a municipality in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. The municipality covers an area of 3.6 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi) and the population in 2014 was 4,783.

Spanish Civil War War between the Republicans and the Nationalists in Spain from 1936 to 1939

The Spanish Civil War took place from 1936 to 1939. Republicans loyal to the left-leaning Second Spanish Republic, in alliance with the Anarchists and Communists, fought against the Nationalists, an alliance of Falangists, Monarchists, and Catholics, led by General Francisco Franco. Due to the international political climate at the time, the war had many facets, and different views saw it as class struggle, a war of religion, a struggle between dictatorship and republican democracy, between revolution and counterrevolution, between fascism and anarchism. The Nationalists won the war in early 1939 and ruled Spain until Franco's death in November 1975.

After the civil war, production resumes. In 1944 Simeó Rabasa i Singla creates a corporation with his brother, Josep Rabasa i Singla, called Bicicletas Rabasa. From then on, the company adds the production of motorcycle components to the existing bicycle business. [2] [5]

Motorcycle two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle

A motorcycle, often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle, is a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel, commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies.

In 1950 Bicicletas Rabasa transforms into Nacional Motor S.A. and launches the first Derbi motorcycle (acronym comes from the expression « derived from bicycle») in the Barcelona Exhibition Fair. [2] [6] [7] The company is hence known as Rabasa Derbi. In 1970 the company is divided into two separate companies. Bicycle production remains under the direction of Margarita Rabasa (daughter of Simeó Rabasa i Singla) and Dante Adami, who found a new bicycle manufacturing plant in the municipality of Mollet del Vallès. The new plant occupies 26,000 square meters. They produce nearly two million bicycles until 1996, when the plant closes its doors. [8]

Derbi is a manufacturer of motorcycles, scooters, mopeds and recreational all-terrain vehicles produced by Nacional Motor S.A.U., a Spanish subsidiary of Piaggio & Co. SpA.

Fira de Barcelona is Barcelona’s trade fair institution and one of the most important in Europe. Every year, it organises numerous trade shows and congresses, which bring together leading companies from different economic sectors to showcase their new products, exchange experiences and promote business.

In 2011, Albert Adami Rabasa resumes the business with Rabasa Cycle. The company focuses on the production of urban bicycles.

Historic models

Panther BMX

The BMX bicycles in this series were sold in the 1980s. The Rabasa Derbi BMX team took home 4 world championship titles and 9 domestic championship titles, across several categories of competition. Rabasa Derbi riders competed with Panther BMX bikes.

Lady y Hollyday

In its early years as a repair and rental shop, Rabasa promoted riding classes for women. Later as a bicycle manufacturer, Rabasa designed and built various models for women and girls. Among these were the Rabasa Lady and the Rabasa Holiday.

Cross-Jet

The Panther Cross-Jet BMX was a big hit with the adolescent market in the 1980s. It was known for its disc brakes and other innovative available options. This model was used in several domestic and world BMX championships.

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References

  1. "Rabasa Cycles a new cycle". ENCICLIKA.com. July 3, 2012. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  2. 1 2 3 Walker, Mick (1986). Spanish Post-war Road and Racing Motorcycles. London: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN   0-85045-705-X.
  3. Rabasa Derbi history, by Derbi official website.
  4. El meu avi. Simeó Rabasa, bicicletes i derivats Archived 2012-10-14 at the Wayback Machine ., Documentary script about Simeó Rabasa (text in Catalan). 2001, 7 october.
  5. Rabasa Derbi history, by Derbi official website.
  6. Alexander Bardin (2013-03-04). "Piaggio closes the last two-wheeler factory Derbi". www.moto-NET.COM. Retrieved 2013-03-14. Pour mémoire, Derbi (contraction de " DERivats de Bicicletes ") fût créé à la fin des années 40 sur les bases d'une petite société spécialisée dans la construction de vélos, puis de châssis pour motos, lancée en 1922 par Siméon Rabasa.
  7. Rabasa Derbi history, by Derbi official website.
  8. «Cierra bicicletas Rabasa». El País Spanish journal. 1996, 5 january.