Relax

Top 20 Bicycle Brands 2020

What drives a person when buying a bike? A desire to start a healthy lifestyle or just get a two-wheeled vehicle? Depending on the goals set, an understanding develops of what the bike should be and what characteristics it should have. The shops have such a rich and diverse assortment, but sometimes it is difficult to find any striking differences between bicycles of different manufacturers. We will provide a rating of brands of bicycle manufacturers according to the cycle portal “Bicycle Tourist”. Practice shows that when choosing, you do not always need to be guided by cost; in the case of bicycles, the rule “the more expensive the better” does not always work. What brands tell us about themselves is a good guideline to choose for ourselves what we need. Some of the manufacturers were a pioneer and made a striking contribution to the development of technology, someone went through innovation or repetition, or made their own quality product. But we can choose or love a particular brand for its philosophy, design, thoughtfulness, fame or accessibility. Each catches something different, and talking about the most famous bicycle manufacturers that are sold in Ukraine, we wanted to show something unique and tell interesting stories. It also became interesting for us to compare them by characteristics with each other and see what we can buy, having, for example, 10 thousand hryvnias. And we went through the online stores of distributors in order to find out how much it would cost us a bicycle model with a fairly high-quality fork and hydraulic brakes. Have a nice meeting!

 

The 20 Most Popular Brands Among Cyclists

 

Specialized Bikes – Top 1

First place. Specialized is a truly American brand. Its founder Mike Sinyard from California began by importing bicycle parts from Italy. From there he brought the name of the future company, which was registered in 1974; in the Italian interpretation, “Specialized” means “passionate”. In this case, love and passion resulted in one of the most successful global brands. When Mike realized that bikes with thin wheels do not ride in the mountains, and for this, something more is needed – the first series of mountain bikes in the world appeared in the world in 500 pieces. Specialized in the 90s made a successful provocative advertising campaign – “dressed” Gorbachev in a bicycle uniform and painted his birthmark in the shape of his logo. Bicycles of the brand can only be bought at specialized bicycle stores, this is the company’s policy. When they started selling their products in mass markets, they nearly went bankrupt. Optimization and investment led to a merger: 51% of the shares are now owned by Merida. She does not promote her brand to the American market, because there is a well-known and well-known Spesh, which takes 4th place in terms of sales in the country. This is despite the fact that bicycles are not at all of a low price. One of the motto of the manufacturer: “upgrade or die.” In collaboration with the research department of the Formula 1 team, McLaren Applied Technologies, a light and ultra-technological S-Works line of bicycles was born, which became a kind of fetish of our time among motorists. Specialized mountain bike shock absorbers use proprietary patented Brain technology – the “smart” shock absorber becomes stiff on a flat surface and includes shock absorption on the bumps. The silver medalist of the Rio Olympics and the winner of the London Olympics, Yaroslav Kulhavi, won this bike in the most difficult 7-day Cape Epic marathon in Africa. The brand’s policy is supported by regional amateur teams. Specialized in Ukraine supports the best amateur riders who often win prizes in competitions.

 

Giant Bikes – Top 2

Second place. Taiwanese manufacturer Giant every year more and more strengthens its position in the bicycle market. To date, the company’s management is working closely on the release of models for extreme driving. The lineup has a huge number of models for outdoor activities for every taste. It would seem that the cost of bicycles of this quality should be much higher than the established one, but the company’s management is focused on buyers of different social strata, so the prices of Giant bicycles are quite affordable. The fascinating success story of Taiwanese engineer King Liu, who lost his blackhead farm during a hurricane in 1970 and has become one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the world over 50 years. Gathering start-up capital from friends, he organized a small factory, from which it all began. They called it Giant (giant), and the ambitious name eventually turned out to be prophetic – now more than 55% of bicycles around the world are produced at the facilities of the factories of this giant corporation. The long success story began with the fact that for the first 4 years they just learned how to assemble bikes correctly, then they entered the American market, and after breaking up relations with partners from the USA, they started producing and selling bikes under their brand. Quality and new technologies have been able to win the hearts of cyclists in America and Europe. The correct reaction to the needs of the bicycle market and the industrial revolution in China, plus the expansion of production, made Taiwan the most bicycle island: it is from there that many of our favorites come, and there are a lot of cyclists on the island itself! Giant is synonymous with quality and high technology. It was they who, in their design bureau, were the first to try to use hydrocarbon fiber, and in 1987 they released the world’s first carbon bike, accessible to a wide range of consumers. We wonder why the film has not yet been made about his fate, and we wish many years to a dreamer who made a huge contribution to what modern cycling life looks like.

 

Trek Bikes – Top 3

Third place. The next position is taken by Trek. Bicycles of this brand are one of the most popular today, moreover, they have repeatedly occupied, if not the first, then the prizes in the Tour de France race. In addition to road and mountain professional models, Trek focuses on the production of children’s models, urban, female, tourist, etc. If we say Trek – we are talking about legend. Firstly, probably the most productive collaboration: Trek merged with the company of the brilliant designer, inventor, cyclist Harry Fisher – truly a legend in the cycling world. He is the founder of such a phenomenon as MTB (mountainbiking – skiing in the mountains) and downhill (downhill – downhill from the mountain). It is to him that we owe the appearance of niners, as well as the fact that women’s bicycles have become precisely women’s; he also gave rise to a class of double-suspension, without which it is impossible to imagine a modern mountain bike. A lot of his other engineering solutions are embedded in modern mountain bikes. Yes, yes, and the one that you have over there is standing there too. Lance Armstrong is probably one of the most popular cyclists. On a Trek bike, he won 7 times in the most titular road competition – Tour de France. With all the doping scandals and his difficult fate, his experience and LiveStrong Foundation has helped many people overcome cancer. Our most popular Ukrainian racer and just a wonderful person Yaroslav Popovich, became the world cycling star precisely representing the Trek team. And now, after completing his professional career, he has become the sports director of his Trek Factory Segafredo team. Greg Lemond, the legendary 3-time Tour de France winner, started producing his bikes under the LeMond Bicycles brand, but due to unsuccessful marketing, the company merged with Track. The legendary American brand at the time, Klein Bikes also went under the wing of the corporation and stopped producing bicycles under its name, but its creator Gary Klein continued to work in the company Track invented and patented many things that are still used in modern bicycles. Trek gathered the best engineers, the best brands, and the best athletes under his wing. Perhaps this is the secret to the success of this manufacturer.

 

Bicycles Merida – Top 4

Fourth place. The history of Merida bicycles begins in 1972. The owner of a small Taiwanese bike parts store was Hayk D.Kh. Price Today, his son Michael Tsen is the full leader of the huge Merida bicycle company. The company has become a world leader with its own engineering and manufacturing facilities in Germany and factories in Taiwan. Models are of high quality, original design, and most importantly, affordable prices. Several lines of bicycles are produced: hardtail, double-suspension, women’s, tourist, as well as children’s and many other types. In addition, the developers also took care of a variety of accessories. The brand is well known and loved in Europe, as it is the title partner of several major competitions. This is the second company that made Taiwan a bicycle island, but nevertheless, in this case, partnership with Europe resulted in success in this market. Just like Giant in the early 70s, the company was supposed to defeat the stereotype that only low-grade goods are manufactured in Taiwan. Therefore, in the name ME-RI-DA, the founder Ike Tseng (Ike Tseng – a talented engineer and a persistent Taiwanese guy) encrypted the mission: we produce only beautiful high-quality bicycles that will give comfort to any person (in Chinese, thanks to the hieroglyphs, such a long message can be conveyed in one word).

The company is a world leader in working with aluminum, it uses only robots for welding aluminum frames, so the seams are perfectly smooth. Owning two top professional teams in MTB and the highway, the company loves to test, and at the same time advertise its new products at competitions, so to speak, on a grand scale. Corporate colors of the teams set the trends in cycling. That is why, the combination of bright pink and blue is not a vyrviglaz, but stylish – like the Lampre. Six-time world champion and current MTB champion of the Hun-Rita Dale marathon claims that since 2002, no matter what competition she competed in, she could always rely on Merida. Gold at the 2004 Olympics, which glorified her, and other awards are a good confirmation of her words. Other victories in numerous competitions also prove that the mission of this brand – to make high-quality and beautiful bikes – has been achieved, but they do not stop there.



Scott Bicycles – Top 5

Fifth place. In the fifth position, bicycles of the American company Scott were deservedly. The company is considered one of the most promising, although initially the activity was aimed at the production of skiing. But a new direction – the production of bicycles, is developing at the highest level. Mountain bikes have become the most popular, but highway bikes are very popular. According to Scott’s Gambler model owners, their frames are very durable, i.e. cracks do not appear at the joints during operation. But even if such a misunderstanding occurred, the manufacturer guarantees a refund or replacement of the frame. The name is immortalized the name of the creator and designer – Ed Scott from America, and now it shows off on accessories for skis, motocross, and of course on bicycles. This brand prides itself on lightweight frames and claims that the first aerodynamic steering wheel they invented helped win the Tour de France. In the 80s, the company’s office moved to Switzerland (closer to the capital of skiing) and now the brand has a residence permit on 2 continents. Scott supports over 13 professional cross country, triathlon, highway and downhill teams. And the representative of the most famous Scott-Odlo MTB Racing team, Nino Schurter, this year confidently won Olympic gold in cross-country. The gold among women went to his colleague Jenny Rissveds, and it is a pity – because we were rooting for our Yana Belomoina. The Ukrainian national MTB team also rides Scott, and the people of the owners of these bikes are affectionately called cattle breeders.



Bikes Cube – Top 6

Sixth place. Cube This brand is not in vain takes the sixth position in our review of the most popular bicycles. After all, a well-known manufacturer comes from Germany, which speaks for itself – the unsurpassed quality of every detail. Every year, more than ten thousand models of Cube bicycles are sold in the world, in addition, they regularly participate in road racing and cross-country competitions. By the way, Cuba has a great cross country bike. Assembly plant, design, engineering – everything happens in Bavaria, a picturesque corner surrounded by the Alps – mountains with rocky slopes and marshy lowlands. These people understand exactly what a mountain bike should be like, sponsor their own professional MTB team Cube Action Team, and develop sophisticated modern technologies in cooperation with the Munich Technical University. One gets the impression that they are created with special inspiration, taking into account even the most insignificant needs of riders. The wheels are produced and assembled on their own at the factory, with all German meticulousness. But still, the fetish, which is the “cubes” for MTB fans, is due to the design. Beautiful original cool design and high functionality of components. Paint the frames according to the technology of the BMW concern. And on top models they still draw their logo with laser engraving. And they are really very beautiful. The guys at Cube claim to be the number 1 brand in Europe for the highest-priced bicycles.



Bicycles Cannondale – Top 7

Seventh place. Cannondale. Very popular American brand. In many ways brilliant, with a bright personality and a thirst for innovation. He got his sonorous name thanks to a town with a railway station in Connecticut, where 3 friends founded this company in 1971. One of them, Joseph Montgomery, before starting the company, was a securities market analyst and ship’s captain. He was expelled from college 3 times, but despite all this, Cannondale was waiting for success. They were the first to use aluminum in the manufacture of frames – and still their frames are considered one of the lightest and most durable: the SuperSix EVO frame weighs only 695 grams, until 2016 it was the lightest in the world. A funny story happened in the two thousandth: the International Union of Cyclists (UCI) set the lower bar for the maximum weight of bicycles for road racing at 6.8 kg, and some Cannondale models did not fit into this limit and were easier. As a reaction to this, an advertising campaign was launched: cyclists rode in a striped uniform resembling a prison robe urging them to legalize their bikes (Legalize my Cannondale). The Cannondales have won the Best Bike of the Year Award many times at trade shows and rankings. Cannondale developed and patented 2 revolutionary technologies for shock absorbers. The Fatty fork is located in the steering glass, and the Lefty one-leg fork is considered the best in the world in terms of stiffness. All this looks a little unusual, and the owners of such bicycles often hear a joke about a broken fork. Cannondale sponsors professional teams on the highway, MTB, cycling, enduro and triathlon. Racers of the Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 5 times won the Giro d’Italia race, enduro Jerome Clementz is the world champion in his discipline, and the number of medals at the Olympics is generally off scale. The Cannondale team in our country supports the amateur MTB Cup of Ukraine (LKU). Cannondale is very cool. Although expensive.



GT Bikes – Top 8

Eighth place. GT or Gary Turner. The most important benefit is a lifetime quality guarantee. Thanks to the triangular aluminum frame welded in a unique way, the bikes are significantly lightweight, moreover, this makes them even more durable and stable. Frames of more expensive models are made of carbon fiber, which increases the cost of products. Another distinguishing feature of the Gary Turner bikes is the unique suspension system, which is the only one designed exclusively for the bike (the rest came from moto). It allows you to reduce the buildup and increase the efficiency of pedaling, and it really works. Today, the GT range is diverse: from children’s models to professional mountain bikes. GT bicycles got their name from the abbreviation of the name of their ancestor – Gary Turner, a talented welder who invented the world’s first frame for BMX (Bike Motocross) for his son, who was a fan of motocross. The frame is welded in such a way that it creates 3 triangles in space – this patented technology is still used in the production of frames, and is a feature and brand name of GT brand bicycles. It was revolutionary when it was created in 1973, and surpassed all competitors by its head due to its strength and high structural rigidity. Thanks to its striking appearance and excellent driving performance, the brand has gained fans all over the world. The GT supported many athletes when the BMX was just developing, and now they have cool teams in enduro, trial, downhill and cross-country. With the GT team until this year was the world champion downhill J Atherton.



Ghost Bikes – Top 9

Ninth place. Ghost confidently included in the top 10, and not just. Since its foundation, quality, efficiency and safety have been selected as the basic principles of work. Years passed, and these requirements remained unchanged. Before the release of the new model, the team of testers is diligently working on troubleshooting. The result is the perfect high-quality Ghost bike with a lightweight frame, improved braking system and original design. This is another company based on friendship, passion, passion and living at the foot of the Alps in the Bavarian region. The founder of the company, Uwe Kalivoda, was a skier who was looking for something to do in the offseason. Once his friend, Klaus Mohwald, who already worked with bicycles as a mechanic, invited him to go with him for an internship in Taiwan. By 1993, there was already a cycling paradise island. And away we go. The guys named their first bicycle in honor of Ganibal Lector – they say that, by analogy, he must also devour kilometers and climbs. And this model made them famous. Having become popular in the German market, young entrepreneurs have teamed up with a large European bicycle holding company to optimize and survive in a competitive environment. The brand is mainly focused on mountain bikes. In the UCI world ranking, Ghost pro-riders steadily flicker in the top ten, girls are especially strong. MTB star Sabina Spitz won gold at the 2008 Olympics at the Ghost Lector. Another girl, Lizzy Osl, who took 1st place among MTB in the UCI rating for 2 consecutive years and won a bunch of championships, also skates for this team.



Bicycles Norco – Top 10

Tenth place. Closes the top 10 brand Norco. Bert Lewis, a Canadian from Northern Virginia, once realized that there were no high-quality bicycles, but I would like, and in 1964 he converted his chicken coop to a bicycle workshop. So the company The Northern Cycle Industries was born, but with the development, the long name was reduced to Norco. These bikes are pleasing and respected, especially for those cyclists who like extreme downhill and jump. The company’s bicycles are sold in 125 countries, and over the 52 years of its existence, the brand has earned a very good reputation. The secret to success is passion and love for what they do. Norco were the first to make 10-speed bicycles, made a huge warehouse in the popularization and development of the BMX direction. The first team at the factory appeared in 1980. They also sponsor a continental highway team, a team of trialists and downhill workers who occupy high places in competitions. Jill Kintner at the Norco won the bronze medal at the BMX Olympics in 2008 and won many international starts.

The company’s management is proud that, together with the riders, they arranged a bike park in the Vancouver’s North Shore nature reserve, it is really a paradise for cyclists: a lot of trails, rocky slopes and generally very beautiful. The company has several times received prizes from reputable bicycle publications for the best bike, best design and innovation.



Bicycles Author – Top 11

Eleventh place. For riders and just lovers of good riding, the company produces cycling clothing and related accessories, making cycling a way of life. In 2002, the famous two-wheeled A-Gang sod models appeared. Interestingly, even in budget models, designers use hydroforming. And Author’s teenage bikes are some of the best. This brand is known as the national Czech bicycle manufacturer. Martin Gavlena started his business as an importer of bicycles and spare parts from China in the early 90’s. After 3 years, he decided to create his own brand and produce high-quality bicycles. In 1994, having conquered the markets of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the brand began to grow, expanding its model and size range and markets in neighboring countries. They successfully used their advantage: having a lower price than their competitors, and relying on the domestic market, Author managed to grow from a local brand to the level of a well-known European manufacturer. There is another important factor here – the Czech Republic is a very bicycle country with wonderful bicycle traditions. The company perfectly and on time picked up all the evolutionary changes in technology. Thanks to cooperation with Czech research institutes, mechanics, and cyclists, high-quality and original models of bicycles were developed, from teenage and urban bikes to BMX. Development and assembly takes place in the Czech Republic, components are produced in Hong Kong and purchased from a number of well-known manufacturers. During this time, several of its proprietary technologies have been patented. The brand has 2 more brands: Madison as the bottom line of bicycles, and cooperation with the country’s most eminent trialist Jaromir Spesni has developed into a brand for extreme skiing A-Gang. And about the national Czech brand and the bicycle country: Author is the title sponsor of more than 10 bike marathons throughout the country. Czech athletes are always in the elite of cycling, and the Czech Republic is known not only for beer and Skoda. Guess, by the way, who is of nationality Yaroslav Kulkhavi, about whom we talked about, and who began to conquer the world of Olympus as a pro-rider Author.



Bianchi Bikes – Top 12

Twelfth place. Unfortunately, the Italian company Bianchi is little known in our country. She still remains the standard of beauty, sophistication and quality. The brand got its name in 1885 from its creator Edoardo B’yanki, a talented and very poor boy who began working with bicycles as a mechanic, and as a result, made a small revolution in the automotive industry. Such is the story of Cinderella. Concern Bianchi and Autobianchi – a landmark national manufacturer in Italy. But we are still talking about bicycles: it was he who came up with the option of a female frame with an understated pipe, so that the ladies in dresses were comfortable to ride. And the highlight of these bicycles is a beautiful deep signature color of the sea wave. We only know this manufacturer for road bikes, although they make wonderful city and electric bicycles and even MTB. This turquoise miracle is often bought directly from Europe, but meeting them on the roads of our country is not a problem. Modern Bianchi bikes have a special style and high-quality details, they are reliable and comfortable.



Schwinn Bikes – Top 13

Thirteenth place. The American legendary company Schwinn has been producing reliable and high-quality two-wheeled vehicles for more than 116 years. Throughout its history, this brand has experienced many ups and downs, and it all started with bicycles for children. The company was founded in Chicago by the German emigrant engineer Ignaz Schwinn in 1895. The company managed to outlast its competitors and the Great Depression, creating a reliable, cheap and classic Aerocycle bike (postman bike). Schwinn became an icon of style and those bicycles on which many generations of Americans grew up (for example, as “Ukraine” with us). But in 1993, the company went bankrupt, snapping the appearance and continued popularity of mountain bikes. By the way, it was on a Schwinn road bike that Harry Fischer first came down from the mountain, and realized that he needed to invent a mountain bike. The famous company was acquired and saved from oblivion by the Dorel Industries Corporation, which owns brands such as GT and Cannondale. The production of parts is based in China, in the USA they develop technologies and designs. For the first time, the designers of this company proposed and developed wings, which made a real revolution in the cycling world. President Ronald Reagan himself preferred the bike of this company. The first international start among juniors in Moscow in 1990, Lance Armstrong drove exactly to Schwinn. As of today, these are good, high-quality road and city bicycles, which are produced under the legendary American brand and are sold all over the world.



Bergamont Bikes – Top 14

Fourteenth place. Reliable German Bergamont bikes are not in vain included in the list of our best manufacturers. They are designed for both beginners and professional riders. It is worth noting that the technologies that are used in production are at the level of world giants such as Giant or Ghost. Bergamont originated in Hamburg in the early 90s. For 25 years of existence, this brand has established itself as a manufacturer of reliable bicycles. The assembly takes place in Hamburg, and they are proud that the bikes are tested for strength on this ancient paving stones. They say that it is even more reliable than testing in the mountains. They are mostly popular and sold in Germany and eastern Europe. The company collaborates with the Hamburg Technical University, and develops its technologies in the production of frames. After the retirement of his father and partner, the director of the company, Stefan Berkes, sold 100% of his shares in Bergamont to the Swiss holding SMT Swiss Manufacturing Technology Corp, which owns the BMC bicycle brand (an elite bicycle brand, in Ukraine there are few of them). After that, the range of bicycles for riding in the mountains has expanded greatly. Bergamont contains 4 professional teams: enduro, cross-country, downhill and dert, which include stars of local scale. They make a serious competition to athletes at international starts. Testing new bikes, and showing them that way to the world, comes out quite spectacularly.



Bikes PRIDE – Top 15

Fifteenth place. PRIDE appeared relatively recently, in 2008. Enterprising guys from Kharkov (a city with rich bicycle traditions and the KhVZ plant, which was known to the whole union for its “Tourist” road network) decided to make a good cheap children’s bike, which we lacked in the market. From that moment the story of the young Ukrainian bicycle brand began. Now it is already a full-fledged model range, which includes city bikes, female and children’s models, and of course road and mountain bikes. Bicycles are made in Taiwan, in the kit use parts and mechanisms of well-known manufacturers. Bicycles have a concise and fashionable design, they are focused on an active youth audience. And the quality has increased markedly after several shifts in component suppliers. Previously, PRIDE was perceived as another ashanbike, but today, it successfully withstands competition with eminent brands and this is doubly happy – since it is still our Ukrainian brand. Frame development is carried out in Kharkov, and tested by their own riders. That is, here are such simple guys with whom you can be friends and ride, and who, maybe, live next door to you. Oh yes, they even produce a fat bike in their lineup!



Bicycles Orbea – Top 16

Sixteenth place. Orbea are beautiful bikes native to Spain. It all started with the fact that 3 brothers founded the company in 1860 for the production of weapons. She received the name Orbea Hermanos. In 1930, the plant switched to the production of bicycles. Having experienced many difficulties and crises, the company took the path of globalization, transferred production to China and began to enter global markets. Now this brand is sold in 65 countries. The bet on quality, design and new technologies, together with a big name, paid off well. At the same time, the company claims that their bikes are so wonderful, because they are produced in the Pyrenees – in a habitat where almost all residents have a bicycle in their hearts from birth. Now the production center, scientific and technical base and management of the company is conducted from the city of Maliabia, which is located in the Basque Country in northern Spain. The company prides itself on its eco-focus and produces bicycles for the diverse needs of people. The company began to earn its name for a very long time, first in Spain, then in Europe. The first eminent racer Mariano Canardo took second place in the first ever Vuelta in 1935 (one of the 3 most eminent road races in the world). The brand sponsored several professional highway teams and created the MTB MBK Orbea Team. The 2008 Beijing Olympics glorified bicycles even more: Samuel Sanchez won the gold in the group race, Julien Absalon won the MTB, and Jean-Christophe Perot brought silver to his Orbea. Among triathletes, these bikes are popular thanks to the legendary Andrew Starikovich, the repeated winner of Ironman, the star of the trendy triathlon now.



Kellys Bikes – Top 17

Seventeenth place. Slovak Kellys bikes have pretty confidently strengthened their position in the European market. Components are purchased on the Asian market, pedals and other small parts are purchased in countries of Eastern Europe, and assembly is carried out directly in Slovakia. This leads to the low cost of Kellys bicycles, but at the same time provides high reliability and quality. Kellys can often be found in Ukraine, thanks to the developed dealer network of the brand in our country. It all started quite romantic. Two brothers in Czechoslovakia made a bicycle rental, then a bicycle workshop, and with Slovakia gaining independence and the ability to lead a market economy, they completely set up bicycle production. It is good that by 1994 the global market had already invented all the mechanisms, and young entrepreneurs had only to order accessories in the east and assemble bicycles in their own country.

They say that the brand has become popular in the countries of the former socialist camp due to its advantage – a cheap, but at the same time high-quality frame, and a competent selection of components. This manufacturer introduces its own design and engineering innovations.



Spelli Bikes – Top 18

Eighteenth place. Spelli is another young Ukrainian brand that produces mountain bikes for amateur riding, ordering accessories in Taiwan. Position themselves as quality at an affordable price. The company’s management is committed to the implementation of innovative technologies and improving the appearance. All details are pretty high quality, and bicycles give all the pleasure of riding and walking in the fresh air. The range of models is represented by a line of primary and secondary levels, and the manufacturer is only gaining sales. These bikes already have fans. We hope that the brand will clearly declare itself in the next seasons.



Bicycles Comanche – Top 19

Nineteenth place. So far, the most famous Ukrainian brand, one can say legendary. The peculiarity of these bikes is that they are assembled using inexpensive parts from Chinese companies and components from Shimano and SRAM. In 1998, when fashionable bikes with “speeds” were just beginning to appear, Comanche was born on the Ukrainian market. According to rumors, this case in Ukraine was organized by a Czech citizen. Thanks to advertising boards, many learned about it, and since before the appearance of other eminent competitors there were several years left, the image of the main and only mountain bike in the country was firmly entrenched in the Comanches. Some still confuse these concepts. By the way, this reputation still helps a lot in sales, given how many Comanches can be seen on the streets of our cities.

The low price makes them attractive to a wide range of cyclists. The models are more expensive, quite good and high-quality, but, unfortunately, MTB steel bikes are still found, and this is in the 21st century! The older bikes in the line have a very pretty design. Comanche supports the national team of Ukraine in the cycle track discipline, and it is very good that the Ukrainian brand supports the Ukrainian team. In the track, we have good chances for medals at the world level.



Bicycles Ardis – Top 20

Twentieth place. Ardis. We thought for a long time whether to include these bikes in the rating, but not to write about them – this is the same as ignoring an elephant in a china shop. By the number of sales in Ukraine, Ardis comes first. The success formula is verified here, the order of cheap components in China, the assembly of bicycles in Kiev, and as a result, a very low cheap price that breaks the nightmarish reputation. As they say, people hawala. Steel frames, unscrewing bolts, non-name mechanisms that work poorly, as a result, did not give pleasure, but pain and frustration from riding. Ardis has become a household name for bad and heavy bikes. But in recent years, quality has begun to improve. If you look at the most expensive MTB model – then in terms of configuration it is still a C grade, they obviously saved on a fork and wheels. But still it is a popular bike, because there are still road bikes (like “Ukraine”), children’s, and many people who are scared by the prices of quality bikes. Some are not ready or cannot spend a lot of money on two-wheeled happiness, or are quite satisfied with the proposed level. We wish this Ukrainian brand to grow in quality, develop and get rid of its reputation. And steel frames in those models where it is already 15 years old as irrelevant.