Which British MTB manufacturers remain?

[JohnH]

I recently noticed that of my two LBSs, one sold Specialized and Giant while the other sold Trek and Gary Fisher. I wondered why there are so few British MTBs sold on the British high street. Then something occurred to me; now that formerly respectable names like "Saracen" and "Muddy Fox" are stuck on any old far-eastern shite, there might not be that many manufacturers remaining. So I tried to compile a list of quality British MTB companies...

Orange
Pace
Merlin (same people who make the Merlin Malt?)
CBoardman

Is this it? Have I missed any out?

 

[fingers]

Merlin are a mail order company, so If youre discountinig companies for badging up far eastern shite...

Im racking my brains for more...

 

[barry2017]

None of them are really British manufacturers anymore.
To get a British MTB, you need a tiny British framebuilder. Roberts, Eddisons, Mercian, Yates, the list does go on. It's just that you can't buy them in a normal bike shop.

 

[Splatter Paint]

What about Thorn? They make mountain bikes but they look a little different to the norm.

 

[JohnH]

Merlin are a mail order company, so If youre discountinig companies for badging up far eastern shite...

I didn't know if "Merlin" who are known for titanium bikes were the same "Merlin" who make the Merlin Malt (or even if they're still in business)...

...but yeah, I'm trying to think of proper British MTB companies rather than re-badged far-eastern garbage... :?

 

[Gadro]

Whyte?

 

[velomaniac]

Boardman :shock:

His name yes, possibly british designed but, just another Taiwanese made bike.

Quality British indeed :roll:

Nothing wrong with Taiwanese, oldest mass production make in mtb is Specialized and they built there bikes in the far east from day one, 1981 to be precise

Only the wee frame builders build in UK anymore.

Brit companies that still design in the UK include those mentioned plus :
Cotic, On-One, Dialled, DMR, Thorn and someone in Sheffield, Global etc loads in fact but no one builds here

 

[MJN]

Merlin are a mail order company, so If youre discountinig companies for badging up far eastern shite...

I didn't know if "Merlin" who are known for titanium bikes were the same "Merlin" who make the Merlin Malt (or even if they're still in business)...

...but yeah, I'm trying to think of proper British MTB companies rather than re-badged far-eastern garbage... :?

Erm,no! Merlin metalworks do not and have never had anything to do with merlin cycles.
Merlin metalworks are American by the way
And Pace are now made in the far east.

 

[JohnH]

So Orange and Pace MTBs are in fact built in the far east... :cry:

Well, I've learned something new today. And, inspired to do a bit of searching by Chris667, I also found an online magazine article on British frame builders that I think a few here will be very interested in...
http://www.scribd.com/doc/5344999/revie ... e-builders

 

[MJN]

Some Orange frames such as the five are built in Halifax but P7 etc are far eastern.