A bike manufacturer has reignited a historic relationship with a supplier 30-years after the pair last worked together.
Manchester-based Indian-owned Hero Cycles is back together with Reynolds, the tubing manufacturer that provided parts for the 110-year-old Viking brand in its heyday.
Hero Cycles, the world’s biggest bicycle manufacturer by volume, revived Viking after a near 40-year absence when it purchased bike distributor Avocet Cycles in 2015. Viking was then formally relaunched as part of Hero’s new UK-designed Insync range in May 2018.
Birmingham-based Reynolds provided the original parts used in Viking bikes when the brand enjoyed success in the Tour of Britain during the 1950s.
That rich heritage is being revisited in a new range of Insync bikes, the Viking Pro 400 – a limited edition range of just 400 cycles. The range, which consists of four different models, will contain echoes of Viking’s history with features including the classic logo and vintage badge. The range includes a lightweight frame that minimises the impact of vibrations on the cyclist, resulting in a more comfortable ride. Designed in conjunction with Reynolds, the range is suitable for city riding and longer weekend rides.
The Viking Pro 400 range includes the four models, Roadmaster, Racemaster, Tourmaster and Crossmaster and will be available at selected independent bike dealers and will retail at between £699 and £1199.
Reynolds’ managing director Keith Noronha said the business was delighted to rekindle its relationship with Hero Cycles and the Viking brand.
He said: “Reynolds was a supplier to the original Viking brand and it’s great to see that famous name making bikes again. We’ve been working very closely with Hero on the design of the bikes, which incorporate a modern Reynolds tubing. Both companies have a long history and we’re looking forward to seeing our renewed links grow stronger in the future.”
Abhishek Pratap Singh, head of Hero Global Design, said the limited-edition range would appeal to cycling enthusiasts as well as being affordable for the family market.
He said: “We’re delighted to be working with Reynolds again after all these years and we’re aiming to revisit that classic British heritage with this new range. We believe the mix of modern British designed quality with a vintage twist will be popular with consumers, particularly our core family market looking to improve their fitness and health.”
