Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles

Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles
Private
Industry Mountain bike manufacturing
Founded Ramona, California[1]
Founder Tony Ellsworth
Headquarters Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
Owner Tony Ellsworth
Website EllsworthBikes.com

Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles is a bicycle manufacturer based in Ramona, California with manufacturing facilities in Vancouver, Washington.[2] Founded by Tony Ellsworth in 1991, it produces a range of trail, free-ride, and road bikes.[3] Ellsworth also produce a designer/cruiser bike known as "The Ride" [4]

History

The company was founded by Tony Ellsworth.[2] In 1991, Ellsworth built his first bicycle frame after a dramatic career change brought on by deteriorating health. He built his first full-suspension mountain bike for his wife in 1993 and by 1994 Tony was building bikes "for people whose names he didn't know", at which point he considered that he had built a business.[5]

BST Nano Carbon bought Ellsworth in 2014 and changed the focus to carbon fiber frames with aluminium frames to be manufactured elsewhere.[6] The offices and research and development departments were relocated from Ramona to BST's San Diego composite factory but Ellsworth did not release any bikes in 2015 as BST had underestimated the costs associated.[7][8]

A private investor from San Diego bought the company from BST and in January 2016 a new product range with both carbon fiber and aluminium alloy bikes was announced.[6][8]

Innovation

Ellsworth bicycles are unique in that they use Instant Center Tracking technology, an Ellsworth-specific technology. Tony Ellsworth, founder of the company, holds nine patents related to ICT technology.[9]

In 2004 Fallbrook Technologies partnered with Ellsworth to commercialize their NuVinci technology. The NuVinci is a new drivetrain targeted for use on bicycles, though Fallsworth is trying to adapt it for other uses. The large NuVinci hub uses a new technology, a 'continuously variable planetary' drive train, to allow multiple gear ratios while removing the gears. Thus, a derailleur and multiple gears are no longer necessary. This technology is already in use on Ellsworth's 'The Ride', a cruising bike, which was designed specifically for the NuVinci.[10]

Products[11]

Ellsworth Truth 2007 mountain bike.

Trail bikes

Freeride

Road bikes

Other

Frames

Wheels

Sponsorship

Ellsworth sponsored the Suzuki 24 Hour National Point Series in 2008, along with Infinit Nutrition. They will continue to sponsor the event through 2010.[12]

Ellsworth resigned Pua Sawicki, the 2007 Female Mountain Biker of the Year. She rode a Truth, produced by Ellsworth, during the 2008 season.[13]

Four teams competing in the 2008 Primal Quest Adventure Expedition, a two-week endurance race held near Big Sky, Montana, were sponsored by Ellsworth. Three teams rode Truths, and one rode Epiphanies.[14]

The beginning of 2009 saw the formation of the Ten Speed Drive/Ellsworth Factory Cycling Team. Part of the team's mission is reducing their environmental impact, and both Ten Speed Drive Racing, Inc. and Ellsworth will emphasize their commitment to the environment. The team will use Ellsworth's Scant scandium road bike frames.[15]

In April 2009 Ellsworth announced it would sponsor Jack Reading, a profession downhill mountain biker from the United Kingdom. He rides a Dare, produced by Ellsworth.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles". Hoover's. 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
  3. ↑ Ellsworth bike range
  4. ↑ Ellsworth - The Ride
  5. ↑ He found happiness off beaten path - The San Diego Union Tribune
  6. 1 2 "Ellsworth returns with new ownership, new bikes". Dirt Rag Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Ellsworth Bikes sold, to focus on composites". Single Track World. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  8. 1 2 Hill, Toby. "San Diego investor acquires Ellsworth". Bicycle Retailer. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Technology". Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles. 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Pedaling Innovation". Inventor's Digest. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Bikes". Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles. 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  12. ↑ "Ellsworth & Infinit Nutrition Sponsor Suzuki 24 Hr Series". MTBR.com. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  13. ↑ "Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles Re-Signs Monique "Pua" Sawicki to a New Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement". MTBR.com. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  14. ↑ "ELLSWORTH SPONSORS PRIMAL QUEST ADVENTURE EXPEDITION TEAMS". MTBR.com. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Semi Pro Cycling Team is out to Kick the CO2 Habit". MTBR.com. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  16. ↑ "Ellsworth Bikes Sponsors British DH Rider Jack Reading". gear.com. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 6/16/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.