Merida Bikes
Encyclopedia
Merida Industry Co., Ltd (MIC) is a Taiwan
based bicycle
design
, manufacture, and sales
company. It was started in 1972 as a small contract shop under a Japan
ese bicycle parts brand, by current chairman D.H. Ike, Tseng. Merida has expanded to the US and Europe
and is now a global player in bicycle design and manufacturing. It was valued at $185 million US in 2007 making it Taiwan's 15th biggest company.
Merida manufactured bikes for U.S. brands including Centurion
and DiamondBack in the 1990s, and was subsequently known for producing mass-marketed bikes. In later years, Merida has started to work its way into the high-end market with designs such as the Ninety-Six.
In 2001, Merida bought 19% of Specialized
for a reported US$30 million, although its CEO and founder Mike Sinyard
remained majority owner.
In January 2009, the company issued a voluntary recall
on their Freeway CT03 and R3.0 folding bikes. The issue lay in a bad implementation of a patented locking
mechanism that would fail when forced.
Merida is a sponsor of the Multivan Merida Biking Team, with athletes such as Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå
, and of bicycle racing events such as the TransUK and TransWales mountain bike races.
Merida also manufactures the frames and forks for Halfords
' Carrera range of bikes. They also own and manufacture Boardman Bikes
.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
based bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, manufacture, and sales
Sales
A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
company. It was started in 1972 as a small contract shop under a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese bicycle parts brand, by current chairman D.H. Ike, Tseng. Merida has expanded to the US and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and is now a global player in bicycle design and manufacturing. It was valued at $185 million US in 2007 making it Taiwan's 15th biggest company.
Merida manufactured bikes for U.S. brands including Centurion
Centurion (bicycle)
Centurion was a brand of bicycles created in 1969 by Mitchell M. Weiner and Junya Yamakoshi, who co-founded Western States Import Co. in Canoga Park, California to design, specify, distribute and market the bicycles. The bikes themselves were manufactured initially in Japan by companies...
and DiamondBack in the 1990s, and was subsequently known for producing mass-marketed bikes. In later years, Merida has started to work its way into the high-end market with designs such as the Ninety-Six.
In 2001, Merida bought 19% of Specialized
Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized Bicycle Components, more commonly known simply as Specialized, is a major American brand of bicycles and related products. It was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard and is based in Morgan Hill, California-History:...
for a reported US$30 million, although its CEO and founder Mike Sinyard
Mike Sinyard
Mike Sinyard is the founder and chairman of Specialized Bicycle Components, an American manufacturer of bicycles and cycling components.Sinyard's passion for bicycles developed at San Jose State University, where he cycled to class. After graduating in 1974, at the age of 24, Sinyard began...
remained majority owner.
In January 2009, the company issued a voluntary recall
Product recall
A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence and to improve or avoid damage to publicity...
on their Freeway CT03 and R3.0 folding bikes. The issue lay in a bad implementation of a patented locking
Locking
Locking may refer to:* Locking , a style of funk dance invented in the early 1970s* Locking, Somerset, a village in the United Kingdom...
mechanism that would fail when forced.
Merida is a sponsor of the Multivan Merida Biking Team, with athletes such as Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is a Norwegian cross-country and marathon mountain biker. She won the women's cross-country gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and is a multiple World Champion. She has won six World Championships and six European championships. Dahle has also won four UCI World Cup XC in...
, and of bicycle racing events such as the TransUK and TransWales mountain bike races.
Merida also manufactures the frames and forks for Halfords
Halfords
Halfords Group plc is a leading retailer of car parts, car enhancements and bicycles operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic and more recently in Poland, although it is currently pulling out of the latter two countries...
' Carrera range of bikes. They also own and manufacture Boardman Bikes
Boardman Bikes
Boardman Bikes, is a British bicycle manufacturer, founded by the professional cyclist Chris Boardman, Sarah Mooney and Alan Ingarfield, and launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2007...
.