The place do most bike elements come from? How and in what circumstances are they manufactured? MAG41 founder Max and his dad Manne went on an trade tour to Taiwan, which is the manufacturing heartland of the fashionable bike trade. First cease: one of many greatest dropper publish producers within the nation, LIMOTEC.
Taiwan is all the time price a go to– although it won’t be the primary vacation spot that springs to thoughts while you’re reserving a vacation! Max, one of many two founders of the E-MOUNTAINBIKE journal, and Manne, his dad, additionally had a totally completely different image of this nation, removed from the fact. The small island state lies a mere 180 kilometres from China’s shores, and it’s an actual industrial powerhouse, the place a few of the greatest producers of the biking trade develop and produce their items. In different phrases, Taiwan is the beating coronary heart of the bike world, and the birthplace of contemporary manufacturing experience. That was purpose sufficient for us to pay a go to to the bike mecca, accepting the invitation of one of many largest dropper publish producers on the earth: LIMOTEC. Like many extra well-known firms resembling GIANT, MERIDA and MAXXIS, LIMOTEC have certainly one of their manufacturing services within the suburbs of Taichung, Taiwan’s second largest metropolis, with a inhabitants of two.8 million. In contrast to many different bike firms, nonetheless, the dropper publish colossus additionally has its headquarters right here, albeit proper within the centre of Taichung. From right here, Manne and Max set off for the manufacturing facility, which is round half-hour away.
A heat welcome
The primary shock awaits you on the entrance: relatively than the standard sterile concrete, you’ll discover a lovingly designed pond, which was constructed in line with the rules of feng shui. Manne and Max are greeted by plant supervisor Erik Cheng and Kelley Liao, Limotec’s Gross sales Affiliate Supervisor. The 2 obtain Max and Manne with the identical heat and politeness that’s notable all throughout Taiwan, together with the identical pleasure for his or her nation and its progressive energy that shines via repeatedly all through this unique manufacturing facility tour.
Since their institution in 2018, LIMOTEC have turn out to be one of many world’s greatest producers of dropper posts and suspension seat posts. In keeping with Manne and Max, the Taichung plant has a manufacturing capability of 1 million items per yr. Nevertheless, manufacturing is at present not working at full pace as a result of extra of demand through the Corona period, which led to overproduction and weak spot in internet gross sales – and the acutely troublesome international political panorama additionally performs a significant function. To date, LIMOTEC have primarily acted as an unique gear producer (OEM) for entry-level and mid-range bikes from well-known manufacturers like BULLS, CONWAY and MERIDA. Nevertheless, we’ve additionally seen and examined the Taiwanese model’s dropper posts on some top-tier bike fashions, just like the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 10K – though MERIDA put their very own label on it. LIMOTEC continues to be an unique participant within the aftermarket, however needs to get far more concerned sooner or later. In any case, their huge portfolio consists of every part from inexpensive dropper posts for metropolis bikes to an electrical seatpost, which must also minimize a fantastic determine on essentially the most premium mountain bikes. We at E-MOUNTAINBIKE journal have already had the chance to check a prototype of their flagship dropper publish, the LIMOTEC E1P – you’ll be able to learn the complete evaluate right here. LIMOTEC declare to be on a par with the section’s prime canines, like FOX and RockShox, each by way of high quality and options, albeit at a way more enticing worth. With this strategy, the dropper publish producer needs to turn out to be more and more outstanding within the close to future, particularly in Europe and North America, and in addition play a significant function within the aftermarket. We’re excited!
A complete portfolio and excessive stage of vertical integration
Manne and Max are given an summary of LIMOTEC’s product range proper from the beginning of the manufacturing facility tour. On a prominently positioned show, there are 9 completely different dropper posts and suspension seat posts. From traditional droppers posts (with and with out distant), to combo suspension droppers and digital fashions, LIMOTEC have the appropriate seat publish for each event – they usually’re all out there in a variety of diameters and journey choices, for each kind of motorbike: metropolis, trekking, gravel, MTB, eMTB, e-SUV. There’s one particular characteristic that each one LIMOTEC seat posts fashions share: they’re all ready to take an inner energy cable for a tail mild, which attracts its energy instantly from the e-bike’s major battery
As Max and Manne stroll via the manufacturing plant, they shortly realise that LIMOTEC do an entire lot extra than simply bolting collectively third-party elements. All the manufacturing course of takes place in-house, from the aluminium blanks proper the best way to the completed seatposts. The Taiwanese producer additionally produces a spread of remotes, and solely the cartridges are sourced externally. Evidently, Limotec’s R&D group relies on the Taichung website too, the place a complete of 60 persons are at present employed.
We manufacture all of the elements for our seat posts ourselves. We solely supply the cartridges externally and purchase them from a specialised firm. – Erik Cheng, Plant Supervisor at LIMOTEC.
The spotlight of their present seatpost vary is definitely the LIMOTEC E1 Reminiscence, an electrical dropper with adjustable journey that permits you to program completely different saddle positions – a bit just like the driving place reminiscence system of a automobile. The dropper is powered instantly by the ebike system, and Manne and Max be taught that LIMOTEC are planning considerably extra in depth integration into present drive programs than has beforehand been seen available on the market, particularly within the ebike sector.
Strict high quality management
Similar to manufacturing, all the high quality management course of takes place on the Taichung website. Of their in-house check laboratory, LIMOTEC simulate real-life situations with water and sand to check the sealing and tolerances. As well as, to evaluate sturdiness and materials fatigue, the droppers bear a further check with 100,000 loading cycles at 1,850 N, which is supposed to simulate the stresses utilized by a 180 kg rider – fairly an excessive load state of affairs. Solely when the dropper has handed these checks can an worker ship it to the packaging division – and maybe it’ll land in your subsequent eMTB.
Solely when a dropper publish has handed all of the checks with flying colors is it allowed to depart the manufacturing facility. – Kelley Liao, Gross sales Affiliate Supervisor
Our conclusions about our LIMOTEC manufacturing facility go to
Smoggy manufacturing facility landscapes, old-school punch time clocks and grubby blue overalls – that is how many people nonetheless think about a manufacturing facility within the Far East. Throughout our go to to LIMOTEC, we’ve had a totally completely different expertise: high-tech, cosmopolitanism and impeccable politeness. It’s fairly outstanding what this firm has achieved in simply over 6 years, and the progressive energy it shows. LIMOTEC is a contemporary firm all through and epitomises the aptitude of the Taiwanese bike trade – very completely different from what we’d think about within the West.
Details and figures about LIMOTEC
LIMOTEC is a Taiwanese producer of bicycle elements with headquarters in Taichung Metropolis, Taiwan. Based in 2017, LIMOTEC initially began producing bicycle frames. Their greatest buyer is the Accell Group (the corporate behind manufacturers like Haibike, GHOST and Winora). In 2018, they began producing their first dropper posts within the suburbs of Taichung. LIMOTEC additionally has three different manufacturing websites in China. The German department is situated in Dangerous Nauheim, the place a small group takes care of design and OEM assist.
For more information, go to LIMOTEC’s Web site.
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Phrases: Patrick Gruber Images: Manne Schmitt
