
Cycles Devinci is a Canadian bicycle manufacturer established in
Chicoutimi, Quebec in 1987. In addition to a full line of
road,
mountain and
hybrid bicycles, it also manufactures the
BIXI-brand of bicycle used in bicycle sharing schemes in cities such as
Montreal,
Toronto and Minneapolis.
History
Two engineering students from Chicoutimi, Quebec, founded Devinci Bikes in 1987. Road biking entrepreneur, Felix Gauthier, purchased the company in 1990, moving the brand into its contemporary role as an international player in both road and mountain bike manufacturing. Under Gauthier the brand has grown its U.S. and international distribution channels. Gauthier has since taken over full ownership of the business.
In 1994, Gauthier founded Devinci's Research and Development Division. This led to the creation of Optimum frames, Ollie Freeride bikes, the Cx, and instrumented bikes.
In 2001, the firm moved from its 800-sq.-foot space to a larger, modernized plant. Over the next five years it built dual-suspension bikes with needle bearings, Cx road bikes with carbon monocoque frames, and introduced its Cyclocross product line. In 2004, the firm's Ollie model won 26 Magazine's "Freeride Bike of the Year" award.
In July 2010,
Barclays Cycle Hire
Santander Cycles (formerly Barclays Cycle Hire) is a public bicycle hire scheme in London in the United Kingdom. The scheme's bicycles are popularly known as Boris Bikes, after Boris Johnson who was Mayor of London when the scheme began operati ...
commenced operations with 5,000 bicycles and 315 docking stations distributed across the
City of London area.
There are now 10,000 Bixi rental bikes in use in London, now operated under the name
Santander Cycles.
In 2009, Canada Economic Development allocated funding to help Cycles Devinci acquire equipment and reorganize its plant to produce Bixi bicycles for Stationnement de Montréal and the Société de vélo en libre-service.
References
External links
Official site*
{{Canadian bicycle manufacturers
Manufacturing companies based in Quebec
Saguenay, Quebec
Cycle manufacturers of Canada
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1987
1987 establishments in Quebec