No other component group in the EU produces as few parts that fit together as the gears. Mountain bike drivetrains are complex systems. This means that not all parts are compatible with each other. Chainset or gearset, single or double chainring, eleven, twelve or even 13 sprockets, chain or belt drive? And then everything from Europe? We provide an overview of which derailleur parts are produced in the EU.
The eye of the needle Circuit
The drive range is dominated by Shimano and Sram. Shimano is the largest manufacturer of bike parts in the world and produces in Singapore, Malaysia, China and Japan. The American giant Sram has its largest production sites in Taiwan and China. In addition, smaller manufacturers such as L-Twoo (China) Microshift or TRP (both Taiwan) to gain a foothold in the market.
Only two derailleur systems are actually manufactured in Europe. Rotor not only manufactures cranks and chainrings in Spain, but also a hydraulic 13-speed shifting system with rear derailleur, shift lever and its own cassette. The latter requires a special freewheel standard. The matching chain is not supplied by Rotor itself, but by KMC (Taiwan) with the X12 model.
The Italians from Ingrid produce exclusive derailleurs, cassettes, cranks and chainrings in small series, but have so far focussed on shifters and chains from Shimano and Sram. Campagnolo also produces in Europe, but with its Ekar series it offers a gravel bike gear system, but not a mountain bike gear system.
Then, of course, there is the big alternative, made in the EU: the gearbox. Either integrated into the rear wheel hub, as with Rohloff, 3x3or Revolute (both Germany), or built into the frame, as with Pinion (Germany), resp. Effigear (France). Effigear and Tout Terrain also offer gear lever solutions. However, special grips are required for gearboxes with standard twist grips. The frame must also be designed to accommodate a gearbox.
In conjunction with encapsulated drives, many manufacturers rely on power transmission via belts. The American market leader Gates Carbon Drive manufactures in Scotland, among other places, but not in an EU member state. The production sites of drive components from companies such as Hope or Unite (both UK) are located in geographical Europe, but not in the EU. The individual parts of the gear hubs from Kinderay are manufactured in the EU, but the final product is assembled in Norway, which is not yet an EU member state.
In the meantime, some European companies, such as Bike Perfection Parts (BPP), have ceased production, and Tune (Germany) no longer makes cranks either. However, individual gear parts can still be sourced from European countries. Classics, such as chainrings and chain guides, can be found in the European portfolio, as well as real exotics: the alternative crank system from Seagull (Germany) or the special bearing-mounted crank spider from O-Chain (Italy). Power2Max also builds power meter systems in Germany. Industry giant Sram recently relocated the production of Time pedals from France to Portugal, where chains have been manufactured for some time.
BIKE Project: Europe - These gearstick parts are manufactured in the EU
Our list is not exhaustive and we look forward to receiving your additions. Do you know where other circuit parts are produced in the EU? Then send us an e-mail: eu-projekt@bike-magazin.de
Manufacturer / Company headquarters / Production site / Remarks
- 3x3 / Adelmannsfelden (DE) / Adelmannsfelden (DE) / Gear hub
- 77designz / Billerbeck (DE) / DE / Chain guides
- Absolute Black / GBR / Opole (PL) / Chainrings and chain guides made from German aluminium
- Actofive / Dresden (DE) / Dresden (DE) / Cranks and chainrings
- Capgo / Leinburg (DE) / DE / Shifter cables
- Carbon-TI / Brescia (IT) / Brescia (IT) / Crank spider, chainrings
- Ceramicspeed / Holstebro (DNK) / DNK / Bottom bracket, Tuning Parts
- Classified / Antwerp (NL) / NL / Combination of derailleur and electric hub gears
- Effigear / Maclas (FR) / Maclas (FR) / Gearbox
- Fasi / Northeim (DE) / EN / Care products, gear cables
- Garbaruk / Krakow (PL) / Krakow (PL) / Tuning parts
- Gebhardt / Èeská Kamenice (CZ) / Èeská Kamenice (CZ) / Chainrings
- Hopp / Berlin (DE) / Berlin (DE) / Small carbon tuning parts
- HXR Components / Seynod (FR) / FR / Easy Shift crank system
- Ingrid / Fossombrone (IT) / IT / derailleur gears without own chains and shifters
- Intend / Freiburg (DE) / Freiburg (DE) / Cranks
- Leonardi / Madrid (ES) / Madrid (ES) / Cassettes, crank
- Magped / Aldrans (AT) / Aldrans (AT) / Pedals with magnetic mechanism
- Möve / Katharinenberg (DE) / Eisenach (DE) / Cyfly crank system
- O-chain / Varese (IT) / IT / Crank spider to eliminate pedal kickback
- Pedal-Plate / Amstelveen (NL) / NL / Pedal plates for clipless pedals
- Pinion / Denkendorf (DE) / Denkendorf (DE) / Transmission
- Power2Max / Waldhufen (DE) / DE / Powermeter
- Revolute / Kassel (DE) / DE / Gear hub
- Rohloff / Fuldatal (DE) / DE / Gear hub
- Rotor / Madrid (ES) / ES / derailleur gears without own chains
- SB One / Munderkingen (DE) / DE / Chain tensioner, platform pedals
- Sixpack / Vogt (DE) / DE / Composite pedals
- Specialites TA / Sissonne (FR) / FR / Chainrings
- Sram / Chicago (USA) / Coimbra (PRT) / Chain production in Portugal
- Stronglight / Saint-Etienne (FR) / FR / Chainrings
- Tatze / Schwoich (AT) / Schwoich (AT) / Pedals
- TIME / Chicago (USA) / Coimbra (PRT) / Pedals
- Titanum / Hamburg(DE) / Hamburg (DE) / 3D printed titanium clipless pedals
- Wippermann / Hagen (DE) / Hagen/Kirchlengern (DE) / Chains
Our solution for the EU drive in the BIKE Project: Europe
At the BIKE PROJECT: EUROPE we have opted for a German-Portuguese drive solution. The project bike is powered by a Sram PC1 chain. The pedals are from Time. However, the heart of the drive is located in the specially designed Alutech Fanes 6.1 frame: the Pinion C.12 transmission with twelve gears. The German gearbox solution consists of 140 individual parts. 90 per cent of them come from Europe. For example, the drive gears, bottom bracket and shift shaft, ball and needle bearings as well as the magnesium housing come from Germany. Pinion manufactures some of the cranks in Taiwan and some in Portugal. Two thirds of the entire value creation takes place in the EU. In Denkendorf near Stuttgart, the much sought-after gears have been assembled by hand for ten years.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
