Giant Manufacturing

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The bike that Alexander Vinokourov used at the 2005 Tour de France.

Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer. Established 1972 in Tachia, Taichung, Taiwan. Giant (捷安特) started as an OEM, manufacturing bicycles to be sold under other company brand names. In 1986, Giant, under new president Bill Austin, established its own brand of bicycles to compete in the rapidly expanding $200-and-above price range, bringing them out of departments stores and into the shop-quality arena. Today Giant is well-known around the world as a manufacturer of quality bicycles. It now has sales in over 50 countries, in over 10,000 retail stores. Its annual global sales surpassed 2.8 million in 1998.

Giant has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, Netherlands and Mainland China.

Giant introduced the compact geometry frame for racing bicycles. The Union Cycliste Internationale altered the specific requirements to allow for a sloping top tube.

Giant currently categorise their bikes in seven groups:

Road Training, advanced and professional road bikes are included in this group.
Mountain Includes bikes for various riding styles. From casual single track to race specific downhill bikes.
Comfort A range of casual city bikes.
Mode Bikes designed for youth teens.
Indoor Cycling Indoor fitness bikes.
Family Cycling Bikes designed for children.
Speciality HALFWAY is the only bike in this folding bike group.

In 2006, Giant introduced the TCR Advanced road bicycle frame, a high end carbon fiber racing design which integrates the seatpost and frame together as a single unit. Using this design the seatpost on a new frame must be cut precisely to fit the owner by a trained Giant dealer. Proponents of this design point to weight savings and increased rigidity, at the expense of being able to fit the bicycle to a different rider in the future.

The most important new technology that Giant has come out with is the introduction of the Maestro Suspension Benefit: Suspension activity is unaffected by pedaling forces and vice versa—this makes Maestro highly efficient in transferring power to the rear wheel. The Inside Line: Maestro utilizes four strategically positioned pivot points (eight total bearings) and two linkages to create a floating pivot point, that improves pedal efficiency by counteracting pedaling forces that would otherwise create suspension compression, or pedal-bob. Additionally, suspension compression and expansion has no effect on chain elongation and subsequent pedal kick-back.

Giant currently sponsors three international cycling teams, the Global Giant Mountain Bike Team and men's T-Mobile Team, as well as many national teams. The T-Mobile women's road team is also sponsored by Giant.

[edit] Time Line

1972 - Establishes Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Taiwan
1980 - Becomes Taiwan's Largest Bicycle Manufacturer
1981 - Establishes Giant Sales Company, Taiwan
1986 - Establishes Giant Europe BV, Netherlands
1987 - Establishes Giant Bicycle Inc., USA
1989 - Establishes Giant Company Ltd., Japan
1991 - Establishes Giant Bicycle Co., Canada, Inc.
1991 - Establishes Giant Bicycles PTY Ltd., Australia
1992 - Establishes Giant Co. Ltd., China
1994 - Goes Public on Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 9921)
1996 - Establishes European Factory, Netherlands.
1997 - Establishes Chuansin Metal Products (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., China
1998 - Manufactures 2,840,000 bicycles in a single year
1998 - Acquires 30% share of Hodaka in Japan
2002 - Manufactures 4,730,000 bicycles in a single year
2006 - Giant released accessories into the UK such as pumps, little apparel and luggage.