who is at corebike...

Canterbury

Not the Cathedral, but a well thought line of close fitting baser layers for the heat of competition beyond the brands rugger roots.

Carmichael Training Systems

Chris Carmichael is a name synonymous with success in endurance sports. From coaching Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France victories, to race winning athletes in triathlon, running, adventure racing and motor sports. The CTS line is now an expansive range of 10 indoor trainer based workout DVDs designed specifically for the many disciplines within cycling. Also available are the 4 titles in the 5 Essentials Workout series, a unique all-round fitness DVD series especially designed for athletes to maximise their commitment, strength and performance.

Fast Forward Wheels

Based in The Netherlands, FFWD Fast Forward ® is a young high-end brand, specializing in high speed wheels. Carbon only. Period.
FFWD's goal is to deliver fast, lightweight and durable wheels to the Road, Cyclocross, Track & Triathlon market. Our primary focus is on outstanding craftsmanship, quality and design. All spoked wheels are laced and hand built in Holland by master wheel builders. Only the best of ingredients are being used. High Tensile TC35 Carbon rims, FFWD or DT Swiss hubs, Sapim CX Ray or DT Aerolite spokes, Brass nipples together with a lot of intrinsic wheel builder finger skills ensure top quality and long term serviceability. Current range of high end products consists of high performance Road, Triathlon and specific Cyclocross wheels, 3 spoke, disc and Track wheels in all major sizes and variations (i.e.700c and 650c, tubular/clincher types).

Kona

Kona originated in 1988 with a US base quickly established in Ferndale, Washington alongside the brands now indelible presence in Vancouver, Canada. Brainchild of Jacob Heilbron and Dan Gerhard, the company name was born out of the pairs obsession with the Hawaiian town of Kailua Kona, a theme continuing to this day with their sometimes eclectic model naming. Reiterating Kona's roots 'Dan and Jake' and '88' logos pop up 'Guerrilla style' throughout their clothing range.
Vancouver's plethora of riding conditions has over the years provided the ultimate R&D centre for both Kona's innovations and the bikes gradual, year on year refinements. Close parallels in winter riding conditions between Vancouver and the UK goes some way to explaining Kona popularity this side of the Atlantic. When Kona's mountainbikes first landed on UK shores 20 years ago the exaggerated slope of the top tube was the first feature to capture the imagination, a detail that was quickly mimicked by others in the industry. As the brand progressed, staples such as generous mud clearance, trail friendly geometry and durable suspension pivots all spoke to UK consumers. The key to Kona's progression is addressing the gradually evolving demands of a rider. Instead of towing the line of mountainbike trends and re-inventing each model year Kona have opted to fine tune proven designs. The best example of this is the 4-bar walking beam system incorporated within the majority of Kona's full suspension bikes. This also allows one frame to be used across a line with a selection of component options tailored to the pocket.
Kona's philosophy has always been to build bikes for specific needs. Whether it's for one of their world class athletes, or someone simply after a low tech ride for the urban jungle, Kona has made 'listening' something of a company mission. Their tradition of making thoughtful, reliable, well-balanced bicycles is still the cornerstone of Kona. It's also the last of the original mountainbike companies still wholly owned and even run day to day by its original founding members Dan and Jake. Kona isn't a big money-making corporate machine; it's run by friends, who ride and are clearly out to produce the best tools for that job. If such an operation exists, Kona is the definition of the non-corporate corporation.

Litespeed

Litespeed's launch pad was the family run exotic material specialists 'Southeast Machine'. After a son of the owner suffered a running injury and was forced to take up cycling to maintain his fitness, approaching his local cycle shop and disappointed by what was on offer he utilised his workshop expertise to build his own frame. Word soon got around about the families lightweight titanium frames and they were approached by several local athletes. Suddenly weekends were swallowed crafting frames from this wonder metal. After showcasing their frames to the trade in the mid eighties Litespeed quickly secured a favourable reputation in the industry and soon were creating titanium frames for many of the big brands. The reciprocal feed of knowledge in cutting edge bicycle design and technology all proved highly beneficial for the burgeoning company. Chattanooga's Litespeed is now touted as the world leader in titanium manufacturer as they push the materials shaping beyond traditional constraints. A recent collaboration with NASA has allowed Litespeed to produce bikes with a level of performance which was once thought impossible, surpassing even the best carbon fiber offerings.

Merlin

20 years ago, Merlin built the 'Original' contemporary titanium road and mountainbike, whilst Litespeed's offerings appeared around the same time Merlin remained and to this day still remain the holy grail of titanium framesets in the public consciousness. The standards that Merlin set to build the finest titanium frames possible still exist today, each frame drawn from aerospace grade raw materials to exacting standards culminating in a Merlin's magical riding characteristics.

No-Tubes

No Tubes have made a name for themselves for numerous smart innovations in the bicycle industry. Especially their original tubeless system quickly converting a regular wheelset to tubeless. Their products now extend beyond tyre sealant and rim strips to the likes of wheelsets, tubeless rims, rotors and tyres. Their tyre sealant can also be used in ATV's, wheel barrows and trailers. No-Tubes products are used worldwide from Olympians, and recreational riders seeking the products weight advantage through to gardeners seeking a flat free run to the compost heap.

Quintana Roo

Quintana Roo was founded by Dan Empfield who competed in the very first Ironman, back in 1981. He went on to create the first tri-athlete specific wetsuits. Quintana Roo has continued to expand and evolve with the sport of triathlon, and behind all of their innovations, craftsmanship, detail and engineering, you'll find one single mission; to make the user a winning triathlete in the water, on the bike and through the run. Quintana Roo wetsuits are handcrafted in the US with the most technically advanced materials and designs and come in more sizes than any other brand on the market. They've also been worn by more Ironman winners worldwide than any other triathlon wetsuit on the market. Quintana Roo produced their first tri-specific bike in 1989. Their bicycles are created specifically for Triathlons, designed, built and tested for and by seasoned triathletes. Design features include geometry that places riders in a more aerodynamic position reducing chest exposure and encouraging a flatter back and more efficient pedalling position, thus preserving legs for the run.

Ritchey

Tom Ritchey first wielded a welder at the tender age of 15 creating hand crafted road frames. In 1980 he turned his attention to building mountainbike frames, where he quickly became the number one hand builder, servicing several XC pros with championship winning steel. His steel frames were notorious for being ultra light, aggressive designs. After many years of frame building he turned his attention to component design, most famously an early innovator of the threadless headset, producing them years before other companies patented the configuration. He continues to be a leader in bicycle design and engineering and has always been focused on saving weight without compromising the strength and reliability of racing bicycles. His most recent creations are focused around the Break-Away Bike, integrating the legendary handling of a hand-built Ritchey, with a collapsible bike. A revolutionary coupling system allows you to split the bike in two and pack in to a hard suitcase for travelling. Ritchey has a reputation as one of the most prolific component manufacturers in the industry, and this is thanks to Tom's knack for developing and refining manufacturing processes and using the best resources available. As a result many Ritchey designs and methods have become industry standards. Tom still clocks up 10,000 miles a year on his bike, generating new ideas and creations as he quenches his all consuming two wheeled passion.

Saris, CycleOps, PowerTap, Indoor Cycle

Saris Cycling Group's origins are firmly rooted in bike racks, the first of which was invented way back in 1973 by the Graber brothers. In 1989 Chris and Sara Fortune purchased Graber's rack company and the Saris brand surfaced in 1992. CycleOps static trainers joined the family in 1999 followed two years later by PowerTap. Constantly innovating, in 2004 they introduced the first PowerTap-equipped indoor cycle. Saris believe in pushing the technological boundaries, striving to bring the most intuitive, innovative and performance-oriented training products to the market.

Sombrio

When three seasoned Vancouver pros, Dave Watson, Andrew Shandro and Gabe Fox put their heads together to create a clothing line that would break the conventional mould, they came up with Sombrio. Their mission statement-to produce some of the most technically advanced and stylish riding gear available on the market. And not without some eco savvy. Sombrio strive to incorporate less raw materials, energy and volatile chemicals within their clothing production whilst also not inhibiting people from meeting their basic needs. A plan is also a foot to undergo a sustainability assessment identifying Sombrio's main environmental and social impacts, communicating the company's results on a yearly basis. Sombrio Clothing has pioneered a particular dress code for freeride mountainbiking through its diverse catalogue of active and lifestyle apparel. Differentiated from clothing also-rans not only by bold palettes but by performance-inspired design, technically advanced construction and unique styling.

Torq

Torq was launched in 2000 by Matt Hart, who after graduating in 1993 from Manchester Metropolitan University with an honours degree in sports science, worked in the health and fitness industry for 10 years. As an avid mountainbiker and XC racer, he decided to investigate the reasons behind good and bad days during competition, specifically researching methods to legitimately boost performance. What he came up with as a side to Torq's comprehensive coaching and performance consultancy was a range of energy products to address a racers essential turbo boost. Specializing in drinks, bars and gels; all products have been painstakingly formulated from all-natural ingredients, including Fair-Trade fruit and are also made in the UK. Nutrition for 'health' is at the heart of Torq's philosophy, despite uncompromising standards, they have a conscience. Torq are completely free of artificial additions, using only ingredients derived from a natural source or ones that occur naturally in the human body.

X-treme

X-Treme Video is a French based company producing a wide range of mountainbike BMX and legions of other adrenalin themed DVD's.