View source for Fuji Bikes

{{short description|Japanese manufacturer of bicycles}}
[[File:Caja Rural-Seguros RGA bicycles.jpg|thumb|Fuji bicycles, used by the {{UCI team code|CJR|2016}} cycling team, at the [[2016 Tour of Britain]].]]
'''Fuji Bikes''' is a brand of [[bicycle]]s and cycling equipment currently owned by [[Advanced Sports International]].<ref name="philly.com">{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/2015-06-01/business/62882774_1_bikes-mountain-breezer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813024003/http://articles.philly.com/2015-06-01/business/62882774_1_bikes-mountain-breezer|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2015|title=Wheeler Dealers|date=1 June 2015|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|last1=Takiff|first1=Jonathan|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> The company is a descendant of {{nihongo|'''Nichibei Fuji Cycle Company, Ltd.'''|日米富士自転車株式会社|name=Nichibei Fuji Jitensha Kabushikigaisha}}, a bicycle manufacturer originally established in [[Japan]] in 1899. The company took its name and logo from [[Mount Fuji]], a Japanese symbol of strength and endurance.

==History==

===1899 to 1998===
[[File:Kyujiro okazaki.jpg|thumb|Founder, Okazaki Kyujiro（1874-1942）]]
The company was founded in 1899 in Japan by Okazaki Kyūjirō. In 1900 it was established under the trade name Nichibei Shōkai (literally 'Japanese-American Trading Company'). At first, it was importing and distributing US products, but later it began bicycle production in Japan.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

By the late 1920s, Fuji was Japan’s most popular bicycle. In the 1930s, Fuji established the first national stage race between [[Osaka]] and [[Tokyo]] and sponsored the winning team.  Today, this race remains a premier race in Asia. The first Asian games were held in [[New Delhi]] in 1951. Shoichiro Sugihara, riding a Fuji, won the first race.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

During [[World War II]] the company name was changed to Dainippon Cycle, which after the war was changed back to Nichibei Fuji Cycle Company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fuji Bikes: History, News and Bike Reviews|url=https://bikexchange.com/bike-brands/fuji-bikes-review/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=Bikexchange|language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 1950s, Toshoku America acquired distribution rights to Fuji-made bicycles in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2018 Fuji Bikes dealer book Australia by Oceania Cycle Sport - Issuu|url=https://issuu.com/ocbicycles/docs/my2018_-_dealer_book_-_fuji_-_aus_s|access-date=2021-12-23|website=issuu.com|date=8 March 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Toshoku America sold private-label Fuji-made bicycles as house brands through U.S. retailers such as [[Sears & Roebuck]] and [[Montgomery Ward]].

During this period, Fuji became a partner with several contractors supplying parts for Japanese bicycles, including Sugino Cycle Industries and [[SunTour]]. Sales expanded into other Asian markets. At the [[1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Tokyo Olympics]], Fuji's chief engineer and designer, Dr Shoichiro Sugihara, designed the Japanese national team bicycles and was team coach. He repeated this role at the [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Olympics]] in Mexico and the [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Olympics]] in Munich, Germany.

By 1971, Fuji America was established to distribute models across the United States. Fuji played a part in the cycling boom of the 1970s.<ref name="Ballantine, Richard 1974 p.58">Ballantine, Richard, ''Richard's Bicycle Book'', Ballantine Books (1974), {{ISBN|0-345-27621-3}}, p.58</ref> It introduced the first successful mass-production 12-speed bicycle in the mid-1970s, using a redesigned rear axle to minimize spoke [[Bicycle wheel#Dish|dish]] to maintain wheel strength.<ref name="Ballantine, Richard 1974 p.58"/> In 1974, [[Richard Ballantine]], author of ''Richard's Bicycle Book'', recommended Fuji road bicycles at or near the top of each of four price and quality categories, from basic (low-price) to professional (high-end).<ref name="Ballantine, Richard 1974 p.58"/>

During the early 1980s, Fuji developed [[touring bicycle]]s, and in 1986 was one of the first to manufacture frames of titanium. Fuji was not well situated to take advantage of the [[mountain bike]] boom of the 1980s. The demand for mountain bikes caused a steep decline in touring and road bike sales. This allowed manufacturers such as [[Specialized Bicycle Components|Specialized]], [[Giant Bicycles|Giant]], and [[Trek Bicycle Corporation|Trek]] to make inroads into Fuji's share of U.S. bicycle sales, often using frames produced at lower cost in Taiwan.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

With the continued rise of the [[Japanese yen|yen]], Fuji fell on hard times in the early 1990s. One of the last Japanese bike companies to shift production to Taiwan after the fall of the dollar, Fuji bicycles cost more in the United States than most competing brands, causing a drop in sales.<ref name="Article">Brown, Sheldon, ''Japanese Bicycles in the U.S. Market'', [http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.html Article]</ref>  Fuji bicycles produced in Taiwan were not as well regarded by U.S. buyers as the Japanese-built bicycles.<ref name="Article"/>  The company eventually designed new models, taking advantage of modern improvements in materials and construction techniques, but this proved insufficient. Toshoku America filed for bankruptcy in 1997, and in 1998, Nichibei Fuji Cycle Company Ltd., Fuji America's parent company, also declared bankruptcy.

===Bankruptcy and purchase===

The assets of Fuji America, as well as the worldwide distribution rights to the Fuji bicycle brand, were purchased by [[Philadelphia]]-based<ref name=philly.com /> [[Advanced Sports International]].

In 2004, Ideal Bike Corporation, Taiwan's third-largest complete-bicycle maker, acquired 17% of Advanced Sports International Asia, which markets the Fuji brand of bicycles in Asia. Fuji bicycles are now built in [[Taichung]], Taiwan; [[Dongguan|Dong Guan]], [[Guangdong Province]], China; and in [[Kutno]], Poland by [[Ideal Bike Corporation]].

In November 2018 ASE (the parent company of ASI) declared bankruptcy, leaving the fate of US distribution of Fuji bicycles uncertain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velonews.com/2018/11/news/performance-bicycle-owner-ase-files-for-bankruptcy_481472|title = Performance Bicycle owner ASE files for bankruptcy|date = 16 November 2018}}</ref> Originally [[Head (company)|HEAD]] was set to buy ASE's assets,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2019/01/17/sources-head-bike-czech-republic-company-has-purchased-ase-assets|title=Head has purchased ASE assets|website=Bicycle Retailer and Industry News|language=en|access-date=2019-01-17}}</ref> but the deal was abandoned weeks later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2019/01/22/ase-explains-why-it-agreed-accept-second-largest-bid-its-assets|title=ASE explains why it rejected the largest bid for its assets|website=Bicycle Retailer and Industry News|language=en|access-date=2019-02-04}}</ref>  On February 1, 2019 it was reported that three entities won the auction for ASE and would divide its assets among themselves.<ref name="bicycleretailer.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2019/02/02/tiger-group-wins-bid-buy-ase-assets|title=Tiger Group wins bid to buy ASE assets|website=Bicycle Retailer and Industry News|language=en|access-date=2019-02-04}}</ref> One of these, BikeCo, a partnership of Tiger Capital Group and Advanced Holdings, received ASI and its bicycle brands including Fuji.<ref name="bicycleretailer.com"/>

==Sponsored teams and riders==
From 2015-2017 Fuji sponsored the [[UCI Continental Circuits]] Caja Rural-Seguros Cycling Team. Previously, until the end of 2014, Fuji sponsored and equipped the UCI Continental Circuits [[NetApp Endura]], which rode the Fuji Altamira Road Bike and Fuji D-6 1.0 Time Trial bike. Riders of NetApp Endura also worked with the Fuji design team in the development of the Fuji Transonic Aero Road Bike. Fuji also sponsors U.S. [[triathlete]] [[Matt Reed]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2013}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Philadelphia}}
* [[List of BMX bicycle manufacturers]]
* [[List of companies of Taiwan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.fujibikes.com}}
*[http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/index.html Bicycle Culture Center, Japan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430193816/http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/english/index.html |date=2007-04-30 }}
*[http://www.fujibmx.com/ Classic Fuji BMX bicycle reference]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150318090546/http://www.idealbike.com.tw/en/index.html Ideal Bike Corporation]
*[http://www.idealeurope.pl/ Ideal Europe]
*[https://www.advancedsports.com/aboutus.html Advanced Sports International (ASI)]

{{American bicycle manufacturers}}
{{cycling}}
{{Japanese bicycle manufacturers}}
{{Philadelphia Corporations}}

[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of Japan]]
[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Mountain bike manufacturers]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1899]]
[[Category:Japanese companies established in 1899]]
[[Category:Defunct manufacturing companies of Japan]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies of Taiwan]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in Taiwan]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Cycling in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Japanese brands]]
[[Category:Japanese companies disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018]]