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Key Events from the Company
To capture the essence of Mavic is to look beyond individual patents and witness a century-plus cadence of innovation that has pulsed through the heart of Lyon since 1889. While our broader retrospective explores the human drama and racing triumphs of the peloton, this curated timeline serves as the definitive archival record for the vintage connoisseur—a precise accounting of the ownership shifts, logo evolutions and technological gambles that forged the yellow diamond into a global icon.
From the late 19th-century era of nickel plating and mudguards to the 1990s pioneering of “global system” wheelsets, Mavic’s trajectory is a testament to an unyielding French engineering spirit that transformed the primitive velocipede into a precision racing instrument. We invite you to explore the chronological milestones of a marque that served as the neutral guardian of the peloton for five decades, ensuring that for the dedicated cyclist, the journey never truly ends.
Here is a chronological timeline of key corporate events, product innovations and competitive milestones in the history of Mavic:
1889
Company Founding
Charles Idoux and Lucien Chanel found Manufacture d’Articles Vélocipédiques Idoux et Chanel (MAVIC) in Lyon to manufacture and sell bicycle spare parts.
1920
Corporate Ownership
Henry Gormand purchases Mavic and begins diversifying production into aluminum rims.
1923 (July 26)
Brand Identity
The original circular Mavic logo is officially registered.
1926
Product Innovation
Mavic manufactures the first-ever aluminum bicycle rim.
1933
Product Diversification
The company expands into high-spec children’s pedal cars, featuring spoked wheels, chain drives, and decorative hubcaps.
1934 (Jan 5)
Patent Milestone
Italian designer Mario Longhi registers a double-eyelet rim patent two hours before Mavic; a license agreement allows Mavic to exploit the technology until 1947.
1934
Product Innovation
Launch of the “Bavolet” apron mudguard, featuring a flexible rubber edge to deflect water from the rider’s shoes.
1934
Racing Victory
Antonin Magne secretly trials Mavic’s Dura Duralumin rims (painted to look like wood) to win the Tour de France, signaling the end of wood’s dominance.
1934–1964
Marketing Synergy
Mavic and AVA (manufacturers of aluminum handlebars) conduct combined advertising campaigns under the unified leadership of Henry Gormand.
1935
Racing Milestone
Virtualy every rider in the Tour de France adopts Dura aluminum rims following Magne’s successful 1934 trial.
1945
Brand Identity
The original circular logo is replaced by the iconic diamond-shaped logo.
1964
Corporate Leadership
Bruno Gormand, son of Henry, takes over leadership, ushering in an era defined by a “passion for performance.”
1966
Product Innovation
Mavic perfects and patents the principle of utilizing a crimped washer on the rim.
1972
Neutral Service Concept
Bruno Gormand inspires a racing revolution by lending his personal car to a stranded team director during the Critérium du Dauphiné.
1973
Racing Service
Mavic officially launches its “neutral and free” assistance service at the Paris-Nice race.
1973
Technology Research
The Mavic Study Bureau designs its first signed wheel, a fiberglass lenticular (biconvex) model, though race regulations initially prohibit its use.
1975
Product Breakthrough
Launch of the Module E hooked rim, the first double-deck rim designed for Michelin’s high-pressure Elan clincher tires.
1975
Technological Milestone
Mavic introduces its first anodized rims (SSC Blue, silver, and gold) and the 500 series hubs with sealed annular bearings.
1978
Market Peak
Production reaches 4,000 rims per day, with Mavic holding a 65% global market share and equipping 25 professional teams.
1979
Product Innovation
Launch of the “Tout Mavic” (All Mavic) complete groupsets, including rebuildable derailleurs, hubs and bottom brackets.
1979
Racing Milestone
Bernard Hinault wins the Tour de France riding the Mavic-equipped Gitane-Renault “Profil” bike, a pioneer in road aerodynamics.
1980
Competitive Milestone
The Boston-Mavic team becomes the first professional unit to be equipped entirely with the “Tout Mavic” system.
1983
Product Expansion
Mavic enters the BMX and Mountain Bike markets, launching the TTM 504 BMX wheelset.
1984
Product Diversification
Creation of the Mavic Air Department to market ultra-light aircraft (ULM), including the “Air Plume” and “Avid Flyer.”
1984
Competitive Milestone
Sean Kelly wins a legendary edition of Paris-Roubaix using the Tout Mavic system and SSC rims.
1985
Product Innovation
Launch of the Comète carbon fiber disc wheel, the first commercially available wheel of its kind.
1985 (Dec 7)
Corporate Tragedy
Owner Bruno Gormand dies in a car accident; his widow, Madame Cecile Gormand, assumes the Presidency.
1985 (late)
Product Innovation
Introduction of the MA, MA2 and MA40 rim series, featuring a slightly wider 20.5 mm profile for increased rigidity.
1986
Product Innovation
Introduction of the Comète “+ and -“ disc, featuring 12 cells for perimeter steel ballast weights to adjust inertia.
1988
Brand Identity
Mavic adopts the uniform parallelogram logo with slanted italic text on a yellow background.
1989
Racing Victory
Greg LeMond wins the Tour de France by eight seconds using an “all-Mavic” bike equipped with the Comète disc and Tout Mavic system.
1990
Corporate Change
Madame Gormand agrees to a management buy-out (MBO), passing the firm to four key executive members and a financial partner.
1992
Racing Victory
Chris Boardman wins Olympic pursuit gold in Barcelona using Mavic’s 3G three-spoke wheel and Comète disc.
1993
Technology Innovation
Launch of ZMS (Zap Mavic System), the world’s first microprocessor-controlled rear derailleur.
1994
Acquisition
The French winter sports giant Salomon acquires 100% ownership of Mavic.
1994
Product Breakthrough
Launch of the Cosmic, heralding the shift toward the “global system” approach to wheel design.
1996
Product Innovation
Simultaneous launch of the ultra-light Helium road and Crossmax MTB system wheelsets.
1998
Corporate Merger
Salomon joins with Adidas to form the Adidas-Salomon group.
1999
Technology Innovation
Launch of Mektronic, the first wireless electronic drivetrain using digitally coded radio waves.
1999
Product Breakthrough
Mavic introduces Fore technology (closed rim base) and the Crossmax UST Tubeless wheel system.
2002
Technology Patent
Mavic registers the ISM (Inter Spoke Milling) patent for machining rim surfaces to reduce rotational mass.
2005
Acquisition
Amer Sports acquires Mavic and Salomon from Adidas.
2008
Range Expansion
Mavic expands into a full line of cycling footwear, apparel and pedals.
2010
Technology Shift
Introduction of Wheel-Tyre Systems, designing rims and tires in conjunction to improve system responsiveness.
2019
Corporate Ownership
Amer Sports divests Mavic to Regent LP; ownership confusion follows involving M Sports International LLC.
2020 (July)
Acquisition
The Bourrelier Group acquires Mavic, returning the company to its roots as a family-run SME.
2022
Racing Milestone
Shimano replaces Mavic as the neutral service provider for the Tour de France, ending nearly 50 years of yellow car presence.
2023
Anniversary / Identity
Mavic celebrates its 134th anniversary in Annecy with a new inclusive positioning and updated logo.
Join the Mavic Heritage Discussion!
From the legendary SSC rims to the ‘Starfish’ cranksets, Mavic’s engineering defined the modern peloton. Share your technical observations and macro photos in our Deep-Dive forum.
