About Ebykr
Ebykr celebrates classic and vintage lightweight bicycles through provoking imagery and opinion. Let's roll together!
Cycles Automoto Timeline From its purposeful origins in Saint-Étienne, the legendary “cycling capital of France,” the history of Cycles Automoto is a testament to early industrial innovation and refined craftsmanship. Founded in 1889 by four businessmen who shared a passion…
Cycles Automoto History Cycles Automoto was a pioneering manufacturer of bicycles and motorcycles founded at the turn of the 20th century in Saint-Étienne, France. Well regarded for thoughtful design and meticulous construction, Automoto grew in popularity until merging with the…
All About the Francs, and Palmarès Very few marques from classic cycling’s golden years are as simultaneously transparent and opaque as Cycles Mercier. Wonderful examples of the company’s craftmanship abound in their namesake bicycles, spanning the pre-War 1920s through the…
The story of Cycles Mercier is inextricably linked to its master strategy of brand management and horizontal integration, a philosophy that ensured its longevity even as smaller rivals struggled to survive. Over its 66-year reign, Mercier established no fewer than…
The storied history of Cycles Mercier spans well over a century now, marked by rapid industrialization, a long-running racing dynasty, pioneering technical innovations (like the Méca Dural frame), and dramatic corporate collapses and revivals (note the use of plurals here).…
Step back in time and explore a wonderful collection of original advertising posters from the venerable French marque, Cycles Automoto. Spanning the company’s peak years from 1899 to 1950, this gallery showcases the artistry and ambition that primed the golden…
Legnano stands firmly among the tallest names in all of Italian cycling racing history. Founder Emilio Bozzi and his namesake bicycle and component manufacturer and distributor tapped into a collective competitive spirit to usher in modern transportation solutions starting back…
Legnano secured its rightful place in the great tradition of Italian cycling many epochs ago. This is largely because Legnano was and remains among the winningest brands in all of cycling racing history, with professional road greats like Alfredo Binda,…
The job of a bicycle designer parallels that of a surgeon in many senses: triage what’s wrong, decide what no longer functions, find a way to solve the problem and repair or replace whatever needs fixing. And like any good…
Joseph “Jo” Routens was one of the greatest makers of randonneur, cyclotouring and cyclosportif bicycles in all of cycling history. The only other name regularly considered alongside his more aged contemporaries, Rene Herse and Alex Singer, Routens was distinct from these…
