Cooper Takes on Two Wheels

2010/2011 UPDATE

Cooper Bikes are produced in Taiwan by Maxway (see the rear drop outs for manufacturer verification). The Sturmey Archer brand name is now owned by Asian manufacturer Sun Race. The Sturmey Archer components are now produced in Asia by Sun Race and its assignees, for example the front hubs are most likely manufactured by Formula of Asia. The Sturmey Archer labeled crank sets most likely are produced by Sun Race or one of its assignees and again of Asian origin. The Reynolds 520 tubing is an entry level, butted cro-moly tubing about the same quality as any other Asian produced butted cro-moly tubing. The Reynolds web site states: “The Reynolds ’520′ range uses the same alloy, made under license for us in Taiwan and subject to the same quality standards.” There are other Maxway produced bicycles with similar (if not better) specifications and leather saddles, including Brooks branded saddles, for around the $850 to $900 price range by such brand names as Raleigh and Torelli in the US which is below the $1175 target retail price for the Cooper T100 series offerings . Our industry insights lead us to speculate that the higher pricing may be due to an additional profit layer in the US distribution channel.

The Cooper T 100 series geometries are longer wheel based, longer top tube geometries configurations so they can not considered purely as track bikes but more as slacker geometry track styled commuter bicycles. The lack of rack and fender braze on fittings limits the use of such accessories to seat post clamped racks and brake bolt mounted mini fenders instead of the full on rack and fender applications preferred by most commuters. That being said it is not a full on track bike or commuter bike but something in between, therefore, it is difficult to define Cooper’s design goals for the T 100 offerings. The short stack height of the ahead stem/headset system also diminishes this bikes ability to adjust the handle bar height for a more relaxed commuter setting which further inhibits this bikes comfort and adjustability factors since a complete stem change is necessary for higher handle bar positioning.

We do not know how much of the Mini Cooper automobile production is done in England but we can say none of the Cooper bicycle T100 series production is done there except for possibly the saddles!

The T200 Reims/T200 CHAMPIONSHIP 50/T250 Aintree Series are fabricated with Reynolds 531 butted tubing. This is a Manganese/Molybdenum steel alloy that only lends itself to lugged construction executions. 531 tubing was one of the most dominant, original race bicycle tubing choices for high end racing bikes from the 1960’s/1970’s era. It was the advent of Asian bicycle production at the time that made this tubing and fabrication obsolete. The time consuming, complicated and geometry limiting aspects of lugged frame fabrications that this tubing required fell out of favor in the world of mass produced bicycles. Due to the advent in the current bicycle market for retro styling and use of popularly past materials and fabrication techniques 531 lugged frames have found their way back to Asian fabrication facilities. The drawback is that these Asian mass production offerings do not have the same ride quality for which these materials were famous and the liveliness and responsiveness of the frames is often diminished by modern mass production fabrication methods. The Cooper US target retail pricing is again higher when compared to other market counter parts utilizing Reynolds 531 lugged frames and our industry insights lead us to speculate that the higher pricing may be due to an additional profit layer in the US distribution channel. The T200 Reims and T250 Aintree are targeted to be priced at $1750, the T200 Championship 50 is targeted to be priced at $1650. Those prices are for Asian produced bicycles with Asian components regardless of their British nomenclatures with the possible exception of the Brooks saddles and there are many more affordably priced offerings in the US market with similar specifications.