USA made cycling gear

52 Comments

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Components

616 Fabrication | hubs
A’me | grips
Brooklyn Machine Works | stems, pedals, seatposts, headsets
Chris King Precision Components
Endless Bike Company
Enve Composites
English Aero Hubs
ESI | grips
Hed.
Hadley Hubs available at Balle Racing
Homebrewed Components
Industry Nine
Lizard Skins
MUD (Manufacturer of Unique Designs)
Newbaum’s | cloth bar tape
ODI | grips
Oury | grips
Paul Component Engineering
Phil Wood
Selle An-Atomica | saddles
Thomson
Wheels Manufacturing Inc. | derailleur hangers, repair parts, bearings, specialty tools
White Industries

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Clothing & Shoes

Apocalypse Designs | Pogies and other cold weather gear
Alchemist | custom technical and casual cycling apparel
All American Clothing | not cycling specific, but, e.g., cargo shorts that I often ride in
B Spoke Tailor
Beyond Clothing | not cycling specific except for cap, but custom outerwear
Bicycle Fixation
Blue Bear Clothing
Bouré
Center for Appropriate Transport | rain capes, helmet cover
Chippewa Boots | not cycling specific, but boots for expedition touring
Cleverhood | rain cape
Club Ride
CycleSkirt | light colorful skirt for wearing after ride
Dargelos | fashionable reflective vest
Darn Tough | socks
DeFeet | socks, shoe covers, base layers
Dirtbaggies | Shell shorts and bibs
Dogwood Designs (available from Revelate) | Pogies 
Ibex Outdoor Clothing (most items)
Iva Jean | rain capes
Henschel Hats | not cycling specific, but hats for touring
J&G Cyclewear | rain gear including jackets, pants, shoe covers
Jones Wares
Kucharik | Wool clothing
Liquid Eyewear | sunglasses
Nona Varnado | urban cycling clothing for women
Nonetheless Garments | urban cycling apparel
Nuu-Muu | women’s athletic dresses
Okabashi | not cycling specific, but great sandals
Outlier
Pace Sportswear | jerseys, shorts, headwear, winter, base layers
Road Holland | jerseys
Riivo Shoes | Cycling shoes including custom and semi-custom
Search and State | jerseys and jacket
Shredly | women’s mountain bike apparel
Snappy Caps
Stormy Kromer | not cycling specific, but caps, women’s caps, shirts, etc. for touring
Swiftwick | cycling compression socks
Swobo (selected items)
Swrve (selected items)
Teko Socks
Vere Sandals | not cycling specific, but flip flops for taking on tour
Vespertine | stylish reflective accessories for urban riding
Voler | clothing, including custom and semi-custom
Wabi Woolens
Walz Caps
Weinbrenner | not cycling specific but shoes, boots and shoe covers for expedition touring
Wigwam | Socks & beanies

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Panniers, Bags, Racks, & Baskets

Acorn | canvas saddlebags
Baileyworks | messenger bags
Duluth Pack | canvas panniers, saddlebags
eoGear | top tube bags, technical saddlebags
Fabric Horse | bags, clothing, clothing accessories
Frost River | canvas panniers, saddlebags
Hans Bagworks | bags and accessories
Inertia Designs | panniers, seat bags, bar bags
Inside Line Equipment | bags, backpacks, rack packs, porteur bags
Ironweed | canvas panniers
Laplander Bags | panniers, saddlebags
Lone Peak | panniers
North St Bags | stock and custom panniers, backpack/pannier convertibles, and accessories
Old Man Mountain | expedition racks
Philosophy Bag Co. | panniers, bags
Pocampo (selected items, check each) | fashionable bags, panniers
Richard Jones Convertible Backpacks | panniers that convert to a backpack
Rickshaw Bagworks | messenger bags, velo zipper backpack
Rivendell (selected items, check each) | bags
Randi Jo Fabrications | softgoods for cycling
Swift Industries | panniers, saddlebags, porteur bags
Tallac Design  | small frame bags
Truce | backpacks, saddle bags
United Pedal | saddle bags
Wald | baskets, racks

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Bikepacking Gear

Alpacka Raft | packrafts
Bedrock Bags | handlebar bags, stem bags, custom frame bags
Carousel Design Works | framepacks, seatpacks, handlebar slings, gastanks
Cleaveland Mountaineering | framepacks, seatpacks, handlebar bags, gastanks
Clikstand | pot stands and windscreens for alcohol stoves, pots
Enlightened Equipment | quilts
Equinox | stuff sacks, tarps, ultralight gear
Feathered Friends | down sleeping bags, garments
Hamilton Threadworks | framebags and seatbags
Hyperlite Mountain Gear | shelters, packs, sack
J. Paks  | custom adventure cycling frame bags
Jacks ‘R’ Better | quilts, hammocks, shelters
Luke’s Ultralight | custom ultra lightweight gear and clothing
Mountain Laurel Designs | tarps, tents, bivysacks
MSR | stoves
Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks | framebags, seatpacks, handlebar slings, gastanks
Nunatak | down quilts, sleeping bags, garments
Oveja Negra Threadworks | framepacks, seatpacks, handlebar bags, gastanks
Porta-Pack | framepacks, top tube packs
Revelate Designs | framepacks, seatpacks, handlebar slings, gastanks
Tarptent | ultralight shelters
Thermarest (Cascade Designs) | sleeping pads
Warbonnet Outdoors | hammocks, tarps, quilts
Western Mountaineering | Sleeping Bags
Zelph Stoves | alcohol stoves
Zpack | custom ultra lightweight shelters and other gear

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 Accessories

Bright-Bike | dynamo powered USB charger
DiNotte Lighting | lights
Greenfield | kickstands
Hubbub | helmet mirror
Jet Lites | lights
King Cage | bottle cages and accessories
Liberty Bottleworks | Aluminum bottles
Light and Motion | lights
Nite Rider Lights | lights
Polar Bottle | insulated bike bottles
Upstanding Bicycle Co. | upstand lightweight kick stand

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Bicycles
Any small custom steel frame builder in the USA (my favorite is Rob English)

616 Bicycle Fabrication | mountain, ‘cross and fat bikes
Aegis
Bike Friday
Bowery Lane Bicycles
Calfee Design
Dean
Ellsworth
Heritage Bicycles
Independent Fabrication
Intense Cycles
Fatback Snow Bikes
Firefly
Groovy Cycle Works
Jones
Lenz Sport
Lynskey
Moots
Parlee
Qball
Rock Lobster
Rodriguez
Salsa’s titanium models including Fargo Ti &  Vaya Ti (made by Linskey)
Santa Cruz Stigmata Cyclocross
Serotta
Seven Cycles
Spooky Bicycles
Trek Madone 6 Series and Trek Superfly
Turner
Twenty2 Cycles
Ventana Mountain Bikes
Worksman Cycles
9Zero7 Snow Bikes, titanium made in USA

52 thoughts on “USA made cycling gear”

    • Thanks, Vik! Dunno if it counts as contributing to the US economy (where does he pay taxes and buy his groceries?) but we’ll let readers decide ;-)

      All the best,
      Joe

      Reply

  2. I can’t speak to Scott, but I like most Canadians contribute a big chunk of our discretionary income to the US and US owned companies. My biggest purchase in the last 10years was a Ford F150 truck made in a US plant for example. My bikes were either made in the US or sold to me by a US company.

    So from that perspective I’d say Canadians help out with the US economy quite a bit…=-)

    safe riding,

    Vik
    http://www.thelazyrando.com

    Reply

  7. ESI silicone grips are made in USA, as well. i love them.
    -jeffrey

    also, thank you for putting this list together. i built my newest bike in 2003. it is all USA, Canada, and europe, except for the front derailleur (i pulled it off one of my other bikes). i think it would be much harder to do this today. i am putting this website in my bookmarks.

    Reply

  9. I was disappointed to discover that my Earth, Wind & Rider LS wool jersey is “made in China” not the US. ;-(

    Reply

    • Hey Mateo, that is disappointing. EWR has evidently followed so many companies in making the switch to overseas production. I can’t find much information on their current website. Thanks for letting me know, I’ve taken them off the list.

      Reply

  10. Here’s another for the list! North St. Bags in Portland, Oregon. Curtis specializes in panniers and convertible backpack-panniers. I own a set of his Route 7 panniers and Avenue B backpack-panniers. And he’s building me a handlebar bag!
    http://northstbags.com/

    Reply

  14. Thanks for posting this list; I didn’t have some of these. I also keep a running list of USA-made products. One of these days I’ll get around to adding to it our site. In the meantime, I’ll throw some others out there:

    Clothing:

    http://www.bicycleclothing.com/index.html (J&G Cyclewear makes MUSA rain jackets, pants, helmet covers, poncho, etc.)
    http://missionworkshop.com/products/apparel/jacket/waterproof-orion.php (Waterproof/breathable Schoeller jacket)
    http://www.coldlizard.com/ (all MUSA with some cycling specific apparel)
    http://www.mocean.net/default.asp (MUSA patrol wear with many cycling specific technical pieces)
    http://beyondclothing.com/ (custom technical clothing)
    http://brooks-range.com/home.php (majority of their products are MUSA)
    http://www.raggedmountain.com/ (lots of fleece jackets, vest, pants & gloves all MUSA)
    https://www.taigaworks.ca/ (I know, a Canadian company – but they make a ton of stuff in Canada like sleeping bags, waterproof shells, down-ware and,best of all, some great cycling specific clothing including the best waterproof commuter/touring booties I’ve ever used)
    http://www.westcomb.com/ (I know, I know another Canadian company – but they make the most bombproof shells in the world out of eVent and the even-better NeoShell. Their stuff is truly incredible)

    Quilts and/or sleeping bags, etc.:

    http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index.htm
    http://wiggys.com/

    Tents, etc.:

    http://warmlite.com/ (“Stephensons Warmlite” – some sleeping bags too)
    http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/LunarDuo.html
    http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=105
    http://www.lightheartgear.com/
    http://bigskyproducts.com/Big-Sky-Mirage-2P-shelter.aspx [Select Products]
    http://shop.bivysack.com/main.sc [Oware also makes tarps, a cheap sleeping bag VBL (vapor barrier liner), bivy’s, etc.

    Components:

    http://retroshift.com/ (not 100% MUSA due to reliance on Tawainese levers but an ingenious idea nonetheless)
    http://store.handlebra.com/product_p/hb-black.htm (MUSA leather handlebar tape)

    Finally, much to my dismay, Swrve has started to have a good chunk of their apparel made in Pakistan. Their “Black Label” branded stuff is all still MUSA.

    Enjoy! :)

    Reply

  15. As of fairly recently, Velocity rims are MUSA. (Their site claims to be mid-update, so I linked to their official blog post instead as I figured the link was less likely to go bad.)

    Reply

  17. Thanks for this great list- got a replacement jacket from J&G. FWI- I noticed that aerotech in particular has outsourced their jackets so no MUSA that I could find from them. Seemed like J&G has really got a niche for themselves…

    Reply

  18. Thanks for this great list- I got a jacket from J&G who seem to have found a great niche. A lot of the other vendors (Aerotech for instance) appear to have “outsources” their jackets but left that detail in very small print…

    Reply

  19. Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks is based out of Texas. Check them out on Facebook. Really awesome high quality hand made bike packing gear!

    Reply

  20. Po Campo makes some of its bike bags (panniers and handlebar bags) in the USA. They used to all be made in the USA, and now they’re starting to make some in China (bummer!). http://pocampo.com/

    Thanks for this list! I’m looking to buy a new road bike (preferably for under $2,000) and I’d like it to be USA-made. I didn’t realize how difficult it was going to be! Thanks for narrowing down the process. :)

    Reply

    • Hi Tanya. Thank you for the update on Po Campo. I’ve changed the listing, above. And best wishes on getting a USA-made road bike. As you’re no doubt finding, keeping it under 2k is going to be tricky. What about getting an aluminum road or cyclocross frame (e.g., the Ellsworth Roots, which I think is made in-house by them) and then fork, wheels, and parts package from a discount on-line source?

      From time to time I’ve thought about trying to build up a bike with as much USA sourced elements as is possible. Some things, like tires, are just not possible. It would, of course, just be a hobby exercise (and, alas, an expensive one at that).

      Joe

      Reply

      • For around US$2000, don’t forget the USA-made TIG welded Rodriguez framesets & complete bikes:

        http://www.rodbikes.com/

        I’ll also put in a plug here that the notion of USA-made can be extended morally to “non-sweatshop made”, thus making the sourcing of an “ethical bicycle” a much more feasible endeavor.

        Looking only slightly afield, for instance, there are two mass produced frame manufacturers located just across the northern border in Quebec, Marinoni & Devinci. Each sell complete bikes AND stand-alone frames (the latter of which that could serve as a jumping off point) several of which (complete bikes) come in for around US$2000. These and others can be found here:

        http://www.canadianmade.com/bikes.htm

        Also, assuming you’re not averse to steel, its not a bad idea to consider buying (via ebay, craiglist, etc.) a used USA-made steel frame, having it sand blasted, checked for damage, customized if need be (adding or removing braze-ons, etc.) and then powder coated. Components purchased piecemeal either new, a mix of new and old/gently-used, or all used then completes the ride.

        As an example of what’s possible, one of my favorite bikes is a c.1974 Raleigh Super Course MKii (main tubes are Reynolds 531) that I found hanging in a barn and modified into an almost “all-ethical fixie” back in 2007. Fixies (or single speeds) offer great potential to stay relatively inexpensive and domestic thanks to their modest use of parts and the existence of US-fabricators like Phil Wood, Paul, White Industries, Chris King, Velocity, etc. offering exceptional parts. In my build, I tore the bike down, used a torch to remove unnecessary braze-ons and (with the donation of some left-over flux and silver solder from a LBS brazed on some new ones, paid a company to media blast and then powder coat it, purchased a Taiwanese (I know!) fork with canti bosses and the various other required components and used a 3T stem, half a set of XTR M900 canti-brakes and a Brooks saddle I already owned to build it all up new. A little Weigels’s frame-saver later and the bike will now easily outlast me. And all for just under US$1000. In fact, my avatar highlights this bike’s seatpost cluster. I could have (and probably should have) gone US-made as I describe above, but I chose instead to pay homage to the bike’s quasi-continental heritage by staying (apart from the new Taiwanese fork) Italian and French (Miche & Mavic). The bike offers a workout unparalleled by multiple geared or freewheeled bikes.

        Where there’s a will, there’s a way – good luck! :)

      • Thanks for the tips, Joe and Kai. Rodruiguez is at the top of my list. I’m also open to buying a used bike, but my first preference is to buy new. I’m hesitant to buy a bunch of parts separately and build it up since I’m not a bike expert. I kind of would feel more comfortable being able to test-ride a bike that’s already been built so I can see if it feels right for me.

    • Tanya,

      Really good point about “fit”. Along those lines please allow me to suggest that you to get in touch with a reputable frame builder and have them provide, in exchange for modest payment, a general idea about what size frame/general geometry you are looking for. This knowledge is priceless. Basically, you provide them your various anatomical measurements per their instructions plus tell them what kind of riding you are looking to do and they (likely using a spreadsheet/program or some old-school figuring) produce a sheet of paper with the dimensions of your ideal frame that includes suggested stem length/rise, suggested seat post type, suggested crank lengths, etc. With this information in hand you’re then empowered to go out into the world to compare and contrast the various product offerings, whether new or used. Without this essential information, you might find yourself floundering and thus at the relative mercy of well-intentioned but perhaps unqualified shop hands and/or others who don’t necessarily have your best interests in mind. Arm yourself with a little expert knowledge and you might find a whole world opening up to you that you didn’t even know was there. After all US$2000 is a lot of money and it would be unfortunate for it to go to waste on a bike that you don’t absolutely love.

      Finally, I hear your hesitation towards buying random parts. I find that one of the best parts of my love for bicycles is the skill I have acquired to build them and fix them. While I generally leave the tool-intensive jobs like reaming, headset and initial bottom bracket installation and wheel building to my trusted LBS, I do everything else. Of course, back in the day I didn’t know how to do any of this stuff. But thanks to a local private initiative – a shop set up to rent tools and stands and provide instruction – and some trial and error, I learned the basics which I then practiced until I became capable (at least I like to think so!).

      So, if you’re at all open to the idea of expanding your current skill-set, and interested in exerting even more control over your cycling, then make sure to check out the offerings (particularly any women-only opportunities) that may exist in your town. A bicycle seems like a complicated thing, but the beauty is that its simplicity reveals itself once a rider gains some experience. And the feeling that comes from being you’re own mechanic is truly awesome. Here’s some inspiration (pay particular to the young Ghanian women’s story beginning at 5:22):

      http://news.linktv.org/videos/with-my-own-two-wheels

      Good luck! :)

      Reply

  24. Nice list, now if only I could find a list of companies that make their own products. If I buy a frame from a French or Italian company I want it to be made there not just “finished”.

    Reply

  26. I appreciate you compiling this list. I’ve been making conscious purchases for a long time so it’s nice to see where I should look first for my bicycle needs. Question for everyone and anyone: are there really no helmets made in the states? I’ve done a ton of searching and all I can come up with is cheaper models sold at stores I would rather not support. Thanks again for the great list and the blog.

    Reply

  27. Hey, that’s great! I wonder when they changed their policy? Last I’d checked they were domestic only. Back when I shopped there I could only do so when I found myself in Totonto, Montreal or Quebec City (for that very reason). Thanks for the update!

    Reply

  28. Hi Joe –

    Amazing website and incredibly useful info!. i am in the market for a touring bike. First time Touring bike. Plan on touring by end of this yr. Torn between Surly LHT or Co-motion Pangea. I have heard mixed reviews regarding Surlys but that is what i have been leaning towards but will certainly consider the Pangea as well. Kindly help plz.

    Reply

    • Hi Fred,

      Sorry for the delay in replying, and thank you for the kind words.

      I’m happy to hear about your ambition to tour. The human pace and scale of it makes it for me the best way to see places and people. I hope you enjoy it.

      I’m surprised that you’ve heard mixed reports about the Long Haul Trucker. I view it as an incredible value in a stable, versatile, capable bike. I rode my LHT in Nepal, in Southeast Asia, and in the Middle East. I still have one, though I usually ride other bicycles now. I honestly think there’s no ground for complaint about that bicycle.

      Now, the Pangea is undoubtably a lovely machine. Co-Motion is a top company, their work is impeccable, and they’re an important part of the Eugene, Oregon community. I doubt you’d be unhappy with one of those, but do you need that high end a bike to start out with? My instinct says LHT, but say more about the considerations that are driving you.

      All best,
      Joe

      Reply

      • Thanks for your reply! and feedback regarding the Surly. Later on this month or end of May after saving up some Cash i plan on jumping in and purchasing a complete surly bike from a dealer in Pismo beach California (gives me a reason to visit the coast). I’m about 2 hrs away from the coast inland in Bakersfield. Any other piece of info or advise you feel may come in handy down the road?

  30. Thanks for jumping in to apply a bit of a humorous reaction. Yeah, I deleted the spamming post but it might have been funnier to leave it.

    Cheers.

    Reply

  31. Apparently so. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI):

    “There are still millions of bicycle helmets made every year in the US. Most are made by Bell in Rantoul, IL, and are marked “Assembled in the USA from components made in China and the USA.” They are in Bell’s low-cost line, found at Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other big box discount stores. The higher end includes their Impulse, a round, smooth helmet that is molded in the shell. We do not know of any other major manufacturer making bicycle helmets here in the US. We do not know of any bicycle helmet manufacturer or vendor who would satisfy the Buy America Act requirement that the product is assembled in America and all parts down to the sub-component level must be made in America as well. If you find one, please let us know.”

    [Source: http://www.helmets.org/madewhere.htm%5D

    Now the good news – there are several options just north of the border. I recently noticed that MEC (Mountain Equipment Cooperative) is retailing several of “Made in USA” Bell helmets and also several “Made in Germany” Alpina helmets. So, if you are located anywhere near any of the large Canadian cities that boast an MEC retail store OR if you know anyone living in Canada willing to accept a mail order delivery on your behalf (MEC doesn’t ship outside Canada) and then reship the package to you, you’re in luck. And lest my mention of MEC be construed as my support of their current business practices, think again. In the last decade, the “co-op” has been sourcing more and more of its products from sweatshop factories located in far away countries having little or no labor or environmental standards. But I’ll give credit where credit it due and point you in their direction for western-made bicycle helmets.

    Finally, according again to BHSI at least one of Louis Garneau’s helmet models is made in Canada (although MEC chooses to not offer the LG line). But LG is sold all over the US so maybe you can do some googling and find a retailer selling their Made In Canada offerings. If you’re in or nearby to Vermont, LG has an outlet in the tiny city of Newport well worth a visit. They regularly have a large supply of USA-made cycling kit for sale at absurdly low prices.

    Good luck! :)

    Reply

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