There are hundreds of brands of mountain bikes in the world, but the most famous brands are mostly imported. So, how can you be sure that the bike you’re buying is whether American-made or not?
It’s true that American-made bikes are the best, but they can be expensive. That’s why you can find cheaper bikes that are being imported from Asia. But there are some good American-made bikes that are worth the money.
American-made mountain bike brands are hard to find. Most of the American mountain bike brands that we see on store shelves or any online store are 99 percent of the time mainly imported from Asia.
If you’re looking for an American-made mountain bike brand, you’re in the right place. Here we have compiled a list of American-made brands in a random manner that is known for producing high-quality bikes.
American Mountain Bike Brands That Are Truly Made In USA
According to our research, we have compiled a list of the best mountain bike brands that are really made in the USA.
1. Guerrilla Gravity
Based in Denver, Colorado, Guerrilla Gravity was founded with a vision of American-made Mountain bikes by three lifelong mountain bikers namely Will, Matt, and Kristy. They all had different passions and interests that meshed perfectly with the three founders’ backgrounds.
The brand was registered as LLC in 2011, but made their first bike in 2012 and started their showroom combining with their bike assembly and manufacturing setup in 2013.
In 2017, Guerrilla Gravity started to build modular frames, to help you with different travel modes (long or short) and optimize bike geometry with different riding styles and terrain.
Guerrilla Gravity patented a new revolutionary Revved Carbon Technology in 2019, to allow them to manufacture American-made carbon frames without compromising on durability and cost.
These Revved carbon frames are proved to be 300% more impact-resistant, yet provide the same strength and stiffness as traditional carbon frames.
2. Alchemy Bikes
Alchemy is a premium handcrafted American-made bike brand, which focuses on quality rather than quantity. Alchemy Bicycles was founded in 2008 with the aim to design and build the best riding road, all-road, gravel, and mountain bikes.
They are committed to building the best of the best carbon fiber and titanium bikes. They believe in giving their riders a direct-to-customer approach with a 30 days refund policy, where they can deliver a bike that’s truly unique and fits the different styles of each individual rider.
3. Revel Bikes
Carbondale, Colorado-based Revel Bikes is a relatively younger brand as compared to their counterparts, which was founded by Adam Miller in 2016. Revel Bikes focuses on building carbon fiber full-suspension using CBF (Canfield Balance Formula) suspension mountain bikes. Their lineup includes 27.5″, 29″ and 700c (27.5″ compatible) with lifetime warranty.
Revel Bikes are committed to making the world a better place, by minimizing or eliminating the use of harsh chemicals in the manufacturing process.
One of the greatest advancements of Revel bikes in the biking industry is that they have created the first carbon fiber wheels that are fully recyclable.
Revel Bikes has recently introduced more durable rims, which are 15 to 100 percent more impact resistant and 100 grams lighter than their competitors, which makes them one step ahead of their competitors.
4. Litespeed Bikes
Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Litespeed Titanium was owned and founded by Lynskey Performance in 1986.
Later on, Lynskey Performance sold Litespeed Bicycles in 1999. For more than 34 years, Litespeed has been making top-of-the-line Premium handcrafted Titanium and Carbon Fiber road, gravel, and mountain bikes.
Litespeed has a rich history of winning awards and innovating things. Within two years of its founding, Litespeed Bikes had been awarded the “Best of Cycling” award from Bicycle Guide Magazine.
They were sought for help because of their expertise in Titanium by NASA including in landing gear Curiosity Rover. Litespeed Titanium had also won “Tour de France” which is one of the prestigious competitions of Men’s bicycle race.
5. Lynskey Performance
Lynskey Performance is a well-known name brand in the American bike industry based in Chattanooga, Tennessee founded by the Lynskey family on January 1, 2006. Before starting out Lynskey Performance, they also founded and operated historical success Litespeed Titanium bikes, which they sold in 1999.
They currently have five hardtail bikes in their lineup. They are the pioneered of many modern titanium bikes including Helix tubing technology.
6. Reeb Cycles
Reeb Cycles is based in Lyons, Colorado which was founded by Dale Katechis along with Chad Melis in 2011. The bikes that they produce are made with American-made parts and with the use of US-based factories.
The company’s name comes from the founder who also had a history with Oskar Blues Brewery before starting a Reeb Cycles (“REEB is beer if you spelled backward!”).
Currently, they have three mountain bikes in their lineup which include Sqweeb V4, Redikyelous, and Dikyelous2. Jeff Lenosky, an American professional rider, had praised the Sqweeb for one of the best bikes he had ever ridden.
7. Moots Cycles
Colorado-based Moots Cycles is an American-made bike brand that was founded in 1981 by Kent Eriksen, who is now a member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.
They have a reputation for producing some of the best mountain bikes in the world, and they continue to innovate new products and designs. Moots is a company that specializes in manufacturing high-quality lightweight titanium mountain and road bikes.
Moots Cycles is one of the few brands that provide a lifetime warranty on their frames, which shows their quality-oriented work in building bikes.
8. Mosaic Cycles
A former welder named Aaron Barcheck founded Mosaic Cycles in 2009 in Boulder, Colorado. The founder had worked in building titanium frames for straight seven years before launching Mosaic Cycles.
The bikes are built to be the best for the rider. Mosaic Cycles are all handbuilt titanium and steel frames and built to a very high standard.
The frames are then finished to a high level of perfection. Mosaic Cycles manufactures bikes across various disciplines from mountain bike to road bike, gravel bike, and cyclo-cross.
9. Independent Fabrication
A group of former employees of Fat City Cycles started Independent Fabrication in 1995 after it was sold in 1994. After many years of working with the best materials, Independent Fabrication designed the best steel mountain bike frames.
They now have two models in their lineup Deluxe and Chubby D-lux, with the Deluxe model having two options of the frame (Titanium and Steel). In 2011, they moved to about 150+ year-old building in Newmarket, New Hampshire.
10. Wyatt Bikes
Wyatt Bikes is a relatively new American-made bike brand founded by Wyatt Hrudka in 2011 which is based in Bangor village of Wisconsin. They are on a mission to manufacture high-quality American-made bikes.
Their current lineup includes a hardtail mountain bike and a fat tire bike. Vista is a hardtail bike designed to tackle trails, while Maverick is a fat tire bike that is built for the rider who wants to go for a ride anywhere.
11. Chumba USA
Austin, Texas-based Chumba USA had started making frames in California back in the early 1990s. They now manufacture handmade custom-built steel and titanium mountain bikes along with steel and titanium focused gravel and All-road bikes.
12. No.22 Bicycle Company
No.22 Bicycles is a Canadian company founded by Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey. They have been designing their frames in Canada, but manufacture their bikes in Johnstown, New York production facility.
It’s a fact that raw and anodized titanium is the perfect material for creating the most modern frames. As a result, No. 22 Bicycles has produced some gorgeous looking anodized frames and won several awards at NAHBS.
But the real beauty of No. 22’s design is its clean lines and contemporary finishes that showcase the beauty of raw and anodized titanium.
13. Ritchey Bikes
Tom Ritchey is the founder and Idea behind Ritchey Bikes which is based in San Carlos, California, which was started in the early 1970s.
The founder has a rich history of building frames including modern frame building and was the first to manufacture modernized mountain bikes.
Ritchey Bikes is a well-known brand for building high-quality, performance-oriented made in USA bikes. They manufacture across several other bike disciplines including mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel bikes, and cyclo-cross bikes.
14. Intense Cycles
Intense Cycles has been around since the 1990s. We all know Jeff Steber, the founder of Intense bikes. He is the man responsible for the first-ever full-suspension downhill mountain bike.
Intense Cycles line of downhill bikes has become a worldwide phenomenon, thanks to the Intense Factory Racing Teams which included star riders like Shaun Palmer and later, Chris Kovarik, Nigel Page, and Sam Hill.
Factory team members have been with the brand since the very beginning and they continue to be a part of every aspect of their product development process.
With the support of this intense factory racing team, they are able to bring you the world-cup-proven race bikes. Intense Cycles dealing in various disciplines of Mountain biking with 27.5″ and 29″ models and E-bikes.
The aluminum bikes they used to make were most likely made in America, however, the carbon fiber frames they make are manufactured in Asia and shipped across the world.
What Does “Made In The USA” Mean?
It is essential to know that “made in the USA” does not have a legal definition. Suppose companies wish to use the “made in the USA” label. In that case, they must follow guidelines provided by the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces truth-in-advertising laws.
A product can only be labeled as “made in the USA” if all or nearly all of its parts and manufacturing are American. The product must be assembled entirely in the USA or, if imported, must undergo significant transformation in the USA.
You can find more information about this topic in our detailed article. Only products that meet these guidelines can be labeled “made in the USA.”
When looking for American-made bicycles, look for companies that assemble their bikes in the USA from American-made parts.
Materials
You must examine the materials used to determine whether a product can be considered “made in the USA.” A bike comprises two main parts: the frame and the wheels.
Frame
The quality and durability of a bike are determined by the material used to make the frame. Steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber are the most common materials used in bicycle manufacturing. Steel bikes are your best bet if you want one made entirely from American materials.
- Steel
Steel is the most commonly used material for bike frames in the USA, which can be sourced from anywhere worldwide. Steel frames for bicycles are more accessible to source than other materials because some US companies specialize in steel frame production.
- Aluminum
A few companies manufacture aluminum bikes with US-made frames, but most import aluminum tubing. A few places in the world produce aluminum, but most of it comes from China.
Carbon Fiber
As for carbon fiber, it’s possible to find US-made carbon fiber, but it’s costly, so bike manufacturers rarely use it. China manufactures the majority of carbon fiber frames on the market. Therefore, if you want a carbon fiber bike, it may not be entirely “made in the USA.”
Wheels
Besides the frame, wheels make up the rest of the bicycle. Rubber is generally used for wheel tracks.
Rubber
You should also consider rubber as a material. Bicycle tires contain a lot of rubber, but handlebar grips and saddle covers also include rubber. While US-made rubber is available, imported rubber is more common.
US-made rubber has a different consistency than imported rubber, so you may have to try a few before you find one you like. Because imported rubber is cheaper and more consistent in quality, most bike manufacturers in the USA use it.
Labeling
Look for the “made in the USA” label on a bike to determine whether it was made in the USA. Most companies proud of their US-made products will clarify that they are made in this country.
Labels that claim the bike is made in the USA may be misleading, such as “Assembled in the USA” or “Designed in the USA.” These labels may suggest that the entire bike is made here when, in fact, only certain parts or the final assembly are made here.
There is also a difference between Made in American and USA-made products. A “Made in America” product includes parts of Mexico and Canada. In contrast, a ” USA-made ” product is made only in the United States.
Another great way to determine if a product is made in the USA is to check the company’s website. Look at the company’s “About Me” page to see where its products are made. It will not be shy of them to mention and advertise the fact that their bikes are made in the USA.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Mountain Bikes OK For Street Riding?
On the road, mountain bikes could be faster. Their leggy performance makes them unsuitable for smooth roads. You’ll have to exert a lot more energy to maintain speed when riding a bike. Several factors contribute to this, including the weight of the bike, the aerodynamics, and the larger tires.
What Is A Mountain Bike Best For?
Mountain bikes are designed for riding rough off-road trails. Their handlebars are flat or upright and have shallow gear ranges for climbing steep trails. There are usually shock absorbers or suspensions on mountain bikes.
What Is The Most Popular Type Of Mountain Biking?
There are several types of mountain biking, but the most popular is CROSS COUNTRY (XC). The trails feature long climbs, flowing descents, and more technical features like rock gardens.
Wrapping Up:
We’ve all seen these bike brands in magazines and on TV. They’re often advertised as “American-made” or “Made in the USA.” But, in reality, they’re not. The truth is, we don’t make a lot of them anymore. Most of the time, they’re manufactured overseas, then shipped here.
This is a list of companies that have been making their products in America for years, and they are doing so because they can produce bikes in the USA for cheaper than anywhere else. They are helping the American economy by manufacturing their bikes here.
For more details on this subject, please check out this post I recently published, Mountain Bike Brands to Avoid (Important!).
