Boyd Cycling has announced the launch of Olive Manufacturing Group (OMG!) to focus on the on-shoring of aluminum bicycle rims. Located in Greenville, SC, the alloy rim manufacturing facility will produce all Boyd Cycling’s alloy rims along with the potential to help other companies manufacture domestically as well.
Founded in 2009 by former professional cyclists Boyd Johnson and Nicole Johnson, Boyd Cycling is renowned for their attention to detail and innovation. The move to on-shore the production of aluminum bicycle rims will help to make higher quality rims, with increased manufacturing flexibility and decreased lead times. Thanks to improved processes and automations, this change is possible without any increases in costs to the consumer.
As distribution chains were disrupted worldwide, Boyd Cycling worked to on-shore the first modernized rim production machinery and customized it for cost-efficient output. In house anodization and oven curing for decals allows all facets of rim production to be under the same roof, further expanding production.
With this increased capacity and automation, the Olive Manufacturing Group facility will become the largest aluminum bicycle rim manufacturing facility in the United States
“Through Covid, we saw the strain placed on the supply chain and also a bike boom that lasted a couple years. Instead of purchasing an excess of inventory, we focused on creating better techniques and working to develop customized machines to bring our production home. We can now produce high performance alloy bicycle rims here in Greenville without a price hike.” BOYD Cycling and Olive Manufacturing Group President Boyd Johnson
“In addition to our rims, there are also opportunities for other brands to onshore their alloy rim production in our facility while reducing lead times and costs. This will benefit the entire cycling industry by offering quicker turnaround without the supply chain issues of shipping products around the world.” Co-founder BOYD Cycling and Olive Manufacturing Group Nicole Johnson.
Coinciding with the opening of Olive Manufacturing Group, Boyd Cycling is releasing two new alloy wheel models.
Bracken is an Enduro rated rim designed to hold up to the roughest of trails. With reinforced wall thicknesses and a 30mm internal rim width, the Bracken is designed for aggressive riding on 2.4” and up tires. A hookless profile allows for thicker walls where impacts occur, adding to the durability.
The 19mm low profile wheel helps to keep the rim weight down to just 485 grams while a 3mm offset balances the spoke tensions between right and left sides of the wheel
Built on the Tripel MTB hubs featuring 3.5 degree engagement, the Bracken weighs 1850 grams for the set. Featuring a 32f/32r spoke count on Pillar Wing 21 spokes, there is no rider weight limit for the build.
Altamont has been a staple of the Boyd Cycling lineup since 2014. Due to the flexibility of in-house manufacturing, Boyd can stay dedicated to the rim brake crowd (where there is still quite a high demand).
The Altamont features a front and rear specific shape to accommodate the different forces placed on wheels. The front rim is 27mm deep with a symmetric rim shape. The rear is slightly deeper at 31mm with a 2.8mm rim offset to help even the spoke tension balance.
The front rim weighs 455 grams and is available in 20, 24, and 28 spoke counts where the rear rim weighs 480 grams and is available in 24, 28, and 32 spoke counts.
Built on the 85 hubs with Pillar Wing 20 spokes in a 24/28 spoke configuration, the Altamont set weighs in at 1620 grams.
In addition to the two new models (and more to come), Boyd Cycling has on-shored the production of the Prologue Alloy Series. The Prologue Alloy is a series of budget friendly wheelsets. Retailing just $425 for the set, these wheels now feature made in Greenville, SC alloy rims. Thanks to improved logistics and automations, there is no increase in costs, even for the budget friendly models.
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