ALLIED CYCLE WORKS: Lifting the curtain on carbon fiber

Over the last two decades, most of the bicycle factories have closed and shifted their production elsewhere in search of cheaper labor. This industry now finds itself in a position where 99% of bicycles are made at a few massive Asian factories with brands obscuring where their bikes are made. Painting an Asian made frame in Europe does not make it European.
We founded ALLIED CYCLE WORKS to take a different path. We dreamt that we could be successful designing, building and selling bikes that we loved without sacrificing our values: We are a premium American bicycle brand that actually engineers and manufactures our own products, right here in the USA, because it matters. Our goal is not only to make our bicycles here, it is to make them better and to prove to the world that composite bicycles CAN be produced in the USA.
We are going to be the most open, honest and transparent bike brand out there. We are going to show everybody how carbon fiber bikes are made. Nothing hiding behind the curtain.
We hope that this inspires others to follow suit.
Made Here.

[@dcv9460]

AWESOME FACTORY AND PROCESS - AWESOME PEOPLE 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@dangsmooth]

excellent video and USA craftsmanship. Thanks for posting this look into Allied Cycles.

[@kennsanders9546]

I love your bikes and have had good times selling them! Great product, great company, great people, amazing ride! keep up the wonderful work Allied Cycle Works...

[@5Perf65mm]

Very impressive! Thanks for showing how they are made, there is clearly a lot of care and effort that goes into making these beautiful bikes.

[@RealWorldPrint]

This totally rocks. Part of my business is shooting video and this is well done. My dream bike is an Allied AllRoad, but other things (unfortunately) take precedence. So I ride my old Made in America LeMond while I hope for an Allied. No way I'm going to cave and get a Trek or Specialized or Cannondale from the LBS. I've ridden them and don't like them. They are vanilla bikes. Thanks for sharing this.

[@mrbeanz63]

Got to dig the dude with the topless Monroe t shirt. True American product ha ha!

[@ThreeB_Do]

Thanks for the great video. I have been wondering how complex triangle shapes are being laminated. I just have 3 questions. I hope you will answer. 1) Why are you using a metal mould? Doesn't the expansion of the mould causes some problems with the geometry? Or is it just still in the tolerance? 2) Why not Autoclave? To keep costs down? 3) I am finding it hard to understand, what happens to preform when you vacuum the whole bag. I think it would collapse or deform a little bit, also pulling the prepreg from the mould. I can see that it doesn't, can you please explain me how does it work? Thanks again for the video, i will be really happy to hear from you!

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

Hey Dogan, let me get those questions answered: 1. Metal molds are tough and stand up well to daily production abuse. There is some thermal expansion and that is calculated and taken into account on areas of the bike that have critical tolerances. It doesn't matter for overall geometry because the full assembly is bonded in a jig and there is enough clearance in the bond areas to make it spot on in terms of GEO. We are playing with composite tooling for some parts though as it has some nice advantages 2. Autoclaves are great, but they cost a fortune to run and are notoriously inefficient. The composites industry as a whole has been moving away from autoclave curing parts. 3. We vent the bladders to atmosphere so they inflate to about 14psi when we apply vacuum.

[@ingguidesmedia]

Wonderful build video. I have some experience doing media for a composite kayak company and recognized some of the processes. I learned a lot. Thx. Jack

[@roykent1858]

I ordered-bought an Allied Able with the middle build option in July and received it in August. I just love this bike! It is so beautiful and the ride is dreamy!!

[@truth7416]

Great Video. Just wondering. What temperature is the prepreg most liquid? Thanks

[@Bikesails]

How are the male mandrels/preforms removed from the inside of the cured part? Btw I really like your open approach to the manufacturing processes of carbon bicycle frames!

[@rockrecon]

So I want to build custom lightweight carbon fiber rifles and would love to know where to get one of those heat presses? Thanks for sharing! You guys rock!

[@PeakTorque]

Alu molds not steel. Interesting. Don't you have a big thermal expansion mismatch using Alu?

[@LloydLemons]

Enjoyed the video. Beautiful bikes! I want one. I love your philosophy, and wish you all the best. I'll be spreading the word. Thanks!

[@908qwertyuiop]

How many layers of carbon fiber do you use on your parts? Or does it depend on which part is being manufactured? Which ones have the least layers, and which ones have the most layers of carbon fiber? Do you use epoxy resin or another one? Aerospace engineer student here, I am asking for this class paper I have to deliver for my introduction class haha

[@floppledopple]

Very interesting video, thanks :)

[@rowanvanrooij8547]

Very cool guys! Really nice to see! Best of luck

[@gbugg1361]

Informative & clear...excellent...keep up the great work

[@roxic1212]

I enjoyed this video.

[@liftcreativestudiosinc.2091]

Nicely done Tony and crew! BTW the music was not bad at all ;).

[@kidsafe]

For the sake of transparency, how many frames can you guys lay up in a day?

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

We concentrate on producing 5 front triangles per day.

[@mediumrick7667]

Great informative vid. Thanks and best of luck you guys.

[@marlawfetalvero9248]

Long Live Allied! Made in the USA! While Trek, Specialized are all made outside the U.S and they are selling it super High..but with very little production cost....Unlike Allied this company is not Greedy Obviously..they are not primarily for HUGE profit...they provide Jobs locally.. this is what America needs..

[@antonioraffa5489]

Nice work Allied

[@bicyclist2]

Very cool. Cannondale and Trek really should take a page from what you're doing. If you guy's can make a case for making quality bikes in the US, at a profit, than there is no reason why everyone else should follow suit. I've been riding a French carbon bike for years, and I would never ride anything from Taiwan or China. I hope to one day be able to afford to buy an ALLIED. Thanks.

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

Thanks for the support! We thought it was about time to push emphasis on the US cycling industry and be completely transparent about where and how your bike is made. We're always open for tours if you're ever passing through Arkansas!

[@willhiggs3726]

You were going to say "..and the most expensive" when you were talking about the layup process !

[@jrudmanjr]

Will Higgs and, the most important for longevity.

[@davidduganne5939]

Good video. Thanks for the info; your bikes look really nice.

[@charliekendall4288]

Read one review where the customer suggested going to a Brick and Mortor store. His experience with the ARK. HQ resulted in a calamity of errors. In the end he was out 3k with exchanging parts and shipping. The main site has a list of stores. More than I would have thought.

[@Velo1010]

I really hope it works for yall. I remember when Cannondale and Specialized used to make bikes here. Soon did they learn Asia could do them for dirt cheap; but still sell them for the same price. Don't get me wrong I don't dislike Asians but American made goods are nice to own.

[@pauladams4951]

Trek made bikes here from the late 70s, in Wisconsin, and a few super high end models are still made here. Specialized never made a bike in the USA. Day one, the bikes were sourced from Taiwan.

[@johnnyo3478]

Looks like a tough row to hoe - from a profit generating perspective. Best of luck. I saw some of your frames in the field at the USA Pro Cycling Road Race in Knoxville this year. They were quite sporty looking - and the rider we spoke with was a nice kid. Stop ending so many sentences that are not questions on a high note.

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

Thanks for the suggestions - Glad you got to see some first hand!

[@murcielago188]

I am glad manufacturing of these products is coming back to good old USA. Nice bike, I just hope that they were a little more attractive, they are kind of plain looking IMHO.

[@milliebays1801]

the guru sticker on the scale...

[@davidpayumo23]

millie bays They bought most of their equipment from Guru bikes. When the company went under. They even have some of Guru's molds.

[@blazacrew]

my next bike

[@Bikepacking]

Trump will love you guys well done

[@JamesLee-zr1er]

Thanks for sharing and wish you the best of success. Super interesting video but please change the annoying background music.

[@gregorysmithj1]

James Lee agreed background music made this hard to follow

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

Sorry you didn't care for the music! We'll work on that for our next video.

[@garrettorpin6584]

The music was fine

[@janeblogs324]

6:44 everyone's mask has black dust on the nose (carbon fiber) You need full respirators with particulate filters (3m pink) I hope your health insurance covers workers because in 40 years they'll develop silicosis type breathing issues and this video will prove their case

[@jimsbarg]

now if we can just get sram to make it's components here in the states we would truly have an all American made bike

[@James-gz6iq]

I wouldn't recommend using carbon fiber frames because it adds to the micro plastic problem. Get a titanium bike

[@AZBADBOYz]

Making America Great Again!

[@kenedward4585]

Honestly, I know you guys are a start up, and I applaud vision, but the video kinda looks like a low end bike production on a budget. I have concerns about safety. If you really want to be the "most transparent bike maker on the planet", then show the testing, validation and QC of the frame and fork.... and yes I saw the marketing fluff about your "innegra partnership", but come on guys, at the end of the day I want to be able to walk and not get my face slammed into the concrete because of a carbon failure from a "on the cheap" bike maker who has a really good vision.....

[@riverrance8804]

MAGA

[@jacobbernas8876]

The cable routing on these bikes suck

[@outerstellar7186]

Nothing new. All HYPE and n talking. Bet u gona ask for ur REVOLUZIONAL shit more than top notch Italian brands with over 80+ years of experience.

[@ALLIEDCYCLEWORKS]

Why the hate? We are pretty much the definition of "new." 100% American manufacturing and job creation with 20+ years of talent in the cycling industry all under one roof. What is your motivation to see us fail and claim loyalty to an Italian paint job?