{"id":428115,"date":"2026-01-21T16:53:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T16:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/428115\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T16:53:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T16:53:23","slug":"11-chinese-cycling-brands-you-dont-know-about-but-should","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/428115\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Chinese cycling brands you don\u2019t know about, but should"},"content":{"rendered":"

For years, cycling was dominated by Western brands, first European, then joined by those from America. As bicycle manufacturing moved progressively to Taiwan, brands such as Giant and Merida gained equal footing in the industry.<\/p>\n

Manufacturing then moved increasingly to companies based in mainland China and, with their expertise in bicycle and component fabrication, over the past few years Chinese brands have begun to increase their profile worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of the Chinese challenger brands started off as contract manufacturers for Western brands, so even if they\u2019re still relatively unknown in the West, they have plenty of experience in the industry. They usually own their factories too, so they are vertically integrated, with their R&D, quality assurance and fabrication carried out in-house.<\/p>\n

What these brands often lack is international marketing and large-scale distribution, so it can be quite hard to find out about a Chinese company and its products, let alone to buy them. That\u2019s changing rapidly, though, as XDS, Quick Pro, Magene and others prove.<\/p>\n

So, which Chinese cycling brands should we be looking out for in 2026 and beyond? Here\u2019s a rundown of Chinese brands that are increasing their worldwide profile and what each offers.<\/p>\n

XDS
\n\"\"Despite its looks, Davide Ballerini’s X-LAB AD9 weighs only 7.5kg. Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

XDS was the first Chinese brand to sponsor a WorldTour team, with its X-Lab bikes. It boasts complete in-house design, testing and manufacture, which it claims results in more consistent quality and fewer warranty problems.<\/p>\n

XDS was founded in 1995 in Shenzhen and claims annual bike sales of 8 million from its five factories, with more than 14,000 employees, and sales and distribution in 50 countries worldwide. Although its international focus is on performance drop-bar bikes, it makes mountain bikes<\/a> and utility hybrids for the home market, too.<\/p>\n

The XDS-Astana team rides the X-Lab AD9 aero bike. Our bike check of Davide Ballerini\u2019s AD9<\/a> at the 2025 Tour de France revealed it weighed only 7.5kg, despite the broad tube sections and 60mm-deep Vision wheels.<\/p>\n

XDS sells the similar-looking AD8 and the DB01 time trial bike, which is also used by XDS Astana.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For climbers, it has the RT9, with a claimed 540g frame weight, 55g less than the 595g claimed weight of the S-Works Aethos 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A new X-Lab gravel bike and an electric commuter bike<\/a> are in the works.<\/p>\n

Elves
\n\"PackWe rated the Elves Vanyar Pro Disc as brilliant value, although it’s let down a little by the 8.2kg weight and the ride quality. Liam Cahill \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Its name may be Tolkein-esque, but Elves makes bikes to satisfy the swiftest of Nazg\u00fbl. It was founded in 2006 and, as with many Chinese bike brands, it began as a contract manufacturer, first producing Elves bikes in 2016. It develops its bikes in Taiwan, although manufacturing is based in China.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a hefty range of frames available, including the Falath EXP<\/a>, which has a seat tube cutout reminiscent of the Trek Madone. Elves claims it improves frame stiffness and comfort, as well as providing aero benefits. It\u2019s sold as a frameset or equipped with the brand\u2019s own carbon wheels and a Shimano groupset. At \u00a3888 for a UCI-approved frame, it undercuts the mainstream competition by a flying mile.<\/p>\n

Other options include the Vanyar Pro<\/a>, with a claimed 7.1kg weight, the Eglath ARX all-road bike, Nandor Pro hardtail MTB and Amanyar 1.0 tri bike, which lacks a seat tube. There\u2019s a free custom paint option for most frames if you want something even more distinctive.<\/p>\n

Winspace
\n\"WinspaceThe Winspace T1600’s novel seatstays are designed to channel airflow around the rear wheel. Weight Weenies \/ Winspace<\/p>\n

Winspace\u2019s global bike range is less extensive than Elves\u2019, but like that brand it sells framesets only, with local distributors building up bikes with the brand\u2019s own wheels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Again, it started out in contract manufacturing and is vertically integrated, with frame building and quality assurance handled in-house. It claims to build 5,000 carbon road bike frames a year and offers custom painting.<\/p>\n

Its range covers aero bikes<\/a> and climbing bikes<\/a>, as well as endurance and gravel framesets. It claims a 705g weight for its SLC5.0 lightweight frameset, while the UCI-approved T1600 aero frame has slots around its seat tube, which are claimed to contribute to a 5.5 watts power saving over its previous-generation T1550.<\/p>\n

Winspace also sells wheels<\/a> under its Hyper brand, with the latest Hyper 5 offered in 40mm, 50mm and 60mm depths, with 23mm internal width, ceramic bearings and carbon spokes. The 40mm wheels have a claimed 1,195g weight.<\/p>\n

In addition, it sells all-rounder and race-oriented gravel bike wheels under its Lun brand.<\/p>\n

Quick Pro
\n\"\"Harry Hudson won the UCI men’s junior road race in Kigali on a Quick Pro AR One. Dario Belingheri\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Quick Pro was founded in 2012, with a focus on racing and the tagline \u2018anyone can race\u2019. Again, it boasts vertical integration with its own factory and R&D facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It has the distinction of a world champion riding its bikes, in the form of Team GB rider Harry Hudson, the 2025 men\u2019s junior road race winner in Rwanda, who soloed 35km to the win.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hudson rode the Quick Pro AR One, an aero\/lightweight bike with an 800g claimed frame weight and complete bike weights that Quick Pro says can be as low as 6.6kg. The brand\u2019s range includes the ER One, a more aero-oriented frameset, but with complete bike weights from a claimed 6.8kg.<\/p>\n

There are also options for time trialists and gravel riders, and hardtail and full-suspension mountain bikes in the range.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The brand\u2019s Canwin wheels include 50mm-deep carbon-spoked and steel-spoked options, with claimed weights from 1,260g, and other Canwin components include the Zephyr SSL bar\/stem fitted to Hudson\u2019s bike.<\/p>\n

Incolor
\n\"\"Incolor designed these distinctive helmets for the Chinese team at the Paris Olympics. Alex Broadway\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Incolor was founded in 2016 and sells a small range of aero and lightweight road and gravel bikes<\/a>, which includes the SSR, SR+, SR and VG. It has its own aero wheelsets and bar\/stem too and, unusually, also sells drivetrain components including a carbon crankset and 12-speed anodised cassette.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It has a range of 3D-printed computer mounts, which include options for Pinarello and Specialized bikes, and the brand sells its own lightweight Universal Derailleur Hanger<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Perhaps its most distinctive products, though, are its helmets. Worn by the Chinese track teams at the Olympic Games, these featured Chinese masks and other traditional designs.<\/p>\n

Amflow\u00a0
\n\"DJIAmflow’s DJI motor is super-powerful but controlled. Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Amflow is a spin-off from drone supremo DJI, making electric mountain bikes. Its PL full-suspension trail eMTB boasts a DJI Avinox M1 motor<\/a> with category-leading 120Nm peak torque, 1,000 watts peak power and an 800Wh battery in a bike that weighs only 19.2kg.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Amflow PL<\/a> has 160mm of front and 150mm of rear suspension. It\u2019s kitted out with own-brand bars, stem, grips and carbon wheels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At present, there are only two bike specs on offer, the Amflow PL Carbon and PL Carbon Pro, differing in their groupsets, suspension and finishing components, but sitting on the same frame and wheels.<\/p>\n

DJI\u2019s motor gains plaudits for its predictable assistance, notwithstanding the raw power on offer, and is now available on other brands\u2019 bikes too.<\/p>\n

Elitewheels
\n\"\"Elitewheels supplies the Team Solution Tech – Vini Fantini UCI Continental team with its Drive wheelsets. Luc Claessen\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Elitewheels, as you’d expect, focuses on wheelsets, with options covering road, MTB and gravel, as well as triathlon, where it sells some of the lowest-priced disc and solid-spoke wheels available.<\/p>\n

Road wheelsets include carbon rim-brake as well as disc-brake options, again at prices that undercut the mainstream brands<\/a> by a huge sum.<\/p>\n

Its flagship road wheel is the Drive D II range, with depths from 36mm with a weight claimed at 1,260g, via 50mm up to 65mm. As with other Chinese wheel brands, it includes carbon spokes. There’s a 23mm internal width rim with mini-hooks and a conical 50T star ratchet freehub, which Elitewheels says provides a larger engagement surface than more conventional designs.<\/p>\n

The brand was established in 2015 and supplies several UCI Continental teams.<\/p>\n

L-Twoo
\n\"RearL-Twoo’s groupsets include electronic and mechanical options for road, MTB and gravel. Warren Rossiter \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

While the brands above sell frames, wheels and some components, L-Twoo<\/a> focuses on groupsets. The company\u2019s founder worked for SRAM for a decade before founding L-Twoo in 2016, when SRAM moved its manufacturing to Taiwan.<\/p>\n

L-Twoo\u2019s flagship product is the ERX 12-speed electronic road bike groupset, which is designed to rival Shimano Ultegra. It features carbon fibre, a similar two-lever shifter to Ultegra, flat-mount and post-mount brake calipers and an in-frame battery.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are also mechanical shift options with up to 12 speeds, electronic and mechanical gravel bike groupsets, the latter with up to 13 speeds, a wireless electronic MTB groupset and mechanical MTB groupsets with up to 13 speeds. There are further products for folding and electric bikes.<\/p>\n

L-Twoo doesn\u2019t yet sell its own cassettes, but don\u2019t discount it adding those.<\/p>\n

Magene\u00a0
\n\"MageneMagene sells groupsets, power meters and a range of electronics. Some of its products are now in the WorldTour. Stan Portus \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Switching to electronics, Magene partnered with MagicShine to develop and market its radar taillight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s branched out on its own worldwide now, though, selling a range of cycling electronics including pedal and crank power meters, carbon cranks and chainrings. Its dual-side pedal power meter<\/a> is priced at only \u00a3399 \/ $499 \/ \u20ac499.<\/p>\n

At Eurobike in June 2025, it showcased complete QED and PES electronic groupsets<\/a>, designed to compete with Shimano Ultegra and 105 Di2 respectively.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just signed up as another Chinese sponsor<\/a> to the XDS-Astana team, providing its cycling computers, heart-rate monitors, lights and smart trainers to the team from 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Magene\u2019s range extends to three depths of its carbon wheelset, with carbon spokes and claimed weights from 1,280g, as well as a TPU inner tube. It also has a range of ebike control systems and develops its own apps for its devices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s another brand founded a decade ago, with its own R&D and production, claiming a staff of more than 400 engineers and over 1,000 total employees, with 12% of its revenues spent on R&D and nearly 250 patents to its name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

iGPSport
\n\"iGPSPORTiGPSport’s BiNavi has an unusually large screen for the cycling computer’s size. iGPSPORT<\/p>\n

Another challenger Chinese electronics brand, iGPSport\u2019s bike computers<\/a> will be used by Groupama-FDJ United in the pro peloton this year. It has a similar range to Magene, selling GPS cycling computers<\/a>, rearview radars, lights, and electric and optical heart-rate monitors.<\/p>\n

It was founded in 2012 and in 2024 signed up Chris Froome as its global brand ambassador. Its latest product is the BiNavi, which majors on navigation with a 3.5-inch touchscreen. It claims it can produce a 1,000km route in one second. iGPSport says it will even draw your Strava art routing for you to follow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wheeltop
\n\"WheeltopThe Wheeltop EDS GeX rear derailleur is wireless and electronic. Stan Portus \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

Wheeltop is another challenger groupset maker, selling wireless electronic road, gravel and MTB groupsets, minus the cassette, which are compatible with up to 14 speeds. There are cable and hydraulic brake options and it sells its own hydraulic calipers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2025, it bought Madrid-based Rotor and has incorporated its electronic shifting tech in a new Uno groupset<\/a>, Rotor\u2019s first new groupset since its original Uno a decade ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rotor claims its new Uno will be a reliable alternative to Shimano and SRAM, although you\u2019ll need to add brake callipers, as well as cassette and chain for MTB use; the gravel spec includes callipers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For years, cycling was dominated by Western brands, first European, then joined by those from America. As bicycle…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":428116,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-428115","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-cycling","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/428115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=428115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/428115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/428116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=428115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=428115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=428115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}