Kharkov Bicycle Plant - history, products and interesting facts

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Kharkov bicycle factory was founded by a Russian merchant about 130 years ago. Before the revolution, the plant's bikes were called "Russia", were purchased by the military department for the army, and the company introduced advanced technologies, trying to surpass European counterparts, which in many cases succeeded. In the Soviet period, the dream of all cyclists was a bike brand "Ukraine". Today, the plant produces modern models of bikes.

Riga innovator

Kharkov Bicycle Plant dates back to the time of Tsarist Russia. In 1889, the Russian merchant A. A. Leitner opened a small factory in Riga for the production of new, rapidly becoming fashionable equipment - bicycles. Initially, the staff consisted of only three workers and the owner himself, who produced spider-type bicycles. Gradually production developed. Leitner's merit lies in the fact that, as a true entrepreneur, he sought to providethe best product to the buyer and he knew a lot about it.

Alexander Leitner was a man with excellent entrepreneurial qualities and knowledge of a design engineer. As a member of the board of the Riga Cycling Society, he visited thematic exhibitions in different countries of the world and followed the novelties on the bicycle market. The fashion for a new type of transport was gaining momentum: bulky "spiders" were replaced by models of the "safety" type. For a long time, the products were distributed only in a few provinces adjacent to the production, which already had its own name - "Russia".

In 1896, the factory took part in the All-Russian Exhibition, which was held in Nizhny Novgorod. The Leitner product stand, consisting of twelve bike models, was a resounding success. By this time, the production was producing 15 types of road and racing bikes. Mr. Leitner received an exhibition medal, which was a sign of recognition and helped to bring products to the national level.

Military order

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Rossiya factory produced women's, men's, road, cargo, children's, tandem bicycles. The entire range consisted of more than 20 models. The pricing policy was democratic, so the cheapest bike cost 130 rubles, multi-seat models were estimated at about 450 rubles. Leitner himself introduced innovations in the design of the rear hub and patented an invention that turned out to be very successful, providing domestic bicycles with a high competitive advantage in the world market.

The military department of tsarist Russia was attentive to new products, and in 1913 the factory received an order for the production of 1,000 men's road bikes. Such orders raised the company's rating to the highest level, which had a positive effect on the number of other factory orders. The annual turnover of the company reached 400 thousand rubles, and the output of products marked the figure of 8 thousand units per year.

From Riga to Kharkov

In 1915, the front line passed not far from Riga, and the evacuation of enterprises of strategic importance was required. On July 24, 1915, all production facilities were transferred to Kharkov, to the premises of the former Gelferiks-Sade factory. In a new location in 1916, the company began production of folding military bicycles "Dux Combat". Under the contract, the company was supposed to ship 3,000 army bicycles to the military department.

Until November 1917, 3600 combat models were sent to the front from the Leitner factory. Over the entire history of the company's existence, more than 100 thousand bicycles have been produced from production lines, more than 60 models have been mastered. The company's pre-revolutionary history includes the production of the first motorcycles, tricycles and several types of cars.

After the revolution

After the revolution and the end of the war, the devastated country needed transport. As it turned out, the bike is perfect in every way. By the beginning of World War I, there were two large bicycle manufacturers in Russia - the Moscow Dux plant, during the war yearsconverted to the production of aviation equipment, and the Leitner plant, prudently evacuated to Kharkov. In pre-revolutionary times, about 25 thousand bicycles were produced in Russia a year.

In 1923, the Kharkov Bicycle Plant, also called Leitner's enterprise, with great difficulty produced only a few thousand cars a year. The city authorities decided to optimize production capacities and organize a bicycle state plant named after G. I. Petrovsky. As part of the modernization stages of production, the capacities were transferred to new workshops, where a railway line was suitable. The total area covered an area of more than 3 hectares.

By the beginning of the restoration of the plant, about 50 experienced employees with rich practical experience remained in the state. Of these, the main staff of mentors, masters and instructors was formed, who were to teach beginners how to work on non-standard high-class equipment. In 1924, the Kharkov Bicycle Plant completed the year with the release of more than 1 thousand bicycles.

Increasing production pace

People say - "need for inventions is cunning", which is fully confirmed in real life. In a devastated country, there were no components for the production of bicycles, but there were many industries with unclaimed products. Through simple reflections and adjustments, the masters of the plant began to use instead of English frames Cossack peaks, dumped on the territory of a neighboring plant since the First World Warwar.

By 1926, purchases of foreign-made components were established. Seamless steel pipes, bicycle chains, cold-rolled rim bands, chemical products and consumables were ordered from England. Some of the necessary materials were imported from Germany.

Sufficient amount of materials and full-fledged production cycles made it possible to release the first official bicycle of our own production, called "Ukraine". Until 1927, the Kharkov Bicycle Plant produced almost 12 thousand bicycles of this model using old equipment.

Evacuation

Kharkov Bicycle Plant was modernized in 1929, which made it possible to master the production of improved models and increase the annual output of finished products. Until 1941, the company produced about 1 million bicycles. With the outbreak of hostilities, the plant was hastily evacuated to Bukhara, where in a few weeks the production cycle was restored, focused on the production of products for the front.

With a radical change in the situation at the front, it became clear that the Kharkov Bicycle Plant would be returned to Ukraine. In the autumn of 1944, the process of re-evacuation began, and already at the beginning of the next year, the enterprise restored the production of equipment for military purposes. In June 1945, the plant began to produce peaceful products - bicycles.

Recovery

The post-war years brought rapid development to the enterprise. Products of Kharkovbicycle factory was in demand throughout the USSR. In 1948, lines for the production of women's and children's models were laid. Employees of the design bureau of the plant worked on new samples: talented engineers and technicians. According to the plans, the plant was supposed to produce 350 thousand units of products per year by the end of the five-year period.

The enterprise grew, new shops appeared, the staff increased. Three million rubles were allocated to the enterprise for the development of production in 1948. Part of this money was directed to the construction of housing for workers. The company worked in three shifts. In 1949, the B-31 sports bike model was developed with one speed, later upgraded to two speeds.

Bicycles of the Kharkov Bicycle Plant in 1950 took part in international competitions, not inferior in technical and quality characteristics to foreign counterparts. In 1948, the expansion of production facilities and the reconstruction of the enterprise began. This served as an excess production of the necessary equipment for 10,340 units.

Great attention was paid to the social sphere. Along with the expansion of factory space, housing was built, social facilities - canteens, rest houses, a library, children's creative circles and sports sections began to work.

Flourishing and rebuilding

In the mid-seventies, the plant produced a wide range of products, including sports, children's, tourist and other models. The total output reached 800 thousand bicycles per year. KhVZ was the only specialized enterprise in the country that produced light-road and sports bicycles of high class and quality.

In 1979, by the time of the Olympic Games in Moscow, the Kharkov Bicycle Plant developed models of sports bicycles unique for those years - the Moscow-80 and the SZ Champion Highway. Sportbike frames were made of carbon fiber and had an innovative design solution. Unfortunately, the models were not finally ready for the Olympics, and the project was not developed.

In 1983, the 23 millionth car rolled off the assembly line of the Kharkov Bicycle Plant. The beginning of the nineties for all spheres of production brought a break in economic ties and a drop in output. The financial condition of KhVZ was significantly undermined. In 1991, ChPTF "YUSI" became the main shareholder of the Kharkov Bicycle Plant.

Since 2001, the production volume has been increasing, the range of bicycle models is expanding. Some of the products are produced under the brand name "Vodan". Today the company is forming dealer networks in Ukraine and Russia.

Products

Bicycles of the KhVZ (Kharkov Bicycle Plant) were very popular throughout the Soviet Union. Many models have become legendary, famous for their quality and ease of repair. Boys all over the country learned to ride and mastered engineering skills with Ukraine bikes.

Most popular modelsHVZ:

• "Ukraine". The most massive brand of bicycle, which has received a large number of modifications. Classic samples were made in male and female versions and drove equally well on asph alt and dirt roads. The model "Ukraine LUX" differs from the classics by the presence of aluminum alloy rims. The comfort of long trips is provided by the connecting rod, bottom bracket and front brake. Available in both traditional and lowered top bars, it features a spacious trunk, extended fenders and kickstand.
• "Tourist". Also a legendary bike model. It differed from the "Ukraine" in light weight, narrow tires and four switchable speeds. The handbrake in the basic configuration had rear and front drives. In modern high-speed models, the frames are made of steel, the structure is welded. Bicycle spare parts are manufactured by Ventura. The price is low, and the reliability exceeds many well-known models.
• "Tourist Start Highway" - was intended for professionals, but it was also easily mastered by amateurs. A feature of the model was the low weight of the alloy steel frame, only 2.2 kilograms. The bike was equipped with two gears on the rear wheel and five on the front. Comfort and safety were provided by caliper brakes, a frame saddle and reinforced pedals.
• "Sport". The bike was distinguished by a total weight of 14.5 kilograms, a front steel fork, an eight-gear system and a remote steering wheel. The model was produced in the 70s and was very popular with amateur athletes.
• "Record" - a track model weighing 8.5 kg forprofessional racers.
• "Sputnik" is a bicycle model loved by active tourists. Designed for long bike rides both in the city and on dirt roads. Features superior comfort and impact resistance.

The Kharkiv Bicycle Plant has been developing for almost 130 years. Company stores of the enterprise today can be found only in some cities of Ukraine. The cost for Ukrainian users starts from UAH 2,400.

The Kharkov Bicycle Plant is famous for the quality of its products. Prices for Russia at the present stage are formed by private sellers. You can buy a bike from them at a price of 10 thousand to 45 thousand rubles. The company continues to look for opportunities to expand the network and open branded stores in the Russian Federation.

PE at the factory

In the foreseeable history, KhVZ burned twice - in 2009 and in 2017. In March 2009, a fire covered 150 sq. meters of area, completely burned out one of the shops. The fire broke out in the middle of the working day, there were no casu alties. The cause of the dangerous situation was named outdated wiring. At the same time, the paint shop of the Kharkov Bicycle Plant was damaged by the emergency. The fire was extinguished by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Ukraine.

The second fire occurred on March 30, 2017. A three-story assembly shop burned down on the territory of the plant. Firefighters rated the fire at a second level of danger. One of the residents of Kharkiv suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Address

The company's head office is located at Diesel Street, building 3/5.

The plant in Kharkiv is located on Moskovsky Prospekt in building 118.

In addition to the main products, the enterprise produces a wide range of consumer goods - hand trucks, sledges, spare parts for bicycles.

You can buy bicycles of the Kharkov Bicycle Plant on the spot: the company store is located next to the main production.