Go to most bicycling events where there are more than a couple of dozen bikes and you'll find Treks, Lemonds, Gary Fishers, and Kleins.
The bikes can range in price from about $400 to more than $7,000. What they all have in common is that they're all made by Trek Bicycle, the world's largest bike company.
The man who started it all in a red barn in Waterloo, Wisconsin, 32 years ago was Richard Burke. He died Monday from complications of heart surgery at age 73.
All in family
The company sells 1.5 million bicycles a year, pulling in an estimated $700 million in sales. It's still family controlled; Richard was chairman of the board and son John is president and CEO.
Originally from Chicago, Burke went to college at Marquette University and stayed there after graduation. Working in different jobs, he realized in the '70s that all the high-end bikes were imports. AP reports that Burke couldn't find any brands to distribute himself, so he starting the bike-building business with a payroll of 5.
Although I remember seeing plenty of Treks around before Lance Armstrong, it was his endorsement of the bike and use in the Tour de France that put Trek on the map for many. But all the credit shouldn't go to Armstrong.
Innovation
For instance Trek started building mountain bikes in the early '80s, when the sport was just getting popular. In the mid-80s Trek did battle in the race for lightweight bikes by using aluminum, following up with continuous innovations with carbon fiber technology.
During that time Trek also grew into the component manufacturing and even the travel industry.
With its headquarters in Waterloo, Trek builds many of its bikes in the US, but contracts out the lower-end models overseas. The company has 1,600 workers.
Recent Comments