Nishiki (bicycle company) Nishiki (bicycle company) Nishiki is a brand of bicycles designed, specified, marketed and distributed by "West Coast Cycle" in the United States, initially manufactured by Kawamura Cycle Co. in Kobe, Japan, and subsequently by Giant of Taiwan. The bicycles were first marketed under the "American Eagle" brand beginning in 1965 and later under the "Nishiki" brand until 2001. Throughout the U.S. bike boom of the 1970s and into the 1980s, Nishiki and "West Coast Cycle" competed with domestic companies including Schwinn, Huffy, and Murray; European companies including Raleigh, Peugeot and Motobecane—as well as other nascent Japanese brands including Miyata, Fuji,
Gazelle (bicycle company) collectors item. During this period, Gazelle was to use the Piet Pelle cartoon character throughout many advertising campaigns. This video from 1925 shows the Gazelle factory and production techniques. Developments include a collapsible delivery bicycle in 1930 and a tandem bicycle introduced in 1935. An electric bicycle was produced in 1937 together with Philips. In 1954 Gazelle became a public company and built its millionth bicycle. In 1959, Gazelle patented the first 3-Speed grip shift gear system. Gazelle was the first Dutch bicycle manufacturer to introduce the "Kwikstep" folding bicycle in 1964. The front-hub drum brake was developed in 1968