The only historical brands that still survive somewhat are mainly Italians: Colnago, Bianchi, Pinarello, De Rosa, Wilier next to the Belgian Eddy Merckx, which has been taken over by Ridley.
Peugeot, Gitane, Mercier
But where have those other legendary bicycle brands gone? The French Peugeot, Gitane, Mercier, motobécane (MBK from 1984), Vitus have disappeared for a while.
Mercier disappeared from the pro peloton in 1983 after no less than 48 years of sponsorship. The most famous cyclist who rode with the brand was undoubtedly the eternal 2nd Raymond Poulidor, but Antonin Magne, Rik I and Rik II, Joop Zoetemelk also rode a Mercier racing bike.
Raymond Poulidor on his pink Mercier race bike
Also Gitane has long since disappeared from the pros. The last time Gitane sponsored a Pro Tour cycling team was in 2001: La Française des Jeux. Many champions rode a Gitane racing bike: Bernard Hinault, Greg Lemond, Joop Zoetemelk, Jacques Anquetil, Laurent Fignon, Lucien Van Impe, Rik Van Looy, …
Bernard Hinault on his Gitane
Motobécane which was called MBK from 1984 sponsored the lotto team from 1990 to 1992, including Johan Museeuw. Before that, the sponsor was Vitus, which has also disappeared from the professional environment. Sean Kelly, among others, rode a Vitus bicycle.
Johan Museeuw's MBK bicycle when he rode for the Lotto cycling team
Peugeot, the French brand that has been present in professional cycling for the longest time, stopped in 1999 when it ended sponsoring the French cycling team Festina. Perhaps the 1998 doping affair had something to do with it. The fact is that since then no Peugeot bicycles can be seen with the pros.
Laurent Brochard in the team Festina Peugeot
From Belgium part although Ridley has become a permanent fixture, Eddy Merckx is the only one left. Flandria, Groene Leeuw, Novy have long since disappeared and U-Scanini, which once drove Eric Vanderaerden, among others, has completely disappeared.
No more Dutch bicycle brand
The Dutch brands are doing even worse. Professional cyclists once drove around with Gazelle and of course Concorde (More info about Concorde) but that period has been over for a while. Jan Raas and Hennie Kuiper, among others, once achieved successes on a Gazelle Champion Mondial and the well-known PDM cycling team rode Concorde racing bicycles in the 1980s.
Sean Kelly's Concorde bike during his time with the PDM team
Other brands that have disappeared from professional cycling or even no longer exist at all are Legnano, Maino, Benotto, Fréjus, Raleigh, Bottecchia, Gios Torino, Masi, Rossin
As a vintage racing bike enthusiast who also owns a modern aluminum Bianchi, it kind of hurts to see how these multinationals have driven out the once famous historic bicycle manufacturers and with it a piece of cycling history.
A trend that started with mass production in Taiwan from the 1970s.
