Muddyfox (formerly Muddy Fox) is a

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

manufacturing company based in

Basildon Basildon ( ) is a town in Borough of Basildon, the borough of the same name, in the county of Essex, England. It had a recorded population of 115,955 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. In 1931, the town had a population of 1,159. ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and has been a

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...

Frasers Group Frasers Group plc (formerly known as Sports Direct International plc) is a British retail, sport and intellectual property group, named after its ownership of the department store chain House of Fraser. The company is best known for trading pr ...

since 2009. The company specialises in

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling (''mountain biking''). Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in r ...

s, also producing

road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

, hybrid, and BMX bikes. Muddyfox also has a

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

line for

cycle sport Cycle sport is Competition, competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycli ...

that includes sportswear ( jerseys,

jackets A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually extending below the hips. A jacket typically has sleeves and fastens in the front or slightly on the side. Jackets without sleeves are vests. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and l ...

trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants ( American, Canadian and Australian English) are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending ...

, shorts,

glove A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger including the thumb. Gloves protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a ...

s). Protection gear and accessories include

helmets A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the Human head, head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a Custodian helmet, policeman's helmet in the Unite ...

sunglasses Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names Sunglasses#Other names, below) are a form of Eye protection, protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damagin ...

, pumps and bicycle parts.

History

Muddy Fox was founded by the serial entrepreneur Aristidis Hadjipetrou and Andrew Lawson after spotting a gap in the market in the UK for off-road bicycles with stronger frames and chunkier tyres which offered the user more versatility and range, following from the success of developers in America like Gary Fisher The company developed a successful marketing campaign, predominantly aimed at non-cyclists, based around a yellow background with black fox paw prints and were instrumental in reimagining the style of off-road cycling in the UK. Their innovative advertising included the world's first television commercial for a mountain bike, with print adverts focusing more on the outdoor riding locations, rather than the bike's appearance and specifications. There had been a massive boom in bicycle sales in the 70's, so instead of entering this established market Ari and Drew exploited the emerging trend from the US of All Terrain Bikes (ATBs) - specifically the Mountain Bike. Despite being initially dismissed as a joke in the UK, and only selling 20 bikes in their first year, the company soon dominated the UK mountain bike scene, with a 50% market share by 1987, selling 20,000 units. Within two more years annual sales were approaching 100,000. Initially manufactured in Japan by Araya, prices were high - around £500. It was always the intention to produce quality bikes at the high end of the market, however, moving production to Taiwan in 1984/85 made them more accessible with a price drop to £300. With the introduction of a more affordable model, mountain biking in the UK exploded with their most popular model, the Courier. Ironically, this was seen more as an urban icon than a serious off-roader, as reflected by its name - . By the early 1990s Muddy Fox had expanded to Europe, North America and Australasia and were moving into South America and the Middle East. Despite this huge success, a stock market crash brought financial trouble, eventually leading to a buyout. The company has been a brand of Universal Cycles since 2001, itself since 2009 a majority-owned subsidiary of Sports Direct International (current

),Universal Cycles Ltd
on Bloomberg and produces Silver Fox bicycles for bigbox retailers such as Argos.

References

External links

* {{Running shoe brands Cycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom Companies based in Essex Mountain bike manufacturers Frasers Group