
Torker was a brand of
bicycles and
unicycle
A unicycle is a vehicle that touches the ground with only one wheel. The most common variation has a frame with a saddle, and has a pedal-driven direct-drive. A two speed hub is commercially available for faster unicycling. Unicycling is practi ...
s owned by Seattle Bike Supply, headquartered in
Kent, Washington.
History
The Torker name was created by Johnson Engineering in
Fullerton,
CA in 1977 for a
BMX bike frame. The first
Haro bikes were made by Torker. In 1982, Torker let go
Bob Haro when he introduced his own line of BMX racing pants. In 1984, the Torker Bicycle Company went bankrupt, and Seattle Bike Supply purchased the name. BMX bikes with the Torker name were made from the late 1970s into the 2000s. Torker's product line expanded to include beach cruisers, tandem bikes and even unicycles. ''
Reader's Digest
''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his w ...
'' nominated Torker unicycles as "America's 100 Best" for 2006, and Torker was awarded BEST OF 2006 in the December issue of ''
Seattle Magazine''. Seattle Bike Supply was acquired by
Accell in 2006.
BMX team
Torker sponsored a BMX racing team that included such riders as:
*
Kevin McNeal
*
Leo Green
Leo Green (born 30 August 1972) is a British musician and broadcaster.
Saxophonist and orchestra leader
Green played with Van Morrison's band. Green plays saxophone and sings in his own band. In 2010 guitarist Jeff Beck said, "Leo Green has ...
*
Mike Miranda
*
Richie Anderson
*
Tommy Brackens
Tommy Lee Brackens (born November 20, 1960, in Los Angeles, California) is an American former professional "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer. His prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1988.
His nickname was "The Human Dragster", so ...
*
Clint Miller
*
Eddy King
Edward King (born October 9, 1964 in the Philippines (in 1970 his family settled in Chula Vista, California)) is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985.
Eddy King i ...
*
Matt Hadan
Matthew Merle Hadan (b. June 4, 1970 from Azusa, California U.S.) is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1995. Hadan was nicknamed early in his career as "The Mas ...
*
Steve Veltman
*
Mike King
*
Cheri Elliott
Kelly McDougal
Jason Jenson
Products
The Torker line currently includes
bicycles,
unicycle
A unicycle is a vehicle that touches the ground with only one wheel. The most common variation has a frame with a saddle, and has a pedal-driven direct-drive. A two speed hub is commercially available for faster unicycling. Unicycling is practi ...
s,
strollers
Various methods of transporting children have been used in different cultures and times. These methods include baby carriages (prams in British English), infant car seats, portable bassinets (carrycots), strollers (pushchairs), slings, backpack ...
, and
trailers
Trailer may refer to: a
Transportation
* Trailer (vehicle), an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle
** Bicycle trailer, a wheeled frame for hitching to a bicycle to tow cargo or passengers
** Full-trailer
** Semi-trailer
** Horse trai ...
.
Bicycles
The bicycles include adult (men's and
women's
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as " women's rights" to denote female humans rega ...
), children,
tandem
Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction.
The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...
, and
cruisers.
Unicycles
The unicycles include ones with 16", 20", 24", 26", and 29" wheels, a 5' giraffe, and a 20" trail.
Beginner Unicycles, CX Unistar: 16' 20" and 24"
Intermediate Unicycles, LX Unistar: 20", 24", 26"
Trials Unicycles, DX Unistar: 20" and 24"
Giraffe Unicycle, TX Unistar: 20".
References
External links
Torker websiteSeattle Bike Supply website
Cycle manufacturers of the United States
BMX
Companies based in Kent, Washington
{{cycle-manufacturer-stub