Armor Manufacturing Corporation returned to Taichung Bike Week 2024, after successfully reestablishing its presence in the wake of the COVID-19 disruption in 2023. It continued to celebrate its 50th anniversary by showcasing an innovative range of modular eCargo bikes.
The eCargo bikes by Armor [Splendor 13F, 1396] can be customized through a combination of modules such as built-in front/rear racks, child or pet carriers, cargo carriers, steppers, fenders, and wheel guards. This modular system also affords wide flexibility in selecting different tubing sizes and shapes, motor system hangers, battery mounts, brake options, and additional safety features such as built-in front/rear lights and intuitive controls.
One example is the VikingX, which features a built-in rear rack, modular front platform system, and upright BMX-style handlebars. But one of the most important elements of the system is the increased efficiency, which translates directly into lower costs. It typically takes some six months to develop a product—with this system the time is cut in half to 90 days.
Armor Manufacturing Corporation: A 50-Years-Long Journey
Armor’s journey began in 1974 and while they began with bicycle components, the company has long since expanded into areas such as machine tools, manufacturing plant design, as well as the fitness, medical, and motorcycle industries. This puts them in an exclusive club as a versatile design and manufacturing company with expertise in diverse disciplines as they celebrate their half-century milestone in 2024.
“Our client base covers all types of businesses at different scales including assembly factories, mass-market merchants, private brands, and wholesale importing,” said CRM Manager, Donald Lin. Producing components across several niches allowed Armor to ease through the post-pandemic slowdown in 2023 while other companies’ inventories piled up across the board.
Diversifying Motor Compatibility
A particular area of development the company has focused on this year—in keeping with the theme of flexibility—is in diversifying motor compatibility on standard e-bike frames. While all frames are currently suitable for Shimano motors and battery compatibility, the downtubes are just for Shimano. This has necessitated the development of an alternative form for other brands. Nevertheless, they stress, Bosch or Brose are within the realms of possibility and virtually anything a customer could envision. “We can give direction and suggestions where required, or come up with a completely new design where we organize the painting, logos and branding,” said Lin.
Armor has further diversified as well over the years—in 2002, Armor established the Cole brand in the USA, winning an IF Red Dot design award for their DSA® Dynamic Spoke Alignment wheel technology, and other brands, including LaBici and VikingX.