Light Bicycle
Light Bicycle is a China-based, factory-direct manufacturer of custom handcrafted carbon bicycle rims, wheelsets, and integrated handlebars serving global enthusiast riders in MTB, gravel, road, TT/tri, BMX, fat bike, and e-bike categories via DTC e-commerce and OEM partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersXiamen, China
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Light Bicycle does
Light Bicycle, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Xiamen, China under the legal entity LIGHT BICYCLE CO., LIMITED (Hong Kong), manufactures and sells lightweight, handcrafted carbon fiber bicycle wheels and rims. The product portfolio spans mountain bike, gravel/cyclocross, road (disc and rim brake), time trial/triathlon/track, BMX/folding, fat bike, and e-bike categories, plus integrated carbon handlebars (AeroRevo for road and Grvfest-20 for gravel). Core technology includes proprietary carbon spoke systems (Thrust-4 and Thrustlite-3), integration with UHMWPE polymer Berd spokes, and a Custom Wheel Builder online configurator that allows customers to specify rim depth, internal width, hub brand, spoke type, lacing pattern, finish, and weave. Production is anchored at the Xiamen facility with in-house testing standards (300kg+ rim load capacity, 60J+ handlebar impact resistance) and supported by North American warehouses in the US and Canada enabling 3-business-day Quick Buy fulfillment. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce on lightbicycle.com (supporting six currencies), an OEM/ODM private-label service for bicycle brands, and a Dealer/Ambassador program. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware purchases (rims and complete wheelsets), custom build configurations at premium price points, accessory sales (tubeless valves, brake pads, caps, stickers, handlebars, computer mounts), and warranty/crash replacement upgrades, with lifetime warranty upgrades priced at $100 USD per rim on Pro series products. Customer segments are predominantly long-tail enthusiast consumers (MTB, gravel, road, e-MTB riders) supplemented by sponsored professional athletes across road, MTB, cyclocross, triathlon, and BMX disciplines and B2B OEM clients, validated by recurring coverage across 35+ cycling publications and the 2026 Design & Innovation Award for the AeroRevo Handlebar.
Light Bicycle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Light Bicycle
- Legal name
- LIGHT BICYCLE CO., LIMITED
- Website
- https://lightbicycle.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Light Bicycle is a China-based, factory-direct manufacturer of custom handcrafted carbon bicycle rims, wheelsets, and integrated handlebars serving global enthusiast riders in MTB, gravel, road, TT/tri, BMX, fat bike, and e-bike categories via DTC e-commerce and OEM partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Light Bicycle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Xiamen
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Light Bicycle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Carbon Rim Sales: Direct sales of carbon fiber rims for mountain bikes, gravel bikes, road bikes, e-bikes, TT/tri bikes, BMX, and fat bikes. Products available as rim-only or complete wheelset configurations. Revenue generated through one-time hardware purchases with customization options.
- Custom Wheel Building Services: Full custom wheel building service allowing customers to configure every component from hubs to spokes to rims. Handcrafted wheelsets matched to riding style, terrain, and performance goals. Premium pricing for custom configurations.
- OEM/ODM Manufacturing: Private label and OEM services for bicycle manufacturers and brands seeking custom carbon wheel solutions. Strict policy to not share customer information for private label partners.
- Accessories: Accessories including handlebars (AeroRevo, Grvfest-20), computer mounts, bottle cages, snapback caps, tubeless valves, rim tape, brake pads, and rim stickers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pre-Built Wheelsets (Quick Buy) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Custom Wheelsets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Series Warranty Upgrade |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Crash Replacement |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
Light Bicycle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Light Bicycle designs, manufactures, and sells fully customizable carbon fiber bicycle rims and complete wheelsets across mountain, gravel, road, time trial/triathlon/track, BMX, fat bike, and e-bike disciplines, with handcrafted custom wheel building services. The company also produces carbon integrated handlebars (AeroRevo, Grvfest-20), a carbon gravel frameset (Journey), and wheel accessories such as tubeless valves, rim tape, brake pads, and bottle cages. Products are sold factory-direct via lightbicycle.com with North American warehousing, supplemented by a Dealer/Ambassador program and OEM/ODM services for bicycle brands.
Product overview
Light Bicycle is a dedicated carbon bicycle wheel manufacturer established in 2011, offering fully customizable carbon rims and complete wheelsets. The product portfolio spans multiple bike disciplines including Mountain Bike (with series like Helios, S-Flow, Recon Pro/Recon), Gravel/CX (Light Gravel, Wide Gravel, AG48 Disc), Road Bike Disc Brake (Airia, Turbo, X-Flow, Falcon series), Road Bike Rim Brake, TT/Tri/Track, BMX/Folding, Fat Bike, and E-Bike. The company also produces integrated handlebars (AeroRevo for road, Grvfest-20 for gravel) and innovative products like the Anax Gravel 32-inch wheel. Their customization services include Custom Wheel Builder, Berd Spoke wheelsets, Carbon Spoke wheelsets (Thrust-4 & Thrustlite-3), and Industry Nine hub partnerships. Light Bicycle operates factory-direct with global warehouses in China, US, and Canada, emphasizing customization, lightweight construction, and technical excellence.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Carbon Mountain Bike Rims & Wheelsets Custom carbon fiber rims and complete wheelsets for mountain biking across XC, Trail, All-Mountain, Enduro, Downhill/Gravity, Trials, and E-MTB disciplines. Available as rim-only, complete wheelset, Mullet (mixed wheel size), and pre-built configurations.
- Carbon Gravel/CX Bike Rims & Wheelsets Carbon rims and wheelsets designed for gravel and cyclocross riding, including Light Gravel, Gravel, Wide Gravel series, and UCI-approved options. Compatible with a wide range of tire volumes for mixed-terrain riding.
- Carbon Road Bike Disc Brake Rims & Wheelsets Carbon road bike wheels for disc brake systems, featuring series like Airia, Turbo, X-Flow, Falcon Pro, and Falcon with options for Road Narrow, All Road, and Wide Road configurations, including UCI-approved wheelsets.
- Carbon Road Bike Rim Brake Rims & Wheelsets Carbon road wheelsets designed for traditional rim brake road bikes, including Falcon Pro and Falcon series with various rim depths and internal widths (17.9mm Road Narrow, 21mm All Road).
- TT/Tri/Track Bike Wheels Time trial, triathlon, and track wheels including full disc wheels, 3-spoke and 4-spoke wheels, deep section wheels, and UCI-approved options, available in rim brake and disc brake configurations.
- BMX/Folding Bike Wheels Carbon wheels for BMX racing and folding bikes including Brompton-specific rims, available in 16, 20, and 24 inch sizes, with rim-only and complete wheelset configurations.
- Fat Bike Wheels Carbon wheelsets for fat bikes featuring Drift Pro and Drift series, available in 26er and 650b/27.5in sizes with 60mm, 70mm, and 80mm internal widths for riding on sand, snow, and soft terrain.
- E-Bike Wheels Carbon wheels specifically designed for electric mountain bikes, including the EH935-S symmetric S-Flow profile wheelset, with reinforced construction to handle e-bike torque and weight.
- AeroRevo Integrated Road Handlebar One-piece carbon integrated handlebar for road bikes, featuring aerodynamic design and internal cable routing, designed as a configurable cockpit component.
- Grvfest-20 Integrated Gravel Handlebar One-piece monocoque carbon integrated bar-stem with 20-degree flare, weighing 285g for 40cm size, designed for gravel cycling with internal cable routing and high impact resistance.
- Anax Gravel 32-inch Wheel 32-inch diameter gravel wheel with 44mm depth, 32mm internal width, 400g weight, compatible with 42C-70C tires, engineered to introduce a new wheel diameter standard for gravel riding.
- AG48 Disc Gravel Wheel Ultra-wide aero gravel wheelset with 35mm internal width, designed for maximizing aerodynamic efficiency on gravel terrain with wide tire support.
- Helios Mountain Bike Series Versatile mountain bike wheel series spanning XC to DH, offering premium lightweight construction with durability for aggressive riding.
- Airia Road Series Ultralight road bike wheel series starting at 977g per pair, designed for weight weenie applications and climbing performance.
- XC930 Plus Superlight XC Racing Rim Superlight XC racing rim for cross-country mountain bike performance.
- Anax32 32-Inch XC Wheel 32-inch XC racing wheel introducing a new wheel diameter standard for mountain biking.
- Turbo Series Wheels Modern aero road wheelset series featuring advanced aerodynamics for road racing performance, positioned as the flagship aero road offering.
- Journey Carbon Gravel Bike Frameset Complete carbon gravel bike frameset in 700c format for custom gravel bike builds.
- Pace Hub Proprietary Light Bicycle hub featuring 36-tooth ratchet system designed for road, cyclocross, and gravel applications.
- Tubeless Valves & Rim Tape Tubeless valve stems (Color Tubeless Valves-V2 in 7075 aircraft-grade aluminum with core removal tool) and tubeless rim tape for tubeless-ready wheel setups.
- Carbon Rim Brake Pads Brake pads designed for carbon rim brake applications.
- MTB Rim Stickers & Replaceable Rim Stickers Replaceable rim stickers and paintless rim stickers for MTB and other rims, plus valve stickers.
- C01 Carbon Bottle Cage Carbon fiber water bottle cage.
- Snapback Cap SC01 Light Bicycle branded snapback cap made of polyester with adjustable unisex fit (55-59cm), plastic snap closure, available in Black, Yellow, and Army Green colors, weighing 75g.
- Custom Wheel Builder Service Online configurator service allowing customers to specify rim, hub, spoke, nipple, lacing pattern, finish, and weave to order a fully handbuilt custom wheelset.
- Berd Spoke Wheelsets Custom wheelsets built with Berd ultra-strong polymer (UHMWPE) spokes, offering up to 100-200g weight savings per wheelset with superior vibration dampening.
- Carbon Spoke Wheelsets (Thrust-4 & Thrustlite-3) Wheelsets featuring proprietary carbon spokes: Thrust-4 (4mm x 1.1mm, 2.8g, stainless steel ends) and Thrustlite-3 (3mm x 0.85mm, 1.8g, titanium ends) for significant weight reduction versus steel spokes.
- Industry Nine Hub Wheelsets Custom wheelsets paired with Industry Nine hubs (Hydra Classic, Hydra 2, SOLiX, 1/1 series) featuring 690-point engagement systems and vibrant anodized color options.
- Pre-Built Quick Buy Wheelsets Ready-to-ship pre-configured wheelsets available for quick delivery within 3 business days through the Quick Buy program from North American warehouses.
- Mullet Wheelsets Mixed wheel size mountain bike wheelsets combining 29er front and 27.5-inch rear wheels.
- OEM/ODM Private Label Manufacturing Service Private label and original design manufacturing services for bicycle brands seeking custom carbon wheel solutions, with strict confidentiality for private label partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Pre-built wheelsets shipped within 3 business days from North American warehouses
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Light Bicycle
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Light Bicycle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Light Bicycle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Industry NinecoreStrategic partnership combining Light Bicycle's carbon rim manufacturing with Industry Nine's premium hub systems. Partnership features Hydra Classic (690-point engagement, 0.52°), Hydra2 (65% thicker axle, improved bearing longevity), SOLiX (605-point engagement for road/gravel), SOLiX M (XC mountain), and 1/1 series hubs. Available in 7 anodized colors. Partnership enables complete custom wheel builds pairing carbon expertise with American-made hub precision.
- Berd SpokescorePartnership integrating Berd's UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) polymer spokes into Light Bicycle wheel builds. Berd spokes offer 12x strength-to-weight ratio versus steel, vibration dampening superior to metal, and 2.5g per spoke weight. Custom configurations available for MTB and gravel applications. Light Bicycle developed specialized workflow for UHMWPE fiber wheel building.
- DT SwisscoreMajor hub and spoke brand integrated across multiple product categories. Popular hub options include DT Swiss 240S, 350, and 180. DT Swiss hubs frequently featured in customer builds and custom wheel configurations.
- SapimcoreSpoke manufacturer providing CX-Ray, CX-Sprint, Race, and Leader spokes. Sapim Brass and Alloy nipples offered in multiple configurations. Long-standing partnership providing reliable spoke solutions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Light Bicycle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Shimano: Shimano is the dominant bicycle component manufacturer globally and offers carbon and alloy wheelsets under Dura-Ace, Ultegra, and GRX lines. It competes broadly with Light Bicycle across price points and dominates OEM spec placements on complete bikes.
- Campagnolo: Campagnolo is a heritage Italian component manufacturer offering premium carbon road and gravel wheelsets (Bora WTO, Levante). It competes with Light Bicycle at the ultra-premium tier with strong brand equity in European road cycling.
Direct peers
- Roval (Specialized): Roval is the in-house carbon wheel brand of Specialized Bicycle Components, offering premium wheels that ship standard on high-end Specialized complete bikes. It is a direct competitor particularly in road and mountain bike segments with the advantage of OEM spec placement.
- Zipp (SRAM): Zipp is the leading premium carbon bicycle wheel brand, owned by component giant SRAM. It competes directly with Light Bicycle across road, gravel, and triathlon wheelsets with deeper OEM spec placements on complete bikes and an established IBD dealer network.
- DT Swiss: DT Swiss is a premium Swiss manufacturer of wheels, hubs, spokes, and suspension components. It is both a direct competitor (complete carbon wheelsets) and a key component supplier/partner to Light Bicycle across multiple product categories.
- Hunt Bike Wheels: Hunt is a UK-based direct-to-consumer carbon and alloy wheel brand with a comparable value-premium positioning and factory-direct model. It targets the same road, gravel, and MTB buyers as Light Bicycle with similar pricing strategies and customization depth.
- ENVE Composites: ENVE is a US-based premium carbon wheel and components manufacturer with strong road, gravel, and mountain bike wheel lines. It competes directly with Light Bicycle at the premium price tier and shares a similar emphasis on customization and high-end materials.
- Mavic: Mavic is a long-established French carbon and alloy wheel brand with broad coverage across road, MTB, gravel, and e-bike categories. It competes directly with Light Bicycle through IBD distribution and OEM partnerships with major bike brands.
Emerging players
- FLO Cycling: FLO Cycling is a US direct-to-consumer carbon and alloy wheel brand serving road, gravel, and triathlon riders. It uses a similar factory-direct pricing model and competes for the same value-conscious premium buyer Light Bicycle targets.
- Princeton CarbonWorks: Princeton CarbonWorks is a US-based premium carbon wheel maker focused on road and gravel with deep-aero designs. It is comparable to Light Bicycle as a smaller, innovation-focused player competing for the premium enthusiast segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Light Bicycle social profiles
Digital presenceLight Bicycle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Light Bicycle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Light Bicycle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Light Bicycle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Light Bicycle
What does Light Bicycle do?
Light Bicycle designs, manufactures, and sells fully customizable carbon fiber bicycle rims and complete wheelsets across mountain, gravel, road, time trial/triathlon/track, BMX, fat bike, and e-bike disciplines, with handcrafted custom wheel building services. The company also produces carbon integrated handlebars (AeroRevo, Grvfest-20), a carbon gravel frameset (Journey), and wheel accessories such as tubeless valves, rim tape, brake pads, and bottle cages. Products are sold factory-direct via lightbicycle.com with North American warehousing, supplemented by a Dealer/Ambassador program and OEM/ODM services for bicycle brands.
Is Light Bicycle a public or private company?
Light Bicycle is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Light Bicycle founded?
Light Bicycle was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Light Bicycle based?
Light Bicycle is headquartered in Xiamen, China, in the Asia region.
How does Light Bicycle make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Carbon Rim Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Wheel Building Services, OEM/ODM Manufacturing and accessories.
Who are Light Bicycle's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Shimano and Campagnolo. Direct peers are Roval (Specialized), Zipp (SRAM), DT Swiss, Hunt Bike Wheels, ENVE Composites and Mavic. Emerging players are FLO Cycling and Princeton CarbonWorks.
Does Light Bicycle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Light Bicycle.