Table of Contents
Hercules
Carl Marschütz started making bicycles in Nuremberg, Germany in 1884 at the age of 20, creating the Hercules brand in 1885 and founding Carl Marschütz & Co in 1886. In addition to bicycles, Marschütz started making electric cars & trucks in 1898 followed by motorcycles in 1904. In 1938 Germany's Nuremberg Racial Purity Laws forced the Marschütz family to emigrate to the USA, selling the company to a local doctor who made cough drops. WWII saw the destruction of Nuremberg's factories after which Hercules was acquired by Triumph-Werke in 1948 and then Fichtel & Sachs AG in 1963, Mannesmann in 1987, ATAG Cycle Group in 1995, Accell Germany and finally ZEG in 2014. Carl Marschütz lived in retirement in Los Angeles until 1957.
Today a full range to Hercules bicycles are available from https://www.hercules-bikes.de, built in Hungary and Asia.
Other Hercules bike manufacturers have existed alongside Hercules of Germany:
- Hercules Cycle & Motor Co., of Birmingham, England : 1910 → 2003 wikipedia
- At one point they considered themselves the world's largest bike manufacturer, producing over 500,000/year in the 1930s. Not related to Nuremberg's Hercules.
- Hercules Bicycles of India : 1951 → today https://hercules.in
- An off-shoot of Hercules, UK.
Resources:
Marschütz's factory, ca. 1930.
nordbayern
Hercules-Werke, ca. 1896
pinterest
Carl Marschütz, at left, ca. 1883.
artsandculture.google.com
1984 MTB
Sachs Huret Rider v2 derailleur and shifters (1984+), Mannesmann tubing, bullmoose bars, drum brakes,
1984 MTB
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1985 Uvex Sportstyle
Sachs Huret Rival 41.1D (1985), Magura brake levers, bullmoose bars, drum brakes, Uvex is a sporting components supplier from Fürth, Germany.
1985 Uvex Sportstyle
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1986 MTB Competition
Sachs-Huret Rival (1985-87) derailleurs, SunTour XC II pedals, Sachs drum brakes, Sachs-Huret “retro friction” shifters. Bullmoose bars.
1986 MTB Competition
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1987 MTB Special
Hybrid internal hub with derailleur gearing. Sachs Huret Rider type I rear derailleur (1984+) used merely as a chain tensioner in the rear. Sachs-Huret “retro friction” shifters. Fichtel and Sachs 5-speed Pentasport internal gear hub (1987+) with drum brakes controlled by two gear chains plus a brake cable. Bullmoose bars.
1987 MTB Special
retrobike
1988 MTB Competition
SunTour XCD6000 (1988-89), slingshot stem, rear pump peg, drum brakes.
1988 MTB Competition
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1989 Super Competition
SunTour XCD 6000 group (1988-89), extra chainguard, derailleur guard, TIG welded, cantilever brakes, 28.6 pounds. Pic from 1989 catalog.
1989 Super Competition
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1990 MTB Special
Sachs Huret Rival Sport (1989-93?), Post Moderne suspension seatpost, Mavic rims, hub brakes.
1990 MTB Special
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1991 California Pro
SunTour XC-Pro group and hubs (1989-92), Tange tubing, Post Moderne suspension seatpost, Mavic rims, cantilever brakes (1992 California Pros had hydraulic brakes.)
1991 California Pro
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1992 California Pro
Hydraulic Magura Hydro Stop brakes (1991-92 thus), Suntour XC-Pro (1989-92) group.
1992 California Pro
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1993 Diablo
Early carbon fiber frame. No decals and some modern upgrades. Shimano Deore DX derailleur and cranks (1991-93).
1993 Diablo
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