ABOUT
“Trials” is a sacred word for ECHO, because it is from a rider who was the first person to ride a trials bike in China.
1995, with a box of “HANS REY” videos, Deng began to bond with trials.
1996, I was also deeply attracted by trials. “This is the correct method of riding a bicycle!”, I thought. Since then, we felt like we were from another planet. In order to allow more young people to know “what is trials”, we traveled around many cities of China. One year later, we found less than 10 riders and they all used mountain bikes to do trials. What a disappointment! Trials equipment was too expensive. A complete bike cost more than $2000 USD, and the frame would likely break in only three months, so no one could afford it.
1998, ECHO’s first 20 inch steel bike came out. In two years we couldn’t sell out one hundred completed bikes. Suddenly, our dreams and aspirations received a heavy blow!
2002, we finally participated in the Biketrial International Union World (BIU) Championship, but it was more like a small group of brand promotion activities. Most of the European riders were there just to have fun. So, we had a new understanding of trials, happiness is the most important!
2003, we opened ECHO studio and began research and development in Shenzhen. Deng was a graduate of mechanical mold design. In that time CAD was not very popular, design and drawing was done with a pencil and paper. So designing a complete bike was hard work. In order to find more design concepts, we visited all of the Chinese history museums to learn “what is design”.
2004-2005, Deng became a self-taught CAD Engineer. He learned 3D design software by his persistence and intelligence. These new designs were a quantum leap from the previous drawings. ECHO gradually entered the international market. At the same time, we started to sponsor some well-known riders both domestic and foreign.
2006-2008, trials entered a rapid development era. Including ECHO, many of the world famous brands entered a healthy competition with each other, to create a good trials market, rather than vicious competition and trying to monopolize the market. We know trials accounted for only less than 0.000001% of the world bicycle industry! Yet, even in an industry so small, we believe that all riders deserve respect.
2009-2011, We felt the bicycle industry was not supporting the volume nor quality requirements of trials riders so we built our own factory. We aspired to build the world’s best quality bicycle at a fair price. But we never dreamed it would be such a difficult and arduous thing. From design to production, tool design of the CNC production process, heat treatment, forging parts, surface treatment and so on, they are not a simple matter of links.
2012, ECHO is developing step by step. To my dismay, Deng suddenly left us from brain cancer. His life is only one thing—-Trials! He hoped one day trials will become a benchmark of the bicycle industry, to be recognized and respected! We will continue Deng’s dream and spirit! ECHO will keep going! Working hard, we will never give up!
After 2013, ECHO gradually entered steady development, and improved the complete bike production line. ECHO’s production capacity and overall quality has been improved. Our trials bikes are simpler, sturdier, and more durable!
In the past a few years, with China’s economic slowdown and global economic weakness the trial’s market also suffered serious impact. Several well-known brands also collapsed. In the small trial’s market, if all colleagues can respect each other, work with each other to create a harmonious and healthy civil atmosphere, mutual equity cooperation, sharing of resources, promote the trial’s market – This will allow more of the trial’s enthusiasts to join in, it also can increase trials’ status in the bicycle industry. So we hope everyone will unite and create the future!