BMX Brand
Eclat
Eclat is a German BMX parts brand from Cologne, founded in the late 2000s as the sister company of WeThePeople, known for pedals, cranks, hubs, tyres and rims.
Updated 2 min read374 words
Eclat is a BMX parts brand from Cologne, Germany, founded in the late 2000s as the sister company of WeThePeople. It makes pedals, cranks, hubs, tyres, rims, seats and other components, and it is one of the largest aftermarket parts brands in BMX.
History
WeThePeople built its name on frames and complete bikes. By the late 2000s the company wanted its aftermarket parts to have an identity of their own, so it launched Eclat as a separate brand. The split let Eclat sell parts to riders on any frame without the association with a competing frame brand, and it let WeThePeople completes carry a recognisable parts brand name.
Eclat grew quickly on the strength of a few products: plastic pedals at a time when plastic pedals were taking over from metal, chromoly cranks, and a range of hubs including both cassette and freecoaster designs. Its tyres became some of the most common in street and park riding. The brand built an international team that overlaps with WeThePeople's and has become a fixture in bike shops worldwide. It continues to operate from Cologne.
Products
Eclat's range covers most of the bike apart from the frame, fork and bars.
| Product | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Surge | Pedals | Plastic pedals |
| Tibia | Cranks | Chromoly cranks |
| Pulse and Cortex | Cassette hubs | Cassette hubs at different price points |
| Shift and Blind | Freecoaster hubs | Eclat's freecoasters |
| Fireball, Mirage, Decoder | Tyres | Street and park tyres |
| Bondi | Rims | Street rim |
| Vent | Sprocket | Machined sprocket |
Many WeThePeople completes are specified with Eclat parts, which is one reason those bikes are rated well in cheap vs expensive BMX bikes comparisons.
Team and riders
Eclat's team is international and shares riders with WeThePeople. Riders associated with the brand have included:
- Sean Burns
- Bruno Hoffmann
- Ty Morrow
- Devon Smillie
Influence
Eclat is the clearest case of a frame brand spinning off its parts into a separate company and making it work. The model has been copied in various forms by other groups, including Odyssey and Sunday and The Shadow Conspiracy and Subrosa. Its pedals and tyres are among the most widely used parts in the sport, and its freecoasters helped bring the freecoaster hub into the mainstream of street riding in the 2010s.
Related
Frequently asked questions about Eclat
Is Eclat the same company as WeThePeople?
Eclat is run by the same company in Cologne but operates as a separate parts brand with its own team and product range.
What is Eclat best known for?
Its plastic pedals, the Tibia cranks, the Pulse and Cortex hubs, the Shift and Blind freecoasters and tyres such as the Fireball and Mirage.
Who rides for Eclat?
The team has included Sean Burns, Bruno Hoffmann, Ty Morrow and Devon Smillie.
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WeThePeople
WeThePeople is a German BMX brand founded in Cologne in the late 1990s, known for complete bikes, frames and parts, and for its sister parts brand Eclat.
2 min readPedals
BMX pedals are the platforms that thread into the crank arms and give the rider's feet a grippy surface to push, jump and balance on.
3 min readCranks
Cranks are the two arms that connect the pedals to the bottom bracket spindle, turning a rider's leg power into rotation of the sprocket and chain.
3 min readCassette Hub
A cassette hub is a BMX rear hub whose removable driver contains a ratchet freewheel, so the wheel spins freely when the rider stops pedalling.
3 min readFreecoaster Hub
A freecoaster hub is a BMX rear hub with a clutch that lets the wheel roll backwards without turning the cranks, unlike a standard cassette hub.
3 min readTyres
BMX tyres are the rubber tyres that fit 20 inch wheels, usually 2.1 to 2.5 inches wide, and are the only part of the bike that touches the ground.
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