Mike Poyzer @ Onza

The Mini Master was a concept which achieved production but never achieved large scale sales. I don't really anticipate that it will find a place in their next range. The Sting is a short Rip. Do you consider the Rip a competition model or a beginners mass market model which competent riders inevitably move on from. We know that the potential younger riders market is not big but we are interested in supporting it. We don't think that other manufacturers (those that are left) will be interested in it.

As I stated earlier, I have now sold the Onza brand to Moore Large & Co. who have been our UK distributor for the past six years. The brand is in extremely good health and is in good hands. The buyers are one of the best financed and managed bicycle distributors in the UK and will go from strength to strength. At the same time I still retained the Tensile, Araya, Conspiracy and Unofix brands which I still operate along with Rock'n'Roll Bikes. I would not dream of going into direct competition with the bicycles which Onza sell. Image is NOT yet a brand, merely a project. We looked at the youth trials market and thought it was badly catered for and was too niche for Onza to get involved. I still retain the services of frame makers in Taiwan and we use parts that have already been developed by ourselves. Image is very much experimental and if we achieve some success then it could grow into a micro brand but as yet there is no commitment.

I don't know where you heard this MIS- information. We sold the worldwide Onza brand a few months ago to one of the biggest and best financed bicycle distribution companies in the UK. We continue to develop parts and bikes for all disciplines and in the Trials market, we are particularly keen to cater for the younger elements. It is an area which is badly catered for in general and it is from where the future of the sport will develop.

I think that Mark is probably referring to me. Although no formal announcement has yet been made until all the formalities are completed, it is no secret that I have sold all my worldwide rights and intellectual property for the Onza brand to Moore Large, who have been our UK distributors for the last six years. The difference here is that I have not left the business. I have sold the rights of a flourishing brand to a company who will build on that success and have a commitment to growing it. I will still be heavily connected as my son Joe works for them and will take control of the Onza side of their business. The video he recently completed is testimony to their dedication to its future development. In the meantime, as I approach 65 in July, I am still retaining the Tensile brand and several other brands, so will continue to be involved in the world of Trials as well as many other aspects of the bicycle industry. I suppose I ought to change my TF name to Mike Poyzer@ Tensile. Mike Poyzer

A much better and clearer range of photo's now uploaded onto tensile.net.

They had advanced tremendously by 1993. This is from the 1993 catalogue and they clearly had a lead which was squandered. Probably too niche for them or they were just pandering to Hans Rey.

Just selling a few early catalogues on Ebay and I came across this. A 1988 GT catalogue detailing Hans Rey and his 1987 GT Ricochet. Thats 25 years ago. Anybody got any earlier references to trials.

Just a reflection on some of the comments on here. We'd love to fit a Tensile freewheel on everything, but its just too expensive. At least the freewheel we fit is a good strong one and handles the abuse of new riders very well. Even top class freewheels have a limited lifespan. It was felt to be a good place for your first upgrade. As stated, the Rip is always the best seller, but we haven't just repeated it. We have looked very carefully at geometry and improved it greatly. The new Rip handles much better than any previous models. The Ska has never been for the timid and its colours and graphics are definitely in your face. Last years Ska was universally slagged off on the forum, and it turned out to be the fastest selling bike we ever produced being the first to completely sell out before last Christmas. So this sort of citicism is music to my ears.

Very nice work and well done for producing such accomplished drawings and good looking prototypes. Its not new however. I have three sample prototypes somewhere knocking about of three variant prototypes with the same idea, which we produced in about 2004. The stumbling block was always the variable width between mounts. First prototype also included a hose splitter. Our final prototype was in 2 halves with a dovetail sliding centre section so that you could vary the width and the middle prototype had slotted sideways holes for the same purpose. General lack of interest from riders at the time made us shelve it. This is my sketch of first prototype. Afraid all the follow up CAD's are now deleted If I remember correctly, did not someone from Russia or Ukraine produce something similar 3 or 4 years ago as well.

No, new bash.

The Frewheel is 108. Lockring removal is under review. With threadlock there should be no problem. Don't forget that with the splined interface, the lockring is not under any torsional load. The Tensile Cranks will be a brand new design to go with this freewheel. There may be more than one new Tensile crank, several designs have been under test and review.

Just thought I'd show you this new project we are working on for a new trials freewheel. 108 clicks with a splined interface and lockring. New custom made Tensile cranks to follow shortly. No more stripped threads on your cranks and no more freewheels wedged on so tightly that you cant get them off. Coupled with a fully servicable design with all parts available, there will be no excuse for not maintaining them. Availability probably mid summer.

This is the new Genesis 26" bike. Almost all new parts. Kenda Nevegal kevlar tyres. Stem and bashring are anodized although they look baby blue in the photo. Weight unknown at this stage but its very light. RRP is about £999.00. Geometry 1085, +55, 380 stays, 73 head. We are only making small batches and demand looks high. Available in about four weeks. Also coming in at same time, Genesis frame, Limey 4 26" Frame and the front rims as shown with or without side drilling. Pictures of frames in about a week.

Pictures.

I don't think there would be any geographical boundaries, but clearly where Onza has a distributor in your country, there may be a requirement to do some sort of joint promotion. I haven't really thought this through yet, so I am shooting from the hip a little.