Flying Pigeon
Encyclopedia
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
company based in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, a direct-controlled municipality, in Northeastern China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Origins
In 1936, a Japanese businessman built a factory in Tianjin which was named “Changho Works” and started to make “Anchor” bicycles. The brand name was changed to “Victory”, and then renamed to “Zhongzi”. After the Communists led by Mao ZedongMao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
came to power in 1949, the bicycle industry was revived. In April 1949, Chairman Mao's heir apparent, vice president Liu Shaoqi
Liu Shaoqi
Liu Shaoqi was a Chinese revolutionary, statesman, and theorist. He was Chairman of the People's Republic of China, China's head of state, from 27 April 1959 to 31 October 1968, during which he implemented policies of economic reconstruction in China...
paid a visit to the factory and commanded that it become the first bicycle manufacturer in New China. Their workers were tasked to build a generation of strong, durable, light and beautiful bicycle for New China. On July 5, 1950, the first Flying Pigeon bicycle was produced. It was the brainchild of a worker named Huo Baoji. The name chosen to represent the most prominent bicycle trademark was an expression for peace amidst the raging war in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The current logo is a stylized dove which represents concord and harmony, resting on the initials FP. Previous logos also depicted the dove, or doves, in flight.
Flying Pigeon: China's bicycle since 1950
The Flying Pigeon is the bike that has pushed forward not only millions of people, but also is at the forefront of the whole bicycle phenomenon in the People’s Republic of China.In 1950 revolutionary China the two-wheeled vehicle was the approved form of transport, and the nation became zixingche wang guo, the Kingdom of Bicycles. A bicycle was one of the three "must-haves“ of every citizen, alongside a sewing machine and watch - essential items in life that also offered a hint of wealth in those dour times.
In Maoist China, the famed Flying Pigeon bicycle was a symbol of an egalitarian social system that promised little comfort but a reliable ride through life. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the logo became synonymous with almost all bicycles in the country. The Flying Pigeon was the single most popular mechanized vehicle on the planet, becoming so ubiquitous that Deng Xiaoping — the post-Mao leader who launched China's economic reforms in the 1970s — defined prosperity as "a Flying Pigeon in every household”.
In the early 1980s, Flying Pigeon was the country's biggest bike builder, and its 20-kilo black single-speed models were the pride of workers nationwide. There was a multi year waiting list to get one, and even then you needed good guanxi
Guanxi
Guanxi describes the basic dynamic in personalized networks of influence, and is a central idea in Chinese society. In Western media, the pinyin romanization of this Chinese word is becoming more widely used instead of the two common translations—"connections" and "relationships"—as neither of...
, or connections — not to mention about four months' wages for most workers.
Company
The Flying Pigeon's current building was built in 1998. It employs 600 workers who produce the bikes, using modern automated equipment. Flying Pigeon now makes 40 models of bicycles, most of which look like modern mountain or city bikes, in dozens of colors. The frames are welded piecemeal; wheels are built on an assembly line, with spokes first laced to hubs, then threaded to rims. Workers hand-spray rough welds with coatings of enamel; the bikes move on conveyors similar those of a dry cleaner's.Despite declining domestic sales, the Flying Pigeon remains China's bike, if only because much of the brand's old rolling stock is still in service. The government estimates that a half-billion bikes are in use throughout China, many handed down through generations. The Pigeon is one of the few nostalgia-inducing artifacts of China's postrevolutionary era, which was darkened by the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
and intense poverty. In 1994, the government named it a "national key trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
brand under protection," enshrining it similarly to national treasure
National treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of Romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology which supports the nation as the fundamental unit of human social life, which includes shared...
s.
Flying Pigeon: honours
In 1954, Flying Pigeon bicycles took first place honors in the first Chinese national quality evaluation. In following comparisons and appraisals of Chinese bicycle quality, Flying Pigeon bicycles received such prizes and honors as the National Silver Medal, the Golden Prize of Light Industry Series Products (at an international exposition), the Best-selling Domestic Product Prize, and the National Best Post-sale Service Prize. In April 1994, Flying Pigeon was listed as the "National Key Trademark Brand under Protection" by the Chinese National Administration Bureau of Industry and Commerce. The company has also passed the ISO 9001 international certification. Flying Pigeon bicycles have been presented by the Chinese government as a national gift to American President BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, and Cuban President Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, among others.
Advertising
The company does not advertise its traditional bicycles such as the PA-02 as the brand is so infused in Chinese society and culture. There are, however, localized advertising campaigns.Traditional models
The classic Flying Pigeon bicycles are the PA-02 and PA-06 (men's) and PB-13 (women's). These are one of the most iconic symbols of old China (the sturdy, single speed black bicycle ridden by the masses).They are simple, conceived as a working machines that were meant to last a lifetime. They are strong, all-steel single speed with 28-inch wheels, fenders, fully covered chain, sprung leather saddle, rear rack and rod brakes (a handlebar lever connects directly to the brake pads), double stand (PA02 and PA06) or side stand (PB13). Like the Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
, they are only available in one colour, black, except for the flare of vanilla at the fender tips. They can be equipped with a dynamo
Dynamo
- Engineering :* Dynamo, a magnetic device originally used as an electric generator* Dynamo theory, a theory relating to magnetic fields of celestial bodies* Solar dynamo, the physical process that generates the Sun's magnetic field- Software :...
lighting set.
The PA-02
The classic Flying Pigeon bicycle is the PA-02, a rugged, single-speed with 28-inch wheels, mudguards(fenders), a fully enclosed chain case, a rear rackLuggage carrier
A luggage carrier, also commonly called a rack, is a device attached to a bicycle to which cargo or panniers can be attached. This is popular with utility bicycles and touring bicycles....
and rod-actuated brakes. The typically available color is black, however other colors are available such dark green which is used by China Post
China Post
China Post , which is the name used by the State Post Bureau of PRC in business, is the official postal service of the People's Republic of China. China Post is operated by the State Post Bureau of the People's Republic of China. The State Post Bureau, commonly referred to as China Post, is both a...
, red, which is used by Chinese municipal fire departments, yellow, orange and blue which are used by various businesses. Most models are pinstriped.
For most of the Communist era, the price of a Flying Pigeon was 150 yuan
Yuan
Yuan may refer to:* Chinese yuan, the basic unit of currency in China** Renminbi, the current currency used in the People's Republic of China, whose basic unit is Yuan...
, about two months' salary, with a waiting list that stretched into years. There's a well-known story that a farmer once offered to trade his entire crop to speed up delivery of his Pigeon.
Today, the PA-02 fetches about 240 yuan, the equivalent of $36 USD. The Tianjin factory produces about 800,000 bikes yearly.
The PA-06
Specifications
These specifications are standard to all 3 models, except where otherwise noted.- 28 x 1- inch (ISOISO 5775ISO 5775 is an international standard for labeling the size of bicycle tires and rims. The system used was originally developed by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation . It is designed to make tire sizing consistent and clear. It replaces overlapping informal systems that ambiguously...
635) wheels, 32 spokes in front, 40 spokes in the rear, Westwood rimWestwood rimThe Westwood rim style of cycle rim used on bicycles was one of the original steel rim designs, developed during or before 1891. Bowden brakes and cables designed for use with this rim were introduced in 1896. Westwood rims have also been found ideal for use with drum brakes...
s. - Rear hub 120mm OLD, front hub 100mm OLD
- Chain wheel 42 teeth, sprocket 20 teeth frame size (PA-06 also available in 24 inch)
- Single-speed gearing of 58.8 gear inchesGear inchesGear inches is a system that assigns numerical measurements to bicycle gear ratios, to indicate how low or high a gear is.Gear inches has no current physical significance; it corresponds to the diameter in inches of the main wheel of an old-fashioned penny-farthing bicycle with equivalent gearing...
External links
- Flying Pigeon company website
- US Website
- European importer
- Spanish website
- The Flying Pigeon Project-A Flying Pigeon enthusiast blog
- Flight of the Pigeon article from bicycle magazine
- A Phoenix Named Flying Pigeon article from Business Week