| Display Name: | Hercules | Country: | Germany |
| Years of Operation: | 1895 - ? | Primary Focus: | Bicycle Frames |
| The Hercules products were always utility bikes, they played no big role in racing.
A bizarre product was the "riding bike" Cavallo- (1983), where there was no pedal drive, but the frame generated the propulsion through 4 joints and connecting rods by the up and down movement of the rider. At the end of the 1970s and in the course of the 80s, the company became more involved in sports and, in addition to the sport-touring bikes, also offered some "real" racing bike models, which were, however, purchased frames from Italy or from German small-series manufacturers. These were used to equip various racing clubs from 1979 and the RSG (Rennsportgemeinschaft) Hercules Nuremberg from 1984-1991, which won about 800 victories and 32 German championships during this period. In 1996, the first German GS2 Pro Team was formed from the team, which was renamed RSG Nuremberg after a change of sponsor.
The best 80´s Hercules models were: Ajaccio / Ajaccio Replica (Reynolds 531/Columbus SL) San Remo, Salerno, Ventimiglia, (built from cheaper Mannesmann tubes).
Source: Manfred Marr -Radsport Forum
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| Founded in 1886 in Nuremberg as Carl Marschuetz & Co. From 1895 under the brand Hercules, already in 1896 there was an annual production of 6500 bikes with 250 employees.
From 1900, motorized two-wheelers were also produced and Hercules was one of the market leaders until the 1920s. In 3rd Reich forcibly aryanized and then (1941-54) owned by various entrepreneurs until 1963 when it became part of Fichtel & Sachs. In 1987 Mannesmann took over the company to split it up in 1995, motorized production went to Sachs Fahrzeugtechnik and Hercules Fahrrad GmbH to dutch ATAG Cycle Group.
In 2014 Accell Germany Group took over and sold the rights to the name to ZEG (Zweirad -Einkaufs-Genossenschaft eG), an European association of bike dealers, this distributes today a complete range under the brand Hercules, which is produced in Hungary and Asia.
Source: city encyclopedia nuremberg |
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