Founder Andries Gaastra | Date founded 1974 | |
 | ||
Hibiki wataru oogami koga checkmate
KOGA is a Dutch bicycle manufacturer based in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The company is well known for its long time partnership with Japanese frame manufacturer Miyata, producing bicycles and sponsoring racing teams under the brand name Koga Miyata. As of May 2010 the partnership ended and the company began manufacturing bicycles under the KOGA brand.
Contents
History
The company was founded by Andries Gaastra in 1974, who therefore left his function at his father's company Batavus. The name Koga is a combination of his surname and that of his wife Marion Kowallik. The addition of Miyata came from the cooperation with Japanese manufacturer Miyata. Koga Miyata relied on quality Japanese components from manufacturers such as Shimano.
From 1980 Koga Miyata sponsored the IJsboerke cycle team. This led to immediate success when the Dutch Peter Winnen won a stage in the Tour de France at the Alpe d'Huez. The international recognition of the Dutch Koga Miyata brand started growing.
In 1992, Gaastra sold his company to the Atag Cycle Group, which had acquired Batavus six years earlier.
Products
Koga Miyata started with the use of superior Japanese components. The design and assemblage of the bicycles was done by hand in the Netherlands.
At first Koga Miyata only produced racing bicycles. In 1976 they added a range of high quality randonneurs or touring bicycles, and in 1986 mountain bikes. In 1993, after it was acquired by the Atag Cycle Group, Koga Miyata also produced hybrid bicycles.
Koga now produce a range of e-bikes (bicycles with an electrical assist system). These bikes use a number of electrical systems and are an increasingly important part of the European bicycle market.
Early models
Some of the early company brochures are publicly available for download.