A passion for cycling for over seventy years
We're champions of lightweight machines made by quality craftsmen.
Designed in London, handmade in Italy.
When Monty Young first opened the doors of Condor in 1948, he probably didn't think he'd build bicycles for pop stars, Olympians, and royalty over the years. He probably didn't think we would still be building frames by hand and still have a store on Gray's Inn Road seventy years later.
We have a passion for cycling, to make the best bicycles possible, and inspire everyone to get out on two wheels. Condor bicycles have been ridden to World Championship medals, multiple National titles, and ridden in the Tour de France.
As more and more marques take their manufacturing to the Far East, we continue to produce our frames by hand in Italy, creating everything from race bikes to gravel-ready machines, from carbon fibre, ultralight aluminium, high grade performance steel, and stainless steel.
Our bikes take inspiration from our rich British heritage. Few brands can claim to have had their bikes ridden by household names like Ed Clancy, OBE, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Tao Geoghegan-Hart, Eric Clapton, and Mick Jagger.
Why Condor?
Fitted to you
Bike fitting is an art honed through experience, and with 70 years behind us, we have a lot to offer. Every rider is different, so we don't make assumptions of bike size based only on height. We work with you to select not just frame size but handlebar width, stem length, seat post alignment, saddle type and position, and reach — all at no additional cost. If you are unsure about your size or the components we offer, we offer a free bike fitting in-store to work through the details.
Handmade in Italy
We build and finish our frames by hand in Italy. Our frame builders are true craftsmen and have many years of experience in welding and constructing with absolute precision, as well as finishing to the highest standard. We create frames that are visually and structurally beautiful, and this translates into unparalleled ride quality.
How it works at Condor
A Brief History of Condor
Monty Young founds Condor Cycles
1948 - After working for several race teams including Triumph Cycles, Monty Young opens Condor Cycles at 90 Gray's Inn Road.
1950 - A second shop is opened at 211 Ball's Pond Road, next to Monty's friend, Harry Rensch of Paris Cycles.
Monty's van
1952 - Monty purchases a Morris J-Type van and volunteers at local races, offering neutral service and support to riders.
1955 - The Condor Britannia race team is formed, the first team of Condor with a squad of local riders.
1957 - The Monty Young Wheel. Monty invited The Council for Industrial Design to test and examine his wheels. The Council published an impressive report that a hand-built Condor wheel weighing less than two pounds had sustained an axle load of 1200lbs before distorting. The report brought cyclists flocking to Condor for 'Monty Young' race wheels.
The Condor Mackeson era
1963 - Mackeson Stout formed a partnership with Condor Cycles to create a professional race team. It was the first time a brand from outside the industry had sponsored a British cycling team.
1965 - Dave Bonner becomes National Champion riding for Condor.
World Champions and the Tour de France
1967 - Condor Mackeson rider, Colin Lewis, is selected to ride for Great Britain in the 1967 Tour de France in support of leader, Tom Simpson. Tom Simpson fatefully dies in the race on Mount Ventoux.
1968 - Hugh Porter turns professional riding for the Condor Mackeson team, and wins Pursuit World Championships in Rome.
1968 - Colin Lewis wins the National Road Race Championships for a second consecutive year.
Pop stars and royalty
1970 - Monty's son, Grant, joins Condor Cycles and the store moves to a larger premises on Gray's Inn Road.
1972 - Condor rider, Tony Gowland, pairs with Patrick Sercu and wins Wembley Six Day event on a gold Condor track frame.
1974 - Condor supports Wembley Six Day racing, providing neutral service and supporting riders.
1975 - Mick Jagger purchases a bike from Condor.
1977 - Princess Margaret orders a bike for her son, Viscount Linley.
Olympics and Paris Cycles
1980 - Jamaican rider, David Weller, wins bronze at the Moscow Olympics in the Individual Pursuit. He remains the only Jamaican rider to win an Olympic medal outside of Track and Field.
1982 - Monty sets up Paris Lightweight Cycles in memory of Harry Rensch's innovative Galibier bike – frames feature unique style and handsome bi-laminations.
1986 - Condor Cycles supports Percy Bilton Pro Cycling Team – the team includes former champion John Herety, Neil Martin, and Bob Downs.
A time of change
1992 - Condor forms Condor Olympia team and Gary Baker wins stages of the Milk Race, a race now known as the Tour of Britain.
1995 - The first aluminium bikes emerge in the peloton and many handmade manufacturers move to the Far East to produce bikes via factory line method.
1997 - Condor supports a young rider by the name of Bradley Wiggins.
1998 - 50th Anniversary of Condor is celebrated and Condor continues to make bicycles by hand in England.
Rapha Condor Race Team
2004 - The Fratello frameset is is launched. Fratello, which translates to brother in Italian is first frame to be made in Italy. Based on the Pendio frame, which is produced by hand in England.
2006 - Condor forms a race team with new brand, Rapha. The squad includes mostly local riders.
2007 - Rapha Condor team focuses on professional racing and signs Dean Downing, who wins the Lincoln GP, focusing the spotlight on the new squad.
2008 - John Herety joins Rapha Condor as the team manager and the team is given Pro-Continental status by the UCI.
Rapha and Condor launch the annual Smithfield Noturne, a night time race around the historic meat market in central London.
2009 - Rapha Condor rider, Kristian House, wins the National Championships, beating Chris Froome, Dan Lloyd, and Pete Kennaugh.
2010 - Rapha Condor team racks up wins in Australia, Britain, and at Tour of Japan and Tour of South Africa.
Racing domination continues
2011 - Wallpaper Magazine awards Condor a design award for special edition World Series bikes.
2011 - The Super Acciaio is launched following testing and development with Rapha Condor. The bicycle is the first steel bike in the pro peloton for decades and features an oversized bottom bracket and tapered head tube.
2012 - Rapha Condor rider, Ed Clancy, wins gold at London 2012 Olympics.
2013 - The Super Acciaio is revamped with new steel tubing made in partnership with Columbus.
2016 - Ed Clancy wins gold at the Rio Olympics. Rapha Condor becomes JLT Condor race team and celebrates 10 years of continuous pro peloton racing.
2018 - 70th Anniversary of Condor is celebrated. Monty Young passes away on 20th July at the age of 88.
2020 - Monty's grandson, Sebastian Young, becomes Managing Director and the family business continues into its third generation.