La saga Follis
32B027
Description
Founded in 1903 by Joseph Follis in the suburbs of Turin, the brand took off in the 1920s after crossing the Alps and settling in Lyon. In 1933, François, the founder's son, took over the business, always with the aim of perpetuating the quality image of his father's creations. Follis bicycles enjoyed a fine reputation and benefited from the exploits of riders such as Bertocco and Billiet, who in 1946 won the Poly Chanteloup in record time. What more could you ask of an in-house mechanic?
After bicycles, Follis went on to produce motorcycles and motorcycles, always with the same commitment to quality. Expansion was constant, and François decided to buy land in the commune of Craponne to build a new factory. With a workforce of 200, the new factory took production capacity to a whole new level. Every month, 600 bikes and 1,000 motorcycles roll off the production line. While motorcycle production was running at full speed, bicycles continued to ensure the brand's visibility and expertise, with Forestier's victory in the 53rd Paris Roubaix race in 1955.
Unfortunately, the brand went into decline, due to the Algerian war and the advent of the automobile. In 1973, Myrian Follis and her husband took over the company and have since devoted themselves to the production of cycles and tandems, whose reputation and manufacturing quality are still the added value of the Follis brand.
