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MOSCOW, Feb 17 (Reuters) - One of the Soviet Union's
most popular bicycle brands has been revived by a Russian
factory after spending decades in obscurity, the latest
Russian-made product to hit shelves as Moscow champions domestic
production over Western imports.
Originally mass-produced by a state-owned Soviet plant in
the Russian city of Perm, the Kama bicycle became popular in the
1970s and 1980s for its foldable design and distinctive red
frame, but fell out of use after the Soviet collapse of 1991.
Now Russia's Forward car factory is bringing the Kama brand
back with a new model resembling its Soviet counterpart,
marketing what was once considered a vintage collector's item to
a new generation of cyclists.
"Not everyone had one, but it was everyone's dream to have
one," Forward's commercial director Alexei Boyaryshnikov told
Reuters.
At 98 roubles - around half the average Soviet monthly wage
in 1980 - it was not the most affordable bike on the market but
was highly sought after.
"At the time there was not much of a choice. There was not a
great variety of bicycles," he said. "This bike was the most
popular and interesting."
"Although two generations have probably passed since people
first rode the bike ... our bicycle factory decided to start
producing the Kama again because we're in Perm and it is the
ancestor of the (previous) large bike factory."
The new model will cost about 10,000 roubles ($133) and be
made from parts sourced from Russia and abroad, the company
said, although even producing a Russian-made bicycle like the
Kama has become more difficult due to sanctions.
"We produce many bike models, over 300. For other models,
the sanctions affected us a lot," Boyaryshnikov said.
"We are now deprived of parts we use for our production,
from Japan, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, France ... As for the
Kama – there was a lack of paint. We used Finnish paint – and
now we have to switch to another one."
Since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine
almost a year ago, Western sanctions and the subsequent exodus
of foreign companies have forced Moscow to end its reliance on
foreign imports and develop its own brands and goods.
Dozens of Western products have been replaced with domestic
equivalents, as Russian entrepreneurs aim to capitalise on the
departure of brands such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's.
Last year, the former factory of French automaker Renault was bought by the local authorities and repurposed to
produce the Soviet-era Moskvich line of cars, featuring new
designs that barely resemble their Soviet predecessor.
($1 = 74.75 roubles)
(Reporting by Reuters,
Writing by Caleb Davis,
Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Alison Williams)
