Hermanos Olivier

The Olivier brothers, namely Aimé, René and, to a lesser extent, Marius, were the first to recognize the commercial potential of a new invention: the bicycle.

The Olivier family was wealthy and owned chemical plants based in Lyon. While engineering students in Paris in 1864, they were among the earliest adopters of the new "velocipede".

In late August 1865, Aimé and René Olivier and their friend the journalist Georges De la Bouglise, riding Michaux machines, undertook a 794 km journey in eight days between Paris and Avignon—chosen simply because the Olivier family originated from that city. This trip is now considered the world’s first cycling tour. They passed through Nevers, Moulins and La Palisse, then crossed the Col du Pin Bouchain to reach Lyon and the Rhône valley.

In 1868 the Oliviers formed a company with Pierre Michaux to mass-produce bicycles. Michaux contributed 16,000 francs, while the Olivier brothers invested 50,000 francs. Although they held a dominant position, they preferred to stay behind the scenes to capitalize on Michaux’s name and reputation. The brothers also introduced real manufacturing improvements: they popularized the straight frame invented by Cadot in Lyon and replaced malleable cast iron with industrially forged iron using a steam hammer.

Throughout the first bicycle boom from 1867 to 1869, René Olivier managed both the Michaux company and the industry at large. He remained “in the background” until he ended the partnership with Michaux in 1869 and founded his own factory, the Compagnie Parisienne. However, the bicycle craze in France (and the United States) collapsed that year. After France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 the business was bankrupt, and the Olivier brothers returned to their family’s traditional chemical industry.

Bicycle popularity continued only in England, where inventors and manufacturers introduced the next series of technical advances.

External links

• «Crónica 48: Les Frères Olivier». Le Petit Braquet (en francés). Consultado el 9 de diciembre de 2021.