HOY Bicycles: From Road and City Riding to a New Junior Generation
HOY is the bicycle brand associated with Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic gold medallist. Its story spans adult road and city bikes developed with Evans Cycles and a renewed children’s range with Tandem Group. For riders and parents, that changing focus is the key to understanding what a HOY bicycle offers.
A racing name with a broader riding brief
HOY’s early range extended beyond the velodrome. In its contemporary launch coverage, road.cc described the Evans Cycles collaboration through two aluminium frame families: the Sa Calobra road bike and the Shizuoka urban bike. Different component packages gave buyers several versions of each platform.
The distinction was practical. Sa Calobra paired its road frame with a carbon fork and Shimano road transmissions, while Shizuoka used flat-bar controls and hydraulic disc brakes across the initial range. These were separate answers to road riding and everyday urban travel. Anyone comparing older HOY bikes should therefore start with the model family, then examine the individual build rather than treating the name as a single specification.
A fresh chapter for children
In March 2025, Cycle Sprog reported a new partnership between Sir Chris Hoy and Tandem Group for lightweight junior bicycles. The announced lineup ran from a 12-inch balance bike to a 26-inch junior hybrid. This gives the brand a distinctly different present-day emphasis from its early adult road and urban catalogue.
Weee! and Pentland serve different stages
Tandem Group Cycles’ HOY range page identifies Weee! as the balance-bike family, using a composite frame and focusing on learning balance and coordination. Pentland is the pedal-bike family for young riders exploring farther, including paths and family adventures beyond the pavement. Its name refers to the Pentland Hills, where Hoy discovered off-road riding.
The published Pentland features include triple-butted aluminium frames, disc brakes, Shimano gearing and geometry intended for children. Those details provide useful comparison points: frame construction, braking system, gearing and fit deserve attention alongside wheel size. A balance bike and a geared junior hybrid solve different riding needs, so progression should follow the child’s control and confidence.
Reading the HOY name when choosing a bike
HOY makes most sense as a brand with distinct generations. An older Sa Calobra or Shizuoka belongs to its adult-bike history; Weee! and Pentland express its renewed junior focus. Use our HOY bicycle brand page as a starting point, then check the exact model, size and equipment against the riding you have in mind.