Devinci Pursuing The Trail Of Craftsmanship

Pursuing the trail of craftsmanship | Founded in 1987, Devinci (devinci.com) had a modest start, building bikes by hand. The vision of its president, Félix Gauthier, led this Chicoutimi-based company to become a leading Canadian bike manufacturer. Devinci did not stop there; the company now manufactures about a hundred models of road, mountain and hybrid bikes priced from $459 to $8 399. Its goal is to produce high quality bikes for enthusiastic, serious cyclists. 

Félix Gauthier has stated that innovation is the driving force of his company, which has a research and development team composed of five technicians and engineers. These bike experts use avant-garde methods similar to the automobile and aeronautical industries. The designs, tests and pilot projects and all stages of development are conducted at the factory in Saguenay. The company is so confident in the quality of its products that it offers a lifetime guarantee on all bike frames. 

The frames and all other high quality parts are made in Quebec, but “it’s the market that determines the price, so we have had to rely on Asia for manufacturing bikes priced at less than $800 in order to compete with big players like Trek, Giant and Specialized.”, explains David Régnier-Bourque, the director of marketing. Devinci president Félix Gauthier believes that it is possible to do business in Quebec and to be part of the international market, but it is important to be open to outsourcing production. “There must be a balance between manufacturing in Quebec and abroad in order to provide the best value for money.” 

“Working for Devinci isn’t really a job, it’s a passion. The vast majority of our employees love biking!” observed David Régnier-Bourque. With flexible hours and 60km of beautiful single tack trails within a kilometre of the factory, enthusiastic cyclists can go out for a ride on their lunch breaks. 

Devinci employs between 60 and 100 staff working in the engineering, sales, marketing, accounting, welding, painting and IT departments; there’s something for everyone within the company. 


DEVINCI LEO SL 

The Leo SL 2012 is equipped with the new DCF technology (Dual Core Fusion) that combines elements of speed, stability, and intuition. The frame features an asymmetrical geometry that not only provides improved performance but also enhanced lateral rigidity and vertical compliance for a better power transfer that will leave other cyclists biting the dust. The Leo SL is available in three different sizes: the Leo SL X with Ultegra Di2 ($4,599.99); the Leo SL R with SRAM FORCE ($3,899.99) and the LEO SL K with standard Ultegra ($3,399.99).