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| services =
| owner = [[Accell| Accell Group]]
| website = {{in lang|nl
}}
[[File:SPARTA logo.JPG|thumb|Sparta B.V]]
'''Sparta B.V.''' is a
==History==
Sparta was founded in 1917, and has been producing bicycles ever since. Highlights of Sparta's history are the company becoming the biggest Dutch manufacturer of motorcycles after the Second World War, and becoming the biggest Dutch manufacturer of mopeds in the 1970s. In the current age Sparta is known for the production of [[Electric bicycle|E-bikes]].<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [https://www.sparta.nl/alles-over-sparta/geschiedenis History of Sparta (Sparta.nl)]</ref>
===Founding===
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===1920s===
The 1920s meant rapid development for Sparta: [[Leendert Schakel]] became head of the company after buying full ownership from all other shareholders, leaving him and ''Verbeek'' as the owners. In 1920, Sparta produced its first self-built cycle. The year after which the company started working on [[
===1930s===
The 1930s company, then called ''Sparta Rijwielen- en Motorenfabriek, Firma Verbeek & Schakel'', started producing motorised vehicles. Technics were a big passion of Schakel, so the change from bicycle to motorcycle was a logical one. The first motorised vehicle to leave the factory was equipped with a 78cc Sachs engine. Its development started in 1931.
Sparta was still active on the bicycle market. In a brochure printed in 1936 were, aside of four regular bikes for men and women, adverts for a kids bicycle, a [[cargo bike]], a butcher's bike (baker's bike), a [[tandem]] and a service bike. All of these had over fifteen different styles and modifications, several of which had the option of being equipped with an engine.
The offer in motorcycles also was enlarged. In the 30s, Sparta produced several models equipped with engines made by [[
===1940s===
As a result of the [[World War II|Second World War]] production was halted in 1943, after which the company had to be rebuilt, to resume productions in 1945. Producing vehicles, however, wasn't easy for Sparta, as there was a scarcity in metals.
Schakel, who still was head of the company, saw a broad future in the motorcycles. The limitation to 60 kilos, which Sparta limited itself to, was discarded. By 1949 the company had managed to attract designer [[Jan Wilke]] to join the company. Wilke gave the motorcycles a telescopic front fork, new frame, and along with that a fresh, new and typical look. By 1950 Sparta achieved the typical look for
===1950s===
[[File:Sparta_GB50_1957.jpg|right|thumb|500px|Sparta GB50 (1958)]] In the 1950s Sparta played a huge role in filling the demand for motorised bicycles. The name had been changed once again, this time dropping the names of the two main founders, leaving the name to be ''Sparta Rijwielen- en Motorenfabriek''. From the fifties on Sparta expanded their offer in motorised vehicles, offering not only motorcycles but also mopeds.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1952-09-15 |title=Advertentie |work=Java-bode : nieuws, handels- en advertentieblad voor Nederlandsch-Indie |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010861993:mpeg21:a0056 |access-date=2023-05-18}}</ref>
In 1958 Sparta halted the production of motorcycles, as it wasn't profitable any longer. Instead, the moped was starting to grow more and more popular. This change made the company focus entirely on mopeds. Export to other European countries and other countries such as [[Indonesia]], [[Tahiti]], [[Africa]] and [[North America]] created large profits for the company. Being the biggest Dutch moped manufacturer, Sparta had many product lines, which all sold in high quantities.
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===1960s===
1965 was the best year of Sparta's moped sales. Around 47,000 mopeds were sold that year, all of which were produced by the mere 380 people working in the Sparta factory. In 1967 chose to start producing bicycles again, which ended up to be a clever decision, as eight years later, in 1975 the ''helmplicht'',<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0004825/2013-01-01 Artikel 60 RVV (Helmplicht) as of 1990 (Dutch Government)(overheid.nl)]</ref> which stated that everyone that drove a moped had to wear a helmet, was introduced in the Netherlands; the country which still had the most customers of Sparta mopeds. Sparta would continue producing mopeds up to and including 1982, when it started to focus on [[bicylce|bicycles]] only.
In the 1960s Sparta introduces the bike with [[tube (structure)|tube frame]], the plans of which took two years to design. The model name ''8-80'' was chosen to reflect the age of the target audience.
===1970s===
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===1980s===
Sparta sold its last moped in 1982, as the market for mopeds had not been profitable for several years. The production of motorcycles was halted twenty-two years earlier, in 1960, yet the idea of motorised vehicles hadn't completely left Sparta's mentality. Sparta gave motorising bicycles a last shot, which meant a cooperation with German motorcycle manufacturer [[Sachs Motorcycles|Sachs]]. Together they manufactured the [[Spartamet]], a bicycle with auxiliary motor. The Spartamet entered the market in 1986, and turned out to be a massive success. By 1990 20,000 of the 105,000 bicycles sold were a Spartamet. The Spartamet made Sparta to be the only Dutch manufacturer of mopeds with auxiliary motors. Competitors did try to create rivals of the Spartamet, but their products never stuck with the public.
Ties with Sachs increased in the following years. Sparta used increasingly more of their products on its bicycles. One of these products were Sachs' [[coaster brake]]s, which were traditionally manufactured by [[Sturmey-Archer]]. Sparta became the Dutch importer of ATB and racing bicycles made by Sachs' subsidiary company Hercules by late 1989.
===1990s===
In September 1999 Sparta stopped the production of the Spartamet, as bicycles with electrical auxiliary motors replaced the need of bicycles such as the Spartamet, which required fuel. Later that same month, on the 28th, Sparta announces that it will be a part of [[Accell| Accell Group]], where it will function as a subsidiary company, joining other Dutch bicycle manufacturer [[Batavus]].
Sparta, who was dubbed the ''inventor'' of the bicycle of electric auxiliary motor on the Dutch market introduced the ''Pharos-series'', which was meant to fill the newly created demand for bicycles with electrical auxiliary motors. The ''Pahros-series'' were created using an electrical system developed by [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]]. In 1999 Sparta started producing [[recumbent bicycle]]s, which made it the second largest company making recumbent bicycles, with the largest being [[Batavus]].
===21st Century===
With Sparta joining [[Accell| Accell Group]] in 1999, several changes were made to the products that Sparta made. It quit manufacturing [[recumbent bicycle]]s, children's bikes and [[Mountain bike|ATBs]], and moved to its current location on Wilmersdorf, [[Apeldoorn]], the [[Netherlands]] in the summer of 2001. New products made by Sparta included the ''Amazone'', introduced in 2000, which was a bike aimed at mothers. In 2003 Sparta launched ION, a series of systems for [[Electric bicycle|E-bikes]]. The ION system led Sparta to become the biggest E-bike manufacturer in [[Europe]].
==
<gallery>
Image:1973 Sparta Lucky - rear view.jpg
Image:Sparta4.jpg
Image:Sparta2.jpg
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Bicycle manufacturers of the Netherlands}}
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Cycle manufacturers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Companies
[[Category:Dutch brands]]
[[Category:Moped manufacturers]]
[[Category:Dutch companies established in 1917]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1917]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Apeldoorn]]
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