Gravel is the category where private-label brands are being built right now, because the specification is still open enough for a new brand to compete on. We manufacture gravel bikes in our own Foshan factory and build them to your specification and your artwork — either as OEM against your design, or as ODM on a platform we have already engineered.
Two ways to start a private-label project
| Route | What it means | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| OEM | You bring the geometry, the specification or a reference bike; we manufacture it, under your brand. | Brands with a design already, or an existing bike they want reproduced |
| ODM | You build on a platform we have engineered, changing geometry, components and cosmetics — or we develop a new model with you. | New brands who need a proven platform and a shorter development route |
What a gravel build involves
Frame in aluminium or carbon, with clearance for wider tyres — gravel frames in the market routinely run from 40 mm to 45 mm and beyond, and tyre width is the specification that decides how the bike rides more than any other single number. Groupsets from 1x and 2x configurations, hydraulic disc brakes, tubeless-ready wheelsets, mounts for racks and fenders if you intend to sell into bikepacking or commuting. All of it is defined in writing before production, and the first article of the line is measured against the agreed tolerance sheet and approved before the rest of the batch is packed.
What private label changes about cost and MOQ
Tooling is the deciding factor. An existing platform costs nothing and allows the lowest quantities we offer; a private mould carries a tooling cost and a materially higher minimum. Paint and decals add a further step because the artwork, colour reference and finish all have to be fixed before production rather than after — which is also why we recommend agreeing the artwork early: changing a decal after a container is packed is the most expensive change in this business.
Quality and documentation
Sampled frame and fork testing to ISO 4210, seven QC checkpoints per order, 100% pre-shipment function testing, and a pre-production sample approved by you before volume. Every shipment travels with an inspection report and specification sheets, so your own customers and your own workshop have the documents they need.
Commercial terms
Standard terms are a 30% T/T deposit with the order and the balance against the B/L copy, with L/C at sight available. Warranty periods, spare-parts allowance and any territory arrangements are confirmed per order — see our warranty terms and spare-parts programme.
Gravel specification reference
| Specification | Reference range | Why it matters commercially |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre clearance | 40 mm to 45 mm and beyond | The single number that decides what the bike can be marketed as — gravel, all-road or bikepacking |
| Frame material | Aluminium or carbon (T700/T800) | Sets the price tier and the weight argument |
| Drivetrain | 1x 11–12 speed, or 2x | 1x is simpler to sell and service; 2x suits riders who want road gearing |
| Brakes | Hydraulic disc | Expected at every price point above entry in this category |
| Mounts | Rack, fender and extra bottle mounts | Decides whether the model can be sold into commuting and bikepacking as well as sport |
Frame specification sheet: what gets fixed in writing
| Item | What we record | Why it prevents disputes |
|---|---|---|
| Material and layup | Fibre grade (T700 / T800 / T1100) and, for carbon, the layup schedule by zone | “Carbon” alone permits a different fibre grade or a cheaper schedule |
| Wall thickness | Thickness by zone for butted tubing; the thickness table for the frame | A straight-gauge tube still matches a loose description |
| Geometry | Head and seat angle, chainstay and top-tube length, stack and reach by size | Small geometry changes alter how the bike rides and are invisible in photographs |
| Tolerances | Bottom-bracket shell and threads, head tube reaming, dropout spacing, face parallelism | These decide whether the frame can actually be assembled without rework |
| Finish | Colour reference, decal artwork, and the maximum tone difference allowed between frame and fork | Frame and fork are painted separately — a mismatch is visible on the shop floor |
| Weight | Recorded per size and per batch | It is the measurement buyers quote most loosely and check first |
| Hardware | Mounts, bosses, cable routing, dropout specification | Decides compatibility with the components the build actually uses |
The first article off the production line is measured against this sheet and approved before the rest of the batch is packed. On frame supply, that single step prevents most of the disputes that otherwise arrive with the container.
What drives the minimum order quantity
MOQ in this trade is not arbitrary, and it is not a negotiating position. It comes from four things:
| Driver | Effect on MOQ |
|---|---|
| Tooling | An existing mould carries no tooling cost and allows the lowest quantity we offer. A private mould has to be amortised, so the minimum rises in step with the tooling cost. |
| Frame material | Alloy has the lowest barrier. Carbon adds layup tooling and a longer ramp, so the minimum rises again — more on a new layup than on an established one. |
| Finish complexity | Two-colour wet paint and custom decals require masking, artwork and a paint batch run; a single-colour powder coat does not. |
| Component availability | Named-brand groupsets have their own supply lead times and minimum purchase steps, which can set the floor for the whole order. |
Inside a mixed container, per-model and per-colour minimums apply as well. That is why a container built from four variants usually costs more per unit than the same volume built from two — the mix is a cost decision, not just a merchandising one.
The seven QC checkpoints every order passes
| # | Checkpoint | What is checked |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incoming material | Tube and sheet specification, alloy grade confirmation, and component references against the bill of materials |
| 2 | Frame dimensional | Critical dimensions and geometry against the tolerance sheet; bottom-bracket thread and facing |
| 3 | Weld and alignment | Weld quality, rear-triangle alignment, dropout parallelism, and fork alignment |
| 4 | Surface and paint | Surface preparation, primer and topcoat coverage, colour against the approved sample, decal position |
| 5 | Assembly and torque | Torque on critical fasteners, brake setup, gear indexing, and wheel trueing |
| 6 | Function test | 100% of units: braking, shifting, steering — and electrical function on e-bikes |
| 7 | Packing and loading | Carton contents against the packing list, carton count, and photographs of the loaded container before the doors close |
Structural and fatigue testing to ISO 4210 is carried out on sampled frames rather than on every unit. Sampling is the method the standard itself describes, which is why an inspection report containing the sample plan and the results is what a third-party inspector will ask for first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between OEM and ODM for a new brand?
In OEM you bring the geometry or a reference bike and we manufacture to it under your brand. In ODM you build on a platform we have already engineered, changing geometry, components and cosmetics — usually a shorter route to a first container.
Can you reproduce a bike we already sell?
Yes, where the design is yours or you have the right to reproduce it. Reverse-engineering from a sample is a common starting point, and it ends with a written specification and tolerance sheet that both sides sign.
How long does a private-label project take before the first container?
It depends entirely on tooling and artwork: reusing an existing platform removes the tooling stage, and fixing the artwork early removes the second-largest delay. We give you a dated schedule with the quotation rather than a general estimate.
Do we own the design?
That is set out in the agreement for the project. Where you bring the design, the design is yours; where we develop a new model together, the ownership terms are agreed before development starts.
Can the first order be small?
On an existing platform, yes — that is exactly what a mixed container is for. On a new private mould, volume is set by the tooling.
When we are not the right supplier
Two qualifications, stated plainly. First, if you need twenty units next week, we are not your supplier: there is no production run to release and no sea freight to catch, and local stock will beat us on speed every time. Second, factory-direct pricing only pays off when an order is planned. If you are assembling a range for a season, we work; if you are filling a gap in a single week, we do not.
What we will not do is quote you a specification we cannot hold. If a component in your target build is not available at the price point you need, we say so and offer the alternative rather than matching the quote and hoping the difference is not noticed on arrival.
Request a quote — or the full catalogue
Send us your target model, quantity, destination market and price point. We reply with platform options, a costed quotation and a dated schedule.
How this page was written. Meihanda has manufactured bicycles, frames and components in its own factory in Foshan, Guangdong Province, China since 2014 (ISO 9001:2015). Container-loading figures and lead-time ranges shown here are industry reference ranges: the exact figures depend on the model, the packing configuration and the degree of customisation, and are confirmed per order in your quotation and proforma. Last reviewed: October 2026.
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- Product — the model name, or a link to the product page you are looking at
- Quantity — first order volume and expected annual volume
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