Silca facts for kids

Silca is a company that makes parts and accessories for bicycles. They are known for creating high-quality products that help cyclists.

The Story of SILCA

How SILCA Started

SILCA was started in 1917 by a person named Felice Sacchi. The company began in Italy, near a city called Milan. For almost 100 years, SILCA stayed in the Sacchi family.

New Ideas and Inventions

SILCA has always been a leader in making new and better cycling products. They were the first company to:

• Put a gauge (a tool to measure pressure) on bicycle pumps. This helped riders know exactly how much air was in their tires.
• Create a high-pressure frame pump. This was a pump that could be carried on the bike frame and inflate tires to a very high pressure.
• Make a CO2 inflator with a special valve. This allowed riders to quickly inflate tires using a small gas cartridge.

More recently, SILCA has started using 3D printing with titanium. This allows them to create very strong and light bike parts with new designs.

SILCA Today

In 2014, Claudio Sacchi, who was Felice Sacchi's grandson, decided to sell the company. Josh Poertner bought SILCA. Josh had a lot of experience making new products for another bike company called Zipp Speed Weaponry. He wanted to bring back the classic SILCA brand and make sure their products were still the best quality and lasted a long time.

Since 2014, SILCA's main office has been in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States. They make many different products for bikes, including:

• Bicycle pumps
• Multi-tools (tools that combine many functions)
• Chain lube (special oil for bike chains)
• Saddle bags (small bags that attach under the bike seat)
• And many other useful items for cyclists.