Adler

Adler bicycle from 30s.

The company was started in 1880 by Heinrich Kleyer (1853-1932). Kleyer founded a small machine business in Frankfurt am Main. In the first year he was selling bicycles imported from Great Britain. Next year Kleyer started the industrial manufacture of bicycles; he was the first entrepreneur in Germany to do so.

Kleyer named his company Adler: "the Eagle". Adler was also famous brand for typewriters and cars; their "Empire" typewriter was launched in 1898, and the first Adler motorcar was presented at the Frankfurt Automobile Fair in 1900.

Adler bicycles and cars held strong market position to the outbreak of WW2. In the first decade of 20th century Adler also produced motorcycles. After the war motorcycle production was resumed. It was continued to 1957, one year after the company merged with Triumph. Later Adler, in this time controlled by Grunding, focused on the manufacture of office equipment.