In the autumn of 2025, a cool evening breeze swept through James’s factory in Kunshan. The hum of CNC lathes intertwined into a familiar melody across the workshop. This was his 25th year in the bicycle industry and his 20th year owning this factory. As the final batch of OEM hubs passed precision testing and were carefully packed into boxes bearing overseas logos, James’s gaze fell upon an unpolished hub blank in the corner of his workbench. The cold, hard texture of the steel shimmered under the lights like a seed waiting to be awakened, quietly echoing a thought he had buried for years.

The story dates back to 2000, when James was a dreamer struggling in the bicycle components industry. Driven by an obsession with mechanical craftsmanship and a strict adherence to quality, he founded his own small factory. From taking small processing orders to becoming a trusted OEM partner for global brands, his journey was steady and resolute. As the core component of a wheelset, the hub carries the critical mission of power transmission, weight support, and stable rotation. Its precision and strength directly determine the safety and “feel” of a ride—a reality James pursued with near-obsessive passion. He led his team to repeatedly optimize heat treatment processes and fine-tune the engagement precision between bearings and freehubs. He even personally joined the QC team to inspect products one by one, ensuring every hub leaving the factory could withstand the trials of rugged mountain trails and long-distance treks.

Over fifteen years, the factory expanded from a few original lines to a standardized smart workshop. His partners grew from a handful to over two hundred brands, with products shipped across five continents. From basic commuter hubs to competitive-grade bearing hubs for mountain bikes, and from high-end European custom models to cost-effective units for Southeast Asia, James’s factory witnessed the evolution of the bicycle industry. In his workshop, thru-axle hubs capable of withstanding extreme off-road impacts were born, as were mass-produced ball-bearing hubs that balanced smoothness and durability. These products, labeled by overseas brands, functioned silently on the wheels of countless cyclists—the “unsung heroes” of the road.

One late night in 2025, while organizing feedback emails, James stumbled upon a production log from his early years. On the yellowed pages was recorded the birth of his first qualified hub, filled with his original intention to “make a hub well.” By then, the factory’s production chain was fully stable—from material selection and CNC turning to carburizing, quenching, and final testing, every link had a mature standard. “Why can’t I have a brand of my own?” The thought struck him like a flash of light. Years of “making wedding gowns for others” taught him that great products need to be seen; years of indirect communication with cyclists taught him the market’s urgent need for high-quality core components. He yearned to create a brand that embodied his own craftsmanship—a hub with extreme precision at its core and the strength of steel as its skeleton.

The naming process was simple yet profound. Flipping through a dictionary, James settled on two words: “Kore” and “Steed.” “Kore,” derived from the root for “core,” represents the hub’s central position in a wheelset and the brand’s commitment to technical excellence. “Steed” refers to a spirited horse, symbolizing resilience, stability, and the ability to carry a rider’s passion to distant lands. Fused together, they became “Korstead”—simple, powerful, and carrying his full expectations.

For Korstead’s first prototype, James discarded the compromises often made in OEM production to fit a specific brand’s positioning and returned to the essence of the product. He chose aerospace-grade alloy steel, optimized the axle structure for stability, used a four-bearing design for smoothness, and upgraded the freehub pawl density to 120 clicks for instantaneous response. For heat treatment, he utilized his perfected carburizing and quenching process, giving the hub body a hardness far exceeding industry standards while retaining enough toughness to resist impact without becoming brittle.

When the first hub bearing the Korstead logo was assembled, James installed it on his own mountain bike and hit the familiar suburban trails. As the wheels rolled over gravel, the hub emitted a rhythmic, fine “whirring” sound. Power transmission was instantaneous; every pedal stroke translated into forward thrust. In bumpy sections, the stability of the hub provided a sense of security. At that moment, he knew: this was the product he wanted. No flashy designs, no redundant features—just core performance that defined the philosophy: “Craftsmanship as the Core, Steel as the Soul.”

By late 2025, Korstead was officially launched. Its first professional MTB hubs and lightweight road hubs quickly gained attention in the cycling community, backed by a reputation earned through years of manufacturing. When asked about the confidence behind this new brand, James simply pointed to the humming production lines: “We didn’t appear out of thin air. Fifteen years of experience and partnerships with over 200 brands are the foundation of Korstead.” He believes that quality components speak for themselves. Like every Korstead hub, they silently carry the weight and power, accompanying riders across mountains and seas.

Today, James still spends his days in the workshop, overseeing every detail. From OEM to his own brand, the logo has changed, but his dedication to craftsmanship remains. The story of Korstead has just begun—a hub with the soul of steel and the heart of a craftsman, making its own voice heard in the world of cycling.