While visiting a friend in Denver Colorado, I had the opportunity to visit the Cyclo factory a few miles north in Longmont.
The factory is situated in a typical, innocuous commercial building. I didn't know what to expect, so I simply walked in and introduced myself as a detailer who owns a Cyclo Pro 5. I asked if I could see how the Cyclo was made and Shelia Lynch, the customer service manager, gave me the "nickel tour" with guidance by the Director of Manufacturing, Steve Hartel.
My first impression was the compactness of the facility. The casings are formed at a local foundry and shipped to the Cyclo factory for assembly. All gears, pads and other components are either made locally in the Denver area or in the Cyclo shop itself. Steve showed me the testing station which all Cyclo's must endure to pass prior to packing and shipping. He also showed me the machine they built to create all pads used by the Cyclo.
The Cyclo brand polishes are also created by a local chemical company. I purchased a bottle of their CTI 1-Pass Express Cleaner Polisher Protectant to see how it works once it gets warm enough.
As I was leaving I met the engineer who had drawings of future products they're developing displayed on the wall above her desk. I asked about making a single-headed polisher and I was told it would produce too much vibration compared to the current dual-headed polisher.
When I was in the market for a polisher I considered the Flex XC3401 but chose the Cyclo for two reasons: 1. Low or no vibration; 2: Made in USA. I wanted to help stimulate the economy the old fashioned way buy buying American first. One day I may get a Flex, but for now, my Cyclo will be my go-to polisher.
In all, it was an excellent experience to see how my favorite polisher was made and to meet the people who have a passion for serving the detailing community for over 60 years. Thanks to Steve and Shelia for taking time out of their day to show me how the Cyclo was built.
