SURF LEGACY
Always ahead of our time
THE FIRST MASS-PRODUCTION SURF BOARD IN HISTORY
At the beginning of the 90s, the windsurf market was in steady decline and diversification seems like THE solution to maintain the company’s growth.
At that moment, surfing was taking off big-time in France and in the rest of the world. There was an enormous market but there was no major player capable of manufacturing or offering alternative construction technologies, other than those offered by the individual shapers making custom boards.




GÉRARD DABBADIE
With his solid experience, creative nature and open mind, Gérard Dabbadie becomes the man of the moment. He became the man who launched the first ever BIC Sport production surf boards.
LAUNCH OF THE NATURAL SURF 7’9
The first mission for the Hossegor-based shaper was to design an easy-access all-round board for learning and perfecting surfing. BIC Sport took a completely different approach from the market's current trend of increasingly radical custom shapes.
Gérard was already interested in easier-riding boards, such as the then under-appreciated Malibu. BIC Sport launched its first mass-produced board, the Natural Surf 7'9, in 1993, marking the beginning of a new chapter.


However, the surf world wasn’t as open as the windsurf scene, and the board received a cold reception.
The market was still dominated by hand-shaped polyester customs, and in that environment, mass-produced boards weren't particularly well received.
EXPANDING THE RANGE
But BIC Sport held its course, believing in the Natural Surf, which began to gain interest, especially among newcomers to surfing. Additionally, the first surf clubs and schools that were starting up welcomed this "UFO" among boards with open arms, appreciating its ease of use and durability.
NEW SURF SHAPES
Encouraged by the growing interest, BIC Sport asked Gérard to design new shapes to create a comprehensive product range. The 6’7 Evolution, aimed at more experienced surfers, appeared soon after.
The Mini-Malibu 7’3 quickly followed, capturing a significant share of the market and rapidly becoming BIC’s best-seller. By 2013, the Mini-Malibu had surpassed 100,000 units manufactured!


LONGBOARD TRIUMPH
In 1996, Dabaddie crafted a 9'0 longboard featuring a modern design and top-notch performance, exactly to his liking. To everyone’s surprise, the board was very well received.
Longboards were gaining significant traction at this time, becoming a major focus for BIC Sport's development. The company also took the opportunity to sign notable French team riders, including Martial Toubois and Ronan Chatain, who won the French Cup circuit three times (98, 99, 01).
WITH RENOWNED SHAPERS
On the international level, the company partnered with the Australian legend Nat Young and her shaper, Darrell Rooster, to conceive a new 9’4 Longboard, followed by a 10’ board developed by American Bob Pearson from Santa Cruz.
They also call on the services of Peter Pan, an emblematic figure on the east coast scene, to gain more credibility in the American market. He’s the man who designs the 8’4 Magnum, like an XXL Malibu for heavy-weights, and then a 5’10 Fish, to complete the range.




A TOTAL REVOLUTION
Starting in 2000, BIC Sport offered a complete range of boards that sold well, proving their bet on mass-produced surfboards was a success. BIC Sport opened the door to surf's industrial era, which remains the standard today. The days of calling a shaper for a custom board were long gone.
Twenty years later, the variety of boards available worldwide is vast, with production boards catering to every preference.
Seeing BIC Sport's success, competitors recognized the potential and, from 2000 onwards, rushed to enter the market, with Thai manufacturer Cobra making a significant impact, soon followed by other Asian factories.
PROUD OF OUR VALUES
By offering production boards that are easy to ride and affordably priced, all manufactured in France, BIC Sport has revolutionized the surf market in one fell swoop.
The company transformed the approach to learning surfing, sparking a surge of new beginners. This influx has benefited surf businesses of all sizes ever since. The gamble had paid off, and the initial venture into diversifying beyond windsurfing was a complete sucess!


SURF COMPETITIONS ON EQUAL TERMS
In 1996, the first BIC Surf One Design events were organised. The concept was similar to Formula racing: all surfers used identical boards. Suddenly, events were popping up everywhere: Natural Surf expression sessions, the 9' and 10' Longboard Challenge, the 7'0 Egg Instructors' Challenge, and the BIC Kids One Design….




TAHE, RIDING THE SAME WAVE
It’s been a few years since the change to TAHE, and the best-selling Origin range, featuring the Malibu, Egg and Shortboard, was replaced in 2023 by two new ranges: Comet and Meteor.
Recent developments in manufacturing techniques have enabled the TAHE team to create two new construction technologies: Tough Tec (rigid) and Skin Tec (soft). These boards are made without using solvents, resins or fibreglass.
We make long-lasting easy-ride boards for surfers of all levels.


SURFBOARDS MADE IN FRANCE
The rigid Comet series was shaped by Jon Henderson, while the softboard Meteor was developed by the in-house TAHE R&D team. Alongside the no-waste manufacturing systems, both boards are 100% recyclable at the end of their lives.


ECO-DESIGNED FINS
Accompanying these two made-in-Vannes series, we have also developed a brand new range of Stellar fins, made from recycled fishing nets.
Conceived in collaboration with Fil&Fab and manufactured at the Tahe Outdoors unit in Cognac, these eco-fins deliver the same performance levels as classic fins.
Our values remain unchanged:
learn, progress, enjoy yourself, and share the experience…
#ENDLESSPLAYTIME