 During the Second World War, the company produced munitions.After the war production rose from about 800 cycles a year in the late 1940s to more than 20,000 in 1963, making Viking the city's largest-ever bicycle manufacturer.The company diversified into lightweight racing bicycles and the began Viking road racers team in 1948, managed by former Wolverhampton Wheeler Bob Thom, who later also became sales manager.