▁failing ▁agricult ural ▁goods ▁and ▁farm ▁equipment ▁business . ▁Est ab lished ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 2 ," Mich elin ▁et ▁C ie " ▁suffered ▁from ▁neglect ▁and ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁ins ol ven cy ▁following ▁the ▁founder ' s ▁death . ▁Michel in ' s ▁grand father ▁had ▁started ▁the ▁company ▁that ▁sold ▁farm ▁equipment ▁and ▁an ▁odd ▁ass ort ment ▁of ▁vul can ized ▁rub ber ▁products , ▁such ▁as ▁bel ts , ▁val ves ▁and ▁pip es . ▁As ▁soon ▁as ▁André ▁took ▁the ▁hel m ▁of ▁the ▁company , ▁he ▁rec ru ited ▁his ▁younger ▁brother ▁Éd ou ard ▁to ▁join ▁him ▁at ▁the ▁company . ▁Éd ou ard ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁company ' s ▁man aging ▁director . ▁While ▁d uly ▁committed ▁to ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁business , ▁neither ▁brother ▁had ▁any ▁prior ▁experience ▁s elling ▁goods ▁or ▁had ▁the ▁slight est ▁idea ▁where ▁to ▁even ▁begin . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁a ▁cycl ist ▁familiar ▁with ▁the ▁Michel in ▁Company ▁approached ▁Éd ou ard ▁with ▁his ▁flat ▁ty re ▁seeking ▁assistance . ▁Getting ▁a ▁flat ▁ty re ▁frequently ▁meant ▁cycl ists ▁were ▁left ▁str and ed ▁for ▁hours . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁cy cling ▁was ▁becoming ▁a ▁popular ▁form ▁of ▁transport ation ▁and ▁h ob by ▁due ▁in ▁large ▁part ▁to ▁John ▁Dun lop ' s ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁pat ent ▁for ▁the ▁infl atable ▁b icy cle ▁ty