BoSoxYacht

We don't think of you, because you don't matter.

badger1

Hee hee ... that's how we like it!
Cheers!

BoSoxYacht

Trust me, if you had anything we wanted we would just take it.

badger1

Water, oil, etc. ... wait, forget I said that.

BoSoxYacht

Exactly. We don't need it yet, so you can take care of it for us.

How would you ever stop us from taking it? Dudley Do-Right would have no chance

badger1

That's us ... America's pool boys/girls. As to stopping you? Mosquitoes and black flies; you've no idea!!

halfspeed

Don't provoke them. They have a formidable psyops unit.

BoSoxYacht

When we conquer Canada, do we need to take Québec too?

bbattle

We have this thread topic every year and each time it ends badly.

I say we agree not to conquer Canada if they take back Celine Dion and Justin Bieber. And send us some back bacon.

badger1

No ... please ... PLEEEEEAAAASE NO ... not those two! How much back bacon will it cost to persuade you to keep them (and David Foster, and many others I could name)??

PeregrineA1 

Back on track.

I buy substantially more vintage steel than anything else and my preference is US (California primarily), Italy, the rest of Europe, Japan. My budget, when by current/new bikes generally means the bike comes from Taiwan, though I am getting the itch for a US made custom.

The garage and bike cave currently have the following:
Surly-Taiwan X 3
Trek-Taiwan X1
Trek-Wisconsin X5
DeReus-Hollard X1
Wizard-California X1
Colnago-Italy X1
Eisentraut-California X2
Schwinn-Chicago X2
Schwinn-Mississippi X1
Medici-California X1
Ed Litton-California X1
Joe Hujsak-Texas X1
Nishiki-Japan X1
KHS-Japan X1
Landshark-California X2
Centurion-Japan X2
Santana-California X1
Specialized-Taiwan X1
Scott-Taiwan x1
Kona-Taiwan X1

Current score: US 17, Taiwan 7, Japan 4, Europe 2

Yes, it is a sickness...

badger1

No; I for one would be quite happy if you left la belle province alone.

BoSoxYacht

That's a deal. The only folks I like less than Canadians....
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are French Canadians.

NormanF

Hey, that's exactly what it says on my Marin Bikes shipping box: "Handcrafted in Taiwan."

NormanF

Guys with a fake French accent and a love for poutine.

OldsCOOL

Because they dont have machines yet.

torque cyclist

do you know anything about the ross gran tour ii? I have one of them that I got running and wondering if it's a decent bike.

PeregrineA1 

Not a thing.

kbarch

Don't worry, I'll be that guy.

I have a race bike that was made in Taiwan by a US brand. I'm quite happy with the quality, but it's disappointing that bike frame manufacturing is so globally centralized and that they have to come from half way around the world. It would be nice if the factory were local.

The bike I'm putting together is sort of local, sort of not. My LBS is putting it all together, from a bunch of euro components and a frame made and finished in a couple of small Italian shops. It's an artisanal kind of thing, still intended for racing (and Gran Fondos), yet something of an antithesis of the bike I have now. I'll freely admit that the euro-ness guarantees nothing and serves no purpose except to fulfill my desire for a euro bike. Some would say it's irrational, but this much is a game, and I happen to enjoy it. And while I do shop for good prices, I find the drive to lower prices (the Walmart philosophy) contemptible. I don't buy things in order to "save" money - talk about irrational!

Shuffleman

Bike Hoarder!!!! That is a lot of bikes. If I had that many bikes, I would spend more time staring at them trying to figure out which one to ride than I would riding.
I am glad that I get so attached to my bikes as it keeps me from wanting to ride others. Its better for the pocket book and the garage.

Clyde1820

In principle, I'd prefer it be made in my own country.

But then, as with automobiles, parts come from everywhere. It's hard to call a bike French, or Taiwanese or American, these days. Unless you go for a custom-designed and -built bike.

US designed geometry and spec; Taiwanese frame; Japanese components; German fenders and lighting; wheels and tires from wherever ... I'm good with that. The day of all parts and builds being available in a single country is, I think, long gone.

PeregrineA1 

Reality is that about 9-10 are in regular rotation for rides. I switch between 3 road bikes depending on mood and type of ride. The commuter gets weekday duty. Tuesday evenings are for single speed MTB and Thursday is for geared MTB. GF switches between a couple of road bikes and her MTB. Tandem gets out once or twice a month. The rest are occasional Sunday cruise or sale stuff (to enable more purchases...).

Hoarding, harsh but technically probably true I like bikes.

cicli_masi

clausen

I don't care where there made as long as there well made. That being said I own 2 Italians and a 2 made in Canada by Italians with Italian tubing.

Team Sarcasm

no intercourses given about where a bike is made