Originally Posted by mcgreivey

Most bikes now come out a few factories in China and Taiwan, whatever the name on the bike is. Trek or Specialized (or whoever) will spec the components, and some details of the frame build, and perhaps the QC level, but to say "Treks are better than Specialized" (or whatever) has mostly become meaningless in the context of how bikes are actually built now. It comes down to the individual model itself, and whether you like it and it works for you. But don't be surprised if a couple months after you buy (say) a Giant, you come across (say, maybe) a Fuji or a Bikesdirect bike that's 95% the same, including tell-tale frame details. That's not necessarily a bad thing, if the bike you bought is a good bike.

The comparison to the auto industry isn't totally right on. Car makers tend to have their own factories still --though some models are indeed made in joint venture plants with other companies, and some companies do sell rebranded versions others' cars, and a more and more cars are built from off-the-shelf components used by various companies.

Anyway, there's no reason to dislike Treks more than any other "branding" companies that have things made for them in the Far East (which, these days, means most American "manufacturers", from clothing to bikes to appliances to whatever). If you seek purity of some kind, go buy a made-in-USA frame, if you're willing to spend the extra cash. Most of the components will still end up coming from China and Taiwan (and thereabouts), though.