Skilled labor costs in the Pacific Rim have doubled in the past 7-8 years, and that's the kind of labor that builds pricey bike frames and componentry, it's not ditch digging. If anything that trend appears to be accelerating, not abating. That and increased shipping costs are what will make cheap Asian bike stuff pricier going forward, much more than any rise in the price of materials. I think Bob is pointing that out in his post above.

I think it may well eventually reach a tipping point where some fabrication moves back to North America and Europe; that is already happening in select industries, and that could become more widespread.