I think a lot of people have a pretty unsophisticated knowledge of manufacturing and economics. In general, most manufacturing has shifted from the U.S. and Europe to Asia. The reason: lower cost of living and fewer unions = low labor costs. The advantage to the consumer (us) is that savings from lower labor costs often result in lower prices (or higher grade materials or greater return for shareholder's investment).

Quality control is a totally separate issue. Taiwanese or Chinese workers are just as capable of producing high quality products as their American and European counterparts. To think otherwise is prejudiced.

Like most industries, the bike industry shifted most of its manufacturing to Asia in the last 20 years. The bike factories that remain in the U.S. and Europe tend to be boutique, specialty brands. Of course their product will be higher quality than the large-scale operations in Asia. That's their market niche. The bike will also cost two or three or four times more.

I've never seen any evidence to indicate that comparably speced bikes made in the U.S./Europe and Asia have significant quality differences. I have seen plenty of evidence to suggest that bikes made in Asia have better value.