I'd like to think, in my old age, I have a few (very few) principles. One is: avoid buying products made in communist China if there is ANY possible alternative. The other: kids don't tell adults what to do. Adults tell kids what to do.

But...my nine year old nephew badly wants a bike with "speeds" and front suspension. He has three excellent one speed BMX bikes. I think sturdy one speed bikes are the best bikes for a nine year old boy. But, his buddies have bikes with lots and lots of speeds. And suspension. And he has GOTTA have one...so now, he is pushing me to consider "dancing with the devil".

So, I look at what is in the neighborhood bike shops. The bike he wants sells for $200 to $300 at a good bike shop. A mixture of some good parts and some not so good parts. Every single one: made in communist China. If there is a "Made in USA" bike for nine year olds with front suspension, I can't find it.

Yesterday, I'm was at Oshman's sporting goods store. They have a Mongoose Bolt with suspension and lots and lots of speeds for $79.99, marked down from $149.99. Made in China, just like the $300 bikes at the local bike shop. A mixture of some nice Shimano parts, and some generic parts, just like the $300 bikes...but, for only $79.99.

The shop mechanic tells me that "I work on this bike everyday...I can get it shifting well...adjust the suspension for the weight of the kid...it will be a good ride...if anything else that needs adjusting, just bring it back."

I think a nine year is better off with a one speed BMX bike. Unbreakable. No hassles. Howver, the nine year old strongly disagrees. If I give in to the kid, my "kids don't tell adults what to do" principle takes a big hit...

And, if I buy a bike made in communist China...my "no dollars to the communists in China" principle takes a hit. At $79.99, a very small hit...but there is a slippery slope when bending principles.

Maybe I can tell him "Wait until your tenth birthday". By then, perhaps some company in the USA will be building affordable bikes for kids...how likely it THAT to happen?

So, I'm probably gonna be "bending" two of my few remaining principles, while feeling like the guy who was accused of violating most of the "Ten Commandments". He said "I'd prefer to think of them more as the "ten" suggestions..."

The only company I have found that makes moderatly priced bikes in the US is Cannondale.

PS And I don't see that they build any kids bikes.

I think most Giant bikes are made in Taiwan.

Specialized bikes seem to be Taiwan and they do have kids bikes starting at about $150.

You better hope those Chinese Communists keep buying American treasury bills.

Giant, many models, Here's one for $280

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/030...sp?model=11091

They list MSRP so you should be able to find something acceptable with a little browsing.

Check out Schwinn Bikes. They also make bike for kids. I saw a kid on a Sting Ray last night.

As for not buying stuff made in China. Won't happen. We've gutted our manufacturing industry and are absolutely dependable on China to continue our way of living. But that's for the Polics section. ;)

Generally I agree, not because I hate the Chinese, or the communists, or the Chinese communists, but because I know so many more Americans. But... On the other hand... Well, Chinese kids gotta eat too.

Well, if my best choices are buying my nephew the $79 Chinese bike that has the suspension and 21 speeds that HE wants, or a $500 Cannondale bike, I need to remember I gotta eat too. There may be some nine year old boys riding Cannondales, but my wallet tells me that my nephew is not gonna be one of them.

What about a bike made in Taiwan?

You can get off your soapbox now Alanbikehouston. At best this belongs in the politics forum. Maybe we should bring back the communist witch hunts of the McCarthyism era too?

Seems like if you can't spew your crap in someone elses thread you actually start your own thread about it. Why don't we just drop the bike story and have a full on rant about "commie" this and "commie" that. We know that's what you really want.

I noiminate this best trolling post of the month.

What's the point of all this? This never really happened, did it? It sounds more like a stupid ramble.

There are a lot of really reasonable factories run by reasonable people in Taiwan, which is only communist because they can't seem to break free. There is no shame in buying a product from Taiwan, if an American company isn't filling the niche. You've obviously searched high and low for an option, and if you can't find it, then well, you can't find it. A Taiwanese bike will be fine for him.

Or, if you want, look for used kids bikes, which come up for sale a LOT as kids grow out of them, many are beat up, but some are very lightly used, and you can get a good deal without giving money directly to someone you don't seem to agree with.

peace,
sam

How many goods do we all purchase from China without even knowing it? They could be supplying all kinds of parts or assembly to anything you buy that's labeled "Made In The USA." It's a global economy. My buying decisions are based on economic criteria, not socio-political criteria. If the U.S. government establishes favorable trade conditions with China that bring cheap bikes over here, then by god, who am I to tell George Bush he's wrong?

who said its just a 9 year odl that should ride a single speed, i forget how old my brother was at the time (maybe 11) but when the chian jammed during trying to change gears he de ided to cary on trying to pedal, pushing down as hard as he could to release the chain which of course only made things worse! my dad snapped a rachet trying to release the chain!

from the kids point of view - he probably thinks you're just being a hardass and that you don't love him. how's that for a guilt trip? ;)

Political legend. The McCarthy era looked for communists because they were there. A witch hunt looks for something that does not exit. Now that time has past, most historians agree on 1. communists were present, and 2. in today's political climate being communist is not equated with treason.

A buyer of any product can apply any criteria to the purchase. Buyers do not have to past a current media hyped political correctness. Sellers are restricted in discriminations, buyers are not. This buyer does not to use his money to support potential enemy regimes. Taiwan will never be a military threat to USA. PRC is on the road to developing a more modern military force. Is this a threat? Who knows. Maybe this buyer remembers post WWII and the 2 red enemies. One disolved. The other is being attempted to be moved from enemy to friend category by increased trade. If he evaluates this as hooey, and doesn't want to support this, that's his right.

We're still waiting for more feedback from the poster. We have tried to help him in his buying a bike quest with his current criteria. You can argue with the poster about his criteria. But this thread belongs here as he is not advocating his purchase criteria as the perfect criteria. He's just asking, with what I value, what are some bike buying options.

We would respond in a similar manner to your criteria. Name calling and interjecting meaningless politics into this forum is not a good method for gaining respect of other forum members.

All true. But he's already got his answer: the $500 cannondale at an LBS.

American labor simply cannot make or sell a bike for $79. That bike's price is a direct result of all the things with which the original poster claims to have a problem. Either one's principles matter or they do not. Personally, I think they should matter most when there's something on the line, when there's a personal sacrifice involved - like $420. Otherwise, it's all just noise.

Psst. Taiwan is the non-comunist one. ;)


Go along, get along, eh?
That's your choice, that's ok.

I choose to try to spend my money according to my beliefs as well as my needs and wants. If there is a product or company or country that I object to enough, I'm not going to give them my money if I can help it.

I agree with Alan about China, but communism has nothing to do with it. They've been communist in name-only for several years. Human rights, economic poilcy, trade practices, and political bullying of their neighbors are my reasons. If there was more equal trade reciprocity, if China allowed access to their ecomony simliar to the access that they have been given to in other economies, if they were to start behaving like a "good world citizen" I would gladly recondsider.


Ay. And there's the dilemma. You either pay up, give in or do without.

I'm with you,although I have a more personal reason against China. I'm not particularly fond of the fact that they had to go and have a massacre on my birthday back in '89. :(

Mine and Angelina Jolie's,BTW. ;)

No he is not, you missed the entire point of my post. He is the one interjecting meaningless politics into a rant faux thread. And this is exactly what i'm calling him out on.

This thread could've simply been, "What bikes can I purchase that is not made in China". It need not have been referencing all this other garbage about commies.

You are the only other person on this thread who has decided to interject politics into it with your Taiwan comments etc, in fact there goes half your post. I won't even bother to counter your "legend" comment as it just obviously means you have no idea what it was actually about. Talk about being a massive hypocrite. The fact that you are defending his political views just goes to reinforce the fact the they are there.

In the pale moonlight?

True, some are better at posting their question than others.

Well China is there whether we like it or not and we have to think about how we are going to deal with them constructively.

If alan doesn't want to buy a bike from them thats his business, but if he is going to avoid all Chinese products he is going to have an expensive life. I'm sure there is some middle ground out there between the $79 Chinese bike and the $500 American Cannondale.

Just in case you're interested alan, I read that the Chinese have a secret plan to use high tech weapons to destroy all the computers in America.http://theepochtimes.com/news/5-7-26/30574.html

Seems like a good reason to boycott Chinese bikes, but I'm not sure its going to do much good in the long run.