Cycling and America. Ironic?
 

I'm relatively new to cycling but I've noticed something and I could be wrong and please educate me if I am. Cycling in America isn't nearly as popular as it is in places like China, Brazil, Amsterdam, etc...

But aren't most of the big name brands American companies:

Cannondale owned by Pacific Cycles
Trek
Ibis
Specialized
Giant
Surly
Jamis
Kona
Breezer
Salsa

Just seems like all the bikes in the various Tours and all the "best" bike are USA based brands while the rest of the world really utilizes them much more.

some are american companies wih their products made offshore.
possibly cars are viewed as 'capitalistic' and taxed accordingly.

I believe that Cannondale and Pacific are owned by Dorel, a Canadian company and Giant is Taiwanese. There are good US bike companies but I can think of a few that aren't US based. Colnago, Pinnarello, Bianchi, Look, Time, Willier, BMC, Ridley, Orbea, BH, Kuota, Canyon and a bunch more.

You listed probably 2% of the bike marques in the world...

Giant is from Taiwan. Many of the other brands you listed maybe designed in the US but are built in Taiwan or China. There are very, very few component manufacturers in the US.

Aaron :)

A handfull of Contract manufacturers make most of the list and More ..

Giant and Merida are just 2 of the TW contract manufacturers
they make the frames with other's brand names on them as well..

What do cyclists in Belgium or Netherlands ride? I don't think many Chinese bicyclists are riding expensive Trek carbon fiber bikes.

Well there are some long standing Bike Companies in those countries .

Like: Sparta And Gazelle . Ive actually been In the Gazelle Frame Shop
though it was a long time ago..

They were making Race Frames of Reynolds 531, Then, I noted their Production Torch Array Jigs ..

to make Brazing a really fast operation .


Carbon Fiber now is a lot of hand Labor , and many Brands paint frames
they sub out to Asia, to have something to paint, for the lower Labor Costs..

For sport or transportation? There are probably more bike brands for sale in the NL than in the US, including many of the ones that are sold in the US.

Aaron :)

If you work or have access to bike shop buying you will quickly see how many "unknown" brands of bicycle are available. China probably has the most. One brand translates to "Happy peeping canaries" which I used back in the day for a Velo News TDF team in the Tour...we were not happy at the end...
The brands you list are what is typically built/sold as name brands here. They are also much more expensive than the cheap...cost wise...bikes built and sold in the countries you name. Those countries use bikes as regular, daily transportation for the masses that can not and will never be able to buy a car. They do not and will never earn enough money, in general, to buy a car of some sort and this is the best they can do...

Different cultures, values and lifestyles. A bicycle is a matter of practicality and utility in other countries and cars are a luxury that not everybody can afford. In the US, a bicycle is just another toy. The fact that you used the word "popularity" regarding bicycles is telling of your perception.

If you lived overseas, in Europe or the U.K., you'd be as familiar or even more familiar with brands such as Dawes, Canyon, Focus, Ribble, B'Twin, Moda, Sensa...
If you lived in Canada, you'd be familiar with Rocky Mountain, Norco, Opus, DeVinci, Cervelo...
You're most familiar with the brands you mentioned because you live in the U.S.A. Yes, those brands are sold all over the world, but they aren't always the dominant brands in other countries.

Ahh okay. I am familiar with the Dawes and Canyon brands, not so much the other. It's just that i see these brands in US stores of course, and on the high profile races it seems everyone uses Trek's, Cannondales, or Specialized

I found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ring_companies