rpenmanparker 

That is a different issue than whether coming from Italy makes something wonderful.

cyclistca

My wife is made in China. Very high build quality.

WhyFi

What kind of warranty period?

fietsbob

Posters Here always are seeking cheaper and the companies are not Immune to that either ..

Race to the Bottom.

rmfnla

You're obviously not married...

kbarch

Everything, really? Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic, but I thought bicycles meant something to Campagnolo. I thought live people worked there, too.

I don't know if there was ever a Mr. Campagnolo, but there's a reason so many companies carry a person's name. No business exists without the people who want to make it part of their life, and any business (even banking) has to be about something other than merely controlling cash, otherwise it would have no identity, no reason for existence.

Are you familiar with the concept of brand dilution? Whether I or any other consumer thinks there's anything special about Campagnolo is secondary - it's all up to them. If they don't think they're special - if they don't care to cultivate and maintain their identity - no one will care about them either, and they'll be worse than gone, they'll be a zombie. Pathetic, maybe, but no skin off my nose.

rpenmanparker 

They do think they are special, and they are special. But not because of a BS factor like where their products are made. The products are good, but not because of Italy. Italy making a difference is the big lie.

la rosa 

Lol!!

American Euchre

Regardless of the country of manufacture, how do you like the wheels?

kbarch

You have a solid point. However, what happens in real life (as opposed to the ideal world where there are no unforeseen consequences) is that decisions to give up things that "don't make a difference" accumulate until all of a sudden, they do. If one is really committed to something, one does the things that "don't matter" because everything is of a piece, it's what one does. Finding things to not do because presumably they don't matter is indifference, if not contempt, and when that accumulates, there's nothing special about anything anymore. But that's life, too.

It may well be that the parts made in China are just as good as, or even better than the ones made in Italy*. But for the managers of a company to decide to outsource manufacturing to some far-off place (where they have to send some miserable jet-lagged luggage-dragger to check in on things from time to time) indicates a lack of care - a literal detachment from what the company is actually doing.

By the way, I'm not clear on what this part was that started this thread - maybe it was just a little screw that has ALWAYS been made in China, by the worlds finest screw manufacturer.... In any event, we're just talking hypothetically here.

*If they are, one has to wonder why the Chinese aren't sufficiently proud of them to give them their own name, but that's another story.

American Euchre

Well, that's why I asked how the original poster liked the wheels, regardless of where they were manufactured. Also, there are quite a few reviews of these wheel sets--most indicate they are quality wheels, again, regardless of the country of manufacture.

scott967

I guess I wouldn't expect Campy to make their own bearings. Are these just 6001 RS bearings? Now, casting / forging and machining the hubs, extruding the rims and welding/balancing, then lacing the wheel that I can see wanting to be "Campy".

scott s.
.

redfooj

emotions will probably bankrupt a business

kbarch

A business decision could be based on someone's eccentric personality or on some miscalculation of the business environment, but any decision that's contrary to the nature of the company can do it in in short order. However, the slow, painful death of a business is just as likely to occur due to carelessness - a lack of emotion or interest in the identity of the company. The goose that laid the golden egg gets dirty, starved and mangy, and with no romantic attachments, dies lonely and childless.

Bob Dopolina 

Yes there was, Tulio, and there still is, Ernesto.

rpenmanparker 

Or maybe it was precisely the right thing to do from any perspective except that of a few disgruntled customers. That's possible too.

Kopsis

The notion that people outside the countries that led the industrial revolution can't or won't do good work without constant babysitting from a "westerner" is completely wrong (and insulting, and borderline racist). Speaking as someone who has actually helped stand up an off-shore facility, I can tell you that when the people are treated as first-class employees, the work ethic and pride of workmanship can be every bit as good as the domestic operations. The only thing sometimes lacking (and what "luggage-draggers" like me are there to help provide) is the tribal knowledge and decades of experience that the new operation needs to accumulate before it can be self-sufficient.

When a company stops trying to provide best value to the customer for the sake of maintaining some false facade of "old world craftsmanship", that indicates lack of care.

RollCNY

After 25 years of working in US industry, I do not believe the sticker "Made in USA" denotes any improvement in design, durability, or functionality. Where there are standout US manufacturers, the bulk do little to differentiate between onshore and offshore as far as value add.

Shuffleman

I think that it is safe to say that most people want the product to be quality. My Campy groupset states that it was made in Romania. My Colnago frame states that it was made in Taiwan. As long as it is still quality, I am not concerned. Just because it was made in China does not denote that the quality stinks. That has more to do with the design, materials and standards exacted. Cheaper labor markets are typically why companies use overseas producers. History will show that markets with the cheap labor get to a point where they are no longer the cheapest. When that occurs the shift goes to another country, who is producing the labor cheaper.
The Trek frame made in the USA is no better than the Trek frame made elsewhere. The reason is simple, Trek has its standards and those standards are met. In the American Auto industry, it is not that our work force is bad. It is not that the Japanese have a better work force. The Japanese make better cars because of the labor agreements. Roughly $3000 of ever American car goes out to worker obligations. Thus, in order for the Taurus to compete with the Camry/Accord, they have to use lower quality products throughout the vehicle to compensate for that $3000. Thus, you get cheaper foam in the seats and etc. In the end you get a less reliable vehicle. It has nothing to do with the workers or their quality of work. Thus, as long as Campy is putting the same quality materials into their processes than I am confident that I will still buy from them. It is simply naive to think that they will still be made in Italy and compete on price with Shimano and Sramm. People have proven time and again, that they are not willing to pay more simply based on where a product is made. Some will, most will not.

dksix

It's funny that people aren't bother at all to find a made in China sticker on a beloved brand but let someone put a big name brand sticker on a China part and people lose their minds. LOL

topslop1

So long as we can still buy stuff cheaply from them. Not sure what the benefits of being the super power are as a nation? Lot of euro countries seem to give 0 ****s, and also seem to be doing really well.

mapeiboy

U.S government will make sure this will never happens even if it means ww3 .

WalksOn2Wheels

Holy cow. Try and save a few superlatives and hyperboles for your next road.cc review.

Campy does uniquely position and market themselves. They are comfortable with the size and profitability and do not seek to usurp Shimano as the big daddy OEM supplier. They aren't even really shooting for SRAM either. They make what they like. They will certainly take cues from the other two if an idea is really worth implementing and not trademarked. They do compete in terms of tech, but they know their place. And in the end, a business is a business. They are going to do what they can to keep costs reasonable as long as it doesn't degrade the product.

We're talking about bearings from China here. It's probably from a manufacturer that makes really damn good bearings. It's not as if they said "Ok, we need the cheapest possible bearing here because we can't be bothered to make these wheels work." It was probably more like, "Hey, these bearing are as good or better than our current bearings and we can get them for 60% less if we bulk order them from China."

WalksOn2Wheels

THANK YOU.

1954 called. They want their sense of superiority back.

American Euchre

That's a fair point, which is why I asked whether he liked the wheels or not, regardless of where they were made (manufactured and/or assembled). No reply so far. It seems he wants to a) reinforce some stereotypical notion that all Chinese made products are of inferior quality, or b) take a figurative you know what on campy's reputation.

All I can surmise is that he is a troll who has no valid point one way or the other regarding quality or honesty.