Do you care where your bike was manufactured?
08-11-14, 07:15 PM
#51
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Care? Maybe if I had a bamboo bike made in Siberia.
08-11-14, 07:18 PM
#52
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When I was a kid, European bikes had the cachet of quality. Asian bikes were cheap crap. American bikes were tanks. There was probably some truth to that in a broad sense. But the quality of Asian imports improved and America began making some better machines. Some of the Euro manufacturers suffered a decline in quality at the same time as they increased production to meet demand in a growing US market, so it all evened out. Now you can buy a very nice machine or a POS manufactured all over the globe so there's little practical reason the care specifically about the origin. I can appreciate the sentiment of those who want to 'shop locally' on a global scale, but I wouldn't personally make that a prime consideration for a purchase such as a bike.
Any country can produce a crappy product. It all comes down to the QC.
Buy American because you're patriotic or want to support the economy...but don't be delusional that just because its from the good ol USA...its an automatic superior product.
08-11-14, 07:22 PM
#53
Senior Member
Do you care where your bike was manufactured?
Just bought a French frame yesterday. I'll be building it up with mainly French parts. Of course its 40 plus years old. They ride damn nice.
08-11-14, 07:23 PM
#54
Señor Blues
I don't understand why some people have this elitist/arrogant attitude that if something is made in the USA that automatically means it's better; it doesn't... I currently own a Chevy Equinox and will never buy another Chevy again due to all the problems we've had with it. It's not like laziness & poor workmanship are culturally exclusive.
And further, the reason your vehicle failed you may be due to poor design and/or manufacturing techniques, and not because of any "laziness & poor workmanship". Or it might be due to owner error. Wouldn't surprise me.
FWIW, my frame was made in Taiwan. I didn't know it when I bought it. I bought it because it was shiny and I wanted it..
08-11-14, 07:36 PM
#55
Senior Member
I have a bike that is proudly Tiawanese (Giant) and I trust that they make a quality frame. I also own a bike made in Tennessee and I am proud to have it. I was pretty disappointed when trek and cannondale moved their manufacturing primarily to Asia, as I enjoyed nice steel/carbon Lemond made in Wisconsin and a few caad frames made in the USA. Will it keep me from buying them? No. I am a little turned off by the very boutique Italian brands' lower end Asian offerings. Seems like a way to simply put someone own that branded bike, but its not a real Colnago or Pinarello. If I'm going to buy a Colnago or Pinarello, first I'm going to get in better shape so I'm not that guy on the Italian bike getting passed by the lady on a hybrid, and I'm going to invest in one made in Italy.
08-11-14, 07:42 PM
#56
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In Taiwan they make a living wage and have health care that puts US healthcare to shame. In fact labour costs are rising so much even in China that Taiwan based manufacturers from many different industries are moving back to Taiwan as the competitive advantage of cheap Chinese labour dries up.
08-11-14, 08:03 PM
#57
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In Taiwan they make a living wage and have health care that puts US healthcare to shame. In fact labour costs are rising so much even in China that Taiwan based manufacturers from many different industries are moving back to Taiwan as the competitive advantage of cheap Chinese labour dries up.
08-11-14, 08:09 PM
#58
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The workers in Carbon factories make more than that.
In Taiwan they make a living wage and have health care that puts US healthcare to shame. In fact labour costs are rising so much even in China that Taiwan based manufacturers from many different industries are moving back to Taiwan as the competitive advantage of cheap Chinese labour dries up.
In Taiwan they make a living wage and have health care that puts US healthcare to shame. In fact labour costs are rising so much even in China that Taiwan based manufacturers from many different industries are moving back to Taiwan as the competitive advantage of cheap Chinese labour dries up.
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08-11-14, 08:23 PM
#59
elcraft
THIS!!!!!! As with so many manufactured products with non Asian "pedigrees", the fact that they don't pass on their savings on production costs is what irks me. They increase their profits but intend to charge you for the "cache" of their origin.
08-11-14, 08:29 PM
#60
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I don't understand why some people have this elitist/arrogant attitude that if something is made in the USA that automatically means it's better; it doesn't... I currently own a Chevy Equinox and will never buy another Chevy again due to all the problems we've had with it. It's not like laziness & poor workmanship are culturally exclusive.
08-11-14, 08:39 PM
#63
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08-11-14, 08:48 PM
#64
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are you being deliberately obtuse?
i said the taiwanese companies are moving production to SE Asia. Indonesia is in SE Asia. they are bringing workers over from there as well as moving there.
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coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
08-11-14, 08:56 PM
#65
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08-11-14, 09:34 PM
#68
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wut?
ok..i will spell it out. Indonesians are working in Taiwanese factories in Indonesia and in Taiwan. Some factories are moving to SE Asia, others are hiring workers over from there. Simple.
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coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
08-11-14, 09:44 PM
#69
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Bears are easily confused.
08-11-14, 09:47 PM
#70
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coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
08-11-14, 10:03 PM
#71
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08-11-14, 10:08 PM
#72
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someone explain something to me. why do americans get so up in arms about bicycle manufacturing. I get it if you talk about cars. America is a car culture. But bicycles? I thought the average Joe hates cyclists. who cares if the thing they hate is made in America?
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coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
08-11-14, 10:15 PM
#73
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If it was designed thoughtfully and built with some pride by people who are not slaves, I'm ok.
08-11-14, 10:25 PM
#74
Still can't climb
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bicycle industry leadership is centered on Taiwan. why would you think production in a country that does not dominate the industry should be of a higher quality?
excepting custom craftmen built stuff, of course.
excepting custom craftmen built stuff, of course.
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coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack
08-11-14, 10:35 PM
#75
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Most bike haters probably don't care. Well some might shed a tear for Schwinn.
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 08-12-14 at 07:34 AM.