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I’ve been riding my Chinese Walmart bike for a couple years. I’m not sure where the Pacific I’ve had for 15 years was made, but it is built pretty tough, because it’s been ridden much harder and longer than my current Mongoose.
While looking to upgrade to a "Good" bike store bike, I was shocked at seeing "Made in China" stickers on the bike store bikes. Hell, they could be made in the same faactory for all I know.
The 98 trek I just picked up has a "Made in USA" sticker on it. Yea! Mustv’e been one of the last ones made here.
From the looks of it Cannondale was the last to go (besides the little custom shops), with production stopping here this year.
Due to the loss of numerous jobs (me personally, and America in general) to cheap foreign compeition, I strongly oppose Chinese trade.
I know it isn’t always possible, but I try to not buy "Made in China" products. It’s impossible to avoid in some cases (My kids toys for example. Chirstmas would be pretty dissapointing)
I don’t mind Mexico, Europe, or just about any other countries, but have a problem with China and it’s labor practices, lack of respect for patents, their lack of support for equal trade, etc…Googling didn’t turn up where a lot of the parts were made, so a visit to the LBS might be in order to look at the packaging.
To save a lot of searchin, could we compile a list here? -
A Wal-Mart Mongoose hardly compares to a bike store bike, regardless of where it’s made.
But, off the top of my head, here’s a few companies that make products here. I’m sure there are plenty of others also:
-Thomson: Been through their factory, seen how they design and manufacture stuff. I’m a HUGE fan.
-Paul
-Chris King (I think)
-Industry 9 (Ithink)
-White Industries (maybe?)What about Cane Creek? I know they’re based in the Asheville, NC area. Not sure where their production is though.
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heres a few more to add to the list of bikes and componets not made in China
Trek (thier high end carbon bikes are made in the USA)
Hadley Hubs (USA)
Fox Racing Shox (USA)
ODI (USA)
Lizard Skins (USA)
Ellsworth (USA)
Rocky Mountain (Canada)
Blackspire (Canada)
Turner (USA)
Intense Cycles (USA)
e*thirteen (USA)
Race Face (Canada)theres more but i cant think of them all
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I thought some of the Race Face stuff was made overseas?
Remember, just because a bike company is based here, doesn’t mean their stuff is made here.
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"dgaddis" wrote
I thought some of the Race Face stuff was made overseas?
Remember, just because a bike company is based here, doesn’t mean their stuff is made here.
the companies i listed make or assemble thier parts in the country i listed next to them, but your kinda right on the Race Face stuff some off thier low end stuff is made in china but thier high end stuff is made in canada. the same thing with Shimano but its more hit or miss where the part you buy was made at, i ordered a XT RD and it said it was made in japan, but my XT FD said it was made in taiwan. one thing tho is that all the companies i listed do have some of thier parts made in china for example almost all bearings on a bike or in a componet are made in china, even Phil Wood bearings some of the best in the industry are made in china.
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A lot of mid to upper end stuff ($500-$2500) is made in Taiwan, and not mainland China. I have fewer issues with buying Taiwanese as it isn’t the same as ROC stuff. Most of the major brands (Specialized, Trek, Kona, Raleigh, etc) and even some of the boutique makers, use Taiwanese plants for frame building. It’s hard to buy stuff that doesn’t have at least SOME components made in China these days. I know the company I do R&D for (we build high-end medical/biotechnology instrumentation) we design and manufacture our instruments here in VT, USA, but a good portion of our components (stepper motors, optical glass, etc) is made in China. They are just too cheap to ignore if we want to be able to be competitive with Europe and Japan. And, I agree, their lack of regard for patents is troublesome.
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I just looked at the sticker on my 98 Trek, and it actually says "Assembled in USA of American and foreign parts" or something like that… So, I don’t know if the frame was made here or not…
I’m glad this has been a popular thread, and that others are keeping aware of where parts are made. I tend to always glance at the package to see where something is made.And to clarify, I do realize the bikestore bikes are better than my Mongoose and Pacific bikes.
I do thing my 15 year old Pacific is far and above beter than the bikes Walmart is selling now though. They’ve really cheapened them up. -
"dgaddis" wrote
What about Cane Creek? I know they’re based in the Asheville, NC area. Not sure where their production is though.
Some of the upper end Cane Creek stuff is made in North Carolina still (my uncle lives about a mile from their HQ/plant), most of it is made in Taiwan, with the lowest end stuff (Aheadset branded stuff, etc) made in ROC. I’m a big fan of the high end CC stuff…the CC100 is one of the best headsets I’ve ever used, better than King, better than FSA, it’s awesome.
Thomson. I would be a fan if their crap would actually last. Especially if I pay the money for supposedly high quality stuff. Their seatposts creak, and frankly, their stems are no better than something like Truvativ or RaceFace, but are twice the price.
My buddy had an old Pacific, probably circa ’94. It was actually a pretty well made bike…better than the Huffy, Murray, and Free Spirit bikes of that era.
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"8valvegrowl" wrote
Thomson. I would be a fan if their crap would actually last. Especially if I pay the money for supposedly high quality stuff. Their seatposts creak, and frankly, their stems are no better than something like Truvativ or RaceFace, but are twice the price.
Are you using a torque wrench? If you are, nothing should be breaking/creaking.
Thomson has two sides to their business, contract manufacturing and bicycle parts. The bike parts are only 30-40% of their business. The majority of their contracting work is with Boeing, doing some crazy machining work (like jet turbine motor mounts). To keep their employees used to all of the stringent QC rules that Boeing has they do all of the same processes with their bike parts. When new material comes in the door they take pieces and do various test to ensure it’s the correct alloy. After every machining process each and every part goes into a measuring jig to make sure the component is the correct size. They design and manufacture all of their own CNC jigs, and the testing rigs, and do lots of destructive testing, on their own stuff and competitors. The day I was there I got to see a BMX stem in their fatique tester…very cool. They even tested different finishes on the bolts to see how it effects strength and fatigue life of their parts, which is why if you lose a bolt, call them for a replacement, don’t just go to the hardware store and pick up one the same size. Different finishes, even when torqued to the same ft.lbs will have different clamping strength.
And, their parts are made right here in my home state of GA.
I’m a big fan 😃
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I use my torque wrench for everything. I’m an anal engineer.
It was an older seatpost, and I hear they’ve redesigned it, but I wasn’t impressed for the price I paid. It was pretty to look at though, and had cred, I guess. But, it couldn’t handles big doubles on my dirt jumper if I took a beaner, if you know what I mean.
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"8valvegrowl" wrote
I’m an anal engineer.
LOL, thanks for making my day man! But seriously, I know what you mean. And I’d agree, the Thomson post isn’t great for real abuse like dirt/street riding. I had a McNeil seat/post on my BMX, that thing was bomb proof. Highly recommend.
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Glad I made you laugh!
I think for road use or XC use, they make a fine product. I am just a little abusive. 😃
McNeil stuff is pretty bomber…my friend used to have McNeil parts on his ancient Redline.
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Yeah, I always had problems with breaking the rails on the saddle. Never had problems with a post. But the McNeil stuff gets rid of the rails, and is just a much simpler and stronger way to mount a seat. Not as adjustable as traditional rails/clamps, but that’s not important on a BMX/DJ bike where you really never sit down.
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"dgaddis" wrote
Yeah, I always had problems with breaking the rails on the saddle. Never had problems with a post. But the McNeil stuff gets rid of the rails, and is just a much simpler and stronger way to mount a seat. Not as adjustable as traditional rails/clamps, but that’s not important on a BMX/DJ bike where you really never sit down.
you should look into the SDG seats and posts, they use a I-Beam design for the seat rails that has all the adjustability of a regular rail system but stronger. http://sdgcomponents.com/
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it’s fuuny cus i was just looking at my bike and thats what i was looking at my GF was made in taiwan but designed in the USA and the tubing is from japan, my GT is desigened in my birth state of SO CAL, but it is also made overseas i think… here’s a shot of my GF
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LOL. Most sites a shot of your GF would mean a pic of a chick… I had to read that twice to get what you were saying… Bummer.
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Ha! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought the same exact thing!
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