Mont Ventoux and American Bike Manufacturers

[53x11 in DC]

A few disclaimers/thoughts...

My team is sponsored by Cannondale, thus, the majority of what I've ridden have been Canny's. Next up is the SuperSix they've been riding since the Giro (with the HUGE wedge head tube), due on our shores in October. I say "due on our shores", because it is being made in Asia.

I'd forgotten Canny was bought out by the Canucks - nice pick-up. Also, Giant is owned by Giant Manufacturing in Taiwan, which is a HUGE conglomerate. Giant Bicycles, a subsidiary, is out of California, has been since 1987.

I do love my C-50 more than life itself, so pardon my hypocrisy. My ONLY point was, American cycling manufacturing has come a long way since the "Serottas rebadged as Huffys" debacle!!

A big side thanks to Ben Serotta, Richard Sachs, Hollands, Moots, etc., for their sweetness in craftover the years.

 

[Mr Pumpy]

I'll give you a tip, check who sells the most bikes, hence who has the money to sponsor protour teams and then come back to me

The only post in this thread that means anything.

Congratulations to US bike companies for being willing to offer more money to pro teams to ride their bikes than other companies

 

[El Imbatido]

Brodeal actually posted this link in a similar thread in the general section but i thought it was relevant here. It discusses where companies produce their bikes.

Click Here

To sum it up basically most frame manufacturers outsource to asia except the "big three" - Pinerello, De Rosa and Colnago and even they outsourse some of their lower models.

Time are also only produced in France. Look outsource lower end models as does Trek.

 

[TRDean]

I think some of the early Huffy bikes were actually built by Michael Stow in NY. Anyone know about this?

 

[fatandfast]

I have owned and or crashed on Landsharks,Tesch,Holland,Medici,Cannondale,Bianchi,Vitus,Zeus,Canapus,Look and Felt.I think the China made products are fine and perform well.Cycling(racing) needs to teach kids they can win on $1500-2000 equipment.Bikes are getting way too pricey for racers! Chana is a godsend to most racers who can't afford to race on 2000 dollar wheels in a 45min +5 crit with a whopper 500 for a prize list.I was happy to hear LeBron loved cycling and used it to cross train,I think he is no longer part of Cannondale,sorry to hear.

 

[Animal]

There's no doubt that Trek, Giant etc are good bikes.

But if I had the money to spend on a top end bike, I'd want something with some cuore. I'd take the equivalent priced Bianchi over a Madone any day.

 

[kiwirider]

Are you sure the carbon Cannondales are ALL from Taiwan right now? As far as I know only the Six and the Synapse lines of carbon frames are built in Taiwan currently.

The Super Six carbon line of carbon frames are still built in this country. The same goes for the aluminum CAAD frames. I am glad to hear that Cannondale has decided to reconsider moving production of the higher end frames offshore.

As I said, repeating what my LBS told me - so happy to be corrected by anyone with better knowledge.

And it's only the aluminium frames that are staying in the US - the others high end carbon production is staying in Taiwan ...

 

[53x11 in DC]

I'll give you a tip, check who sells the most bikes, hence who has the money to sponsor protour teams and then come back to me

Let me give you a tip... 27 years ago (the point of this post), cycling in America was the tiniest of cults. I know - I was there and incurred the wrath of many a motorist when schlepping around on a 28-pound Fuji Monterey in a wool Motobecane jersey with a winning magazine stuffed in a back pocket.

The point, numbnuts, is that those who reside in the US can be happy that we are blessed with a substantially better lot from which to choose. It says a ton about the burst of popularity that started in the mid-80's and continues today.

I'll still take Italian craftsmanship any day (see avatar), BUT, it was interesting to see so many companies with American roots at the top of the table. Period.

 

[kiwirider]

There's no doubt that Trek, Giant etc are good bikes.

But if I had the money to spend on a top end bike, I'd want something with some cuore. I'd take the equivalent priced Bianchi over a Madone any day.

Don't do it!! I have always loved Bianchi frames - they have an allure and a history, there's no doubt. But my opinion of them changed greatly after two XL EV2 frames snapped on me while I was riding them - in each case the frame was under a year (of limited riding) old. (And I'm neither heavy nor an abuser of equipment.) I was still going to stick with Bianchi until my LBS at the time showed me the then top frame that they were refusing to build up for a customer - headset cups didn't align, welds weren't completed, paint job was crap ...

Still, I'm glad that I had these experiences with Bianchi - the bad experiences were the factor that finally got me to translate my love of Cannondale dirt bikes to roadies ... and I'm very happy with my Six13 still ...

 

[rhubroma]

I'll give you a tip, check who sells the most bikes, hence who has the money to sponsor protour teams and then come back to me

And this is the problem with so many Americans, their shallow market imperialism. There is something called class, which you simply don't earn because you sell more, or have more power....

Having said that, I would have no problem riding a Cannondale (Treck, yes! but for ideological reasons ), or any other top line US brand.

 

[53x11 in DC]

And this is the problem with so many Americans, their shallow market imperialism. There is something called class, which you simply don't earn because you sell more, or have more power....

Having said that, I would have no problem riding a Cannondale (Treck, yes! but for ideological reasons ), or any other top line US brand.

This wasn't intended to be a sociopolitical thread, RR!! Before you ex-patted yourself, you must remember the dearth of quality (non-custom) bikes. I don't miss those days.

 

[SlantParallelogram]

As I said, repeating what my LBS told me - so happy to be corrected by anyone with better knowledge.

And it's only the aluminium frames that are staying in the US - the others high end carbon production is staying in Taiwan ...

Well I was thinking that since the super high end Super Six carbon frames are still currently built here that they might keep them here.

The regular Six carbon frames, as well as the Synapse carbon frames are currently built offshore, so that is how it will probably stay.

 

[SlantParallelogram]

There's no doubt that Trek, Giant etc are good bikes.

But if I had the money to spend on a top end bike, I'd want something with some cuore. I'd take the equivalent priced Bianchi over a Madone any day.

The problem is that even the top of the line Reparto Corse frames from Bianchi are no longer built in Italy anymore. That is too bad because I have always liked celeste green.

So I don't think Bianchi has any of their soul left.