Giant feels the chill from falling demand.

[fossyant]

TBH if Giant are witholding payments, for goods they have purchased, they are in dire cash flow problems - we all know balance sheets and P&L's can be made to look good, but Cash is King.

 

[rogerzilla]

Any electric bike is fugly TBH. They look fat !

The mid-drive ones with a battery in the downtube are harder to spot. A recent article in the increasingly dire CTC rag was by a guy who did a big sportive on one. He said other riders were surprised when he passed them on climbs. Well, you're on a motorbike and they're putting in the effort - where's the "sport" in that sportive?

 

[chris667]

I think all modern bikes are ugly if I'm being honest. And yes, the price of modern bikes is ridiculous. I did all the rides people do now on my old Galaxy. Probably would have been minimally faster, but I also rode to work on my Galaxy. It was cheaper than walking! Often, the modern bike buyer drives their car to the place where they ride their bike - it's an aspirational product rather than a useful one. There isn't the money for things like that at the minute and more to the point there isn't the credit to pay for them all - Like a big main dealer for cars, it strikes me that a lot of Giant/Specialized shops were shops that sold finance rather than bikes.

It will be sad if Giant goes. Quite a lot of well designed, interesting bikes - I don't understand why the retro crowd aren't interested in them more. The early 2000s were a high point when Mike Burrows was designing for them. I really wanted a Giant TCR back then.

You've got to feel for all the suppliers though. It's going to be an interesting time for the cycling industry in general.

I'll still be riding my old bike - just going to keep fixing it.

 

[fossyant]

I think all modern bikes are ugly if I'm being honest. And yes, the price of modern bikes is ridiculous. I did all the rides people do now on my old Galaxy. Probably would have been minimally faster, but I also rode to work on my Galaxy. It was cheaper than walking! Often, the modern bike buyer drives their car to the place where they ride their bike - it's an aspirational product rather than a useful one. There isn't the money for things like that at the minute and more to the point there isn't the credit to pay for them all - Like a big main dealer for cars, it strikes me that a lot of Giant/Specialized shops were shops that sold finance rather than bikes.

It will be sad if Giant goes. Quite a lot of well designed, interesting bikes - I don't understand why the retro crowd aren't interested in them more. The early 2000s were a high point when Mike Burrows was designing for them. I really wanted a Giant TCR back then.

You've got to feel for all the suppliers though. It's going to be an interesting time for the cycling industry in general.

I'll still be riding my old bike - just going to keep fixing it.

With you there - 3 of my old bikes are 'skinny', except the rider isn't anymore

 

[gzoom]

I'll still be riding my old bike - just going to keep fixing it.

It's attitudes like this that is pushing bike brands to the wire, if no one buys new bikes than all these brands might as well file for bankruptcy now

 

[tyred]

It's attitudes like this that is pushing bike brands to the wire, if no one buys new bikes than all these brands might as well file for bankruptcy now

I did my bit by buying a new bike in 1992 (and I still have it and use it).

 

[bonzobanana]

That may well be the case Peter but it comes to something when the world's largest producer of bikes has to suspend payments.
I'm sure this will filter down to component makers

I think they are the world's biggest bike manufacturer by revenue not production. A quick look shows they manufacture about 6 million bikes a year but fuji-ta have made as many as 20 million bikes per year and also make frames for many assembly plants around the world. A huge number of western brand bikes are made by fuji-ta and I think they are huge for aluminium frames and in fact have the largest aluminium frame production factory in the world. A list of brands that use them either for complete bikes or frames would include; Specialized, Scott, Trek, Cannondale, Carrera, Btwin, Bianchi and tons of others. Giant have lost a huge amount of OEM work in recent years as their prices have increased so many western brands only use them for their premium high end models but use fuji-ta for their budget to mid-range bikes. I think its the same for the other big Taiwanese brand Merida. Despite having strong links to Specialized many of the lower end Specialized bikes are made by fuji-ta. It's just more expensive to make in Taiwan nowadays and while Giant has mainland China factories, Fuji-ta has factories in Cambodia and Vietnam which means they can avoid EU tariffs on their production.

I think the issue is there is a lot of hidden information in the bike industry and the industry doesn't want consumers to realise a huge percentage of bikes are effectively coming from the same manufacturer and are similar quality or that many brands are not actually manufacturers at all and simply buying production from the same big Chinese manufacturers.

 

[jowwy]

Yes, the ugly fat downtube is horrendous to look at.

The reason for that is the battery is twice as big….500wh in the giant, compared to 248 whs in the others. It was also one of the first e road bikes out and the smaller downtube batteries werent available then. I think its also got a stronger torque motor than the others, although still 250watts.

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

This is what the Indians do best. Buy the old Trusty brand add the meaningful necessary tech and
flood the market. They have plenty of steel, alloy plants, you need to own these along with the mineral mines
to be in a position to kill off vulnerable competitor's

 

[Arrowfoot]

I think all modern bikes are ugly if I'm being honest. And yes, the price of modern bikes is ridiculous. I did all the rides people do now on my old Galaxy. Probably would have been minimally faster, but I also rode to work on my Galaxy. It was cheaper than walking! Often, the modern bike buyer drives their car to the place where they ride their bike - it's an aspirational product rather than a useful one. There isn't the money for things like that at the minute and more to the point there isn't the credit to pay for them all - Like a big main dealer for cars, it strikes me that a lot of Giant/Specialized shops were shops that sold finance rather than bikes.

It will be sad if Giant goes. Quite a lot of well designed, interesting bikes - I don't understand why the retro crowd aren't interested in them more. The early 2000s were a high point when Mike Burrows was designing for them. I really wanted a Giant TCR back then.

You've got to feel for all the suppliers though. It's going to be an interesting time for the cycling industry in general.

I'll still be riding my old bike - just going to keep fixing it.

Its interesting that no one has surpassed Mike Burrows’ frame design that he did for Giant. More importantly it was a manufacturer’s boon due to smaller number of size options and consumers took to it as the stand-over height was more accommodating. Dealers / LBS loved it as the inventory was no longer needed to be big and costly.

I also like the Giant stores when handling issues and they hold their word when it come to guarantees.

 

[mustang1]

Nokia was the mobile industry not that long ago, remember Netscape? How about Kodka, even GM once made a profit!!

The bike industry is like any other, innovation is what keeps you in business. Giant makes a range of bikes that look as exciting as drying paint. The coming/here economic crunch means those companies who cannot adapt are going to fail.

I've been looking into buying a new eBike for the last 12 months, the fact the first time I even bothered to look at a Giant bike was promoted by this thread tells you everything you need to know about Giants eBike product line.

Given high ticket/cost items are where most brands make their profit, there is something seriously wrong with Giants approach to eBike if they cannot get the attention of potential customers ls like my self (I've spend roughly £6k on eBikes in the last 3 years).

I've gotta agree some Giant bikes are a bit "yesterday" to look at but I've also seen a lots of people riding Giants, both regular and electric.

With the innovation thing, I see zertz inserts (what was that about!), Those flappy things that come out of the trek headtube when going round corners, funny seatpost attachments that "aid" in comfort. I mean, there's innovation, then there's clutching at straws.

 

[mustang1]

Its interesting that no one has surpassed Mike Burrows’ frame design that he did for Giant. More importantly it was a manufacturer’s boon due to smaller number of size options and consumers took to it as the stand-over height was more accommodating. Dealers / LBS loved it as the inventory was no longer needed to be big and costly.

I also like the Giant stores when handling issues and they hold their word when it come to guarantees.

Yeah that giant store in Holborn in very spacious and it's a pleasure to browse around there. Even my local Giant store, much much smaller, is lovely to be in.

My favourite (non-Giant) LBS though is cramped but those guys are fantastic.

 

[chris667]

My favourite LBS always smells like an LBS, and there are bikes and bits of bikes everywhere.

Or at least it would be if it wasn't for the fact that it closed decades ago.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I think the issue is there is a lot of hidden information in the bike industry and the industry doesn't want consumers to realise a huge percentage of bikes are effectively coming from the same manufacturer and are similar quality or that many brands are not actually manufacturers at all and simply buying production from the same big Chinese manufacturers.

Its common knowledge for a very long time, at least 3 decades. Not only for bikes, for nearly all consumables. Labour arbitrage to production scaling, no labour issue etc. It is the factory of the World. Bike manufacturing is mostly mechanical, it things like frame material and design that is kept close to the chest.

 

[CharleyFarley]

Having just dropped a decent amount of coin on a new bike, I have to say Giant as a brand never once even made it on the shortlist. The market is heading very firmly towards the eBike/innovation end of the market. I've just been on to the Giant website, and their eBike 'range' resembles something I would expect to see in 2010 not 2022.

Looking at that Giant large down tube I'd say it has a heavy-duty battery. More powerful motor? Longer range? Looking at the other bikes, how do their batteries compare? If anyone wants to buy me one as a belated Christmas gift, I sure won't object.