What do we think will happen to the bike market post lockdown?

[screenman]

I'm out of work and id love to see us bring back manufacturing back to these shores. The recent shortages of PPE highlights one of our major problems and that's manufacturing of simple goods always seem to go to these cheap slave labour countries. This race to the bottom on price is extremely harmful to jobs in this country. You only have to look at the likes of uber to see this. Tax avoiding companies like this destroying the long standing taxi trade. A cheap labour force propped up by working tax credits is a major scandal and it needs to stop. Other companies using the same offshore tax avoidance model are only a bad thing for our jobs and economy. Hopefully we can address this wrongdoing and get back to buying British made products.
I recently got myself a cracking Carradice Barley saddlebag and it's a quality bit of kit. We can make very good products we just need to support our own when we can.

We can make great products, trouble is we cannot often make them for the price some would like to pay.

 

[screenman]

No, but I don't consider it my "duty" to support anywhere else but my own country. I was born in the UK, so that's the one place I have a loyalty to. The rest of the world is not my concern.

Your disregard for poor innocent people is outstanding.

 

[All uphill]

I am old enough to remember hundreds of people cycling out of factories at the end of a shift.

It would be great to see that again.

 

[Brooks]

We can make great products, trouble is we cannot often make them for the price some would like to pay.

I'd rather pay a bit more to support our own and I know many people would rather have cheap instead.

 

[roadrash]

I would love to know how many of the items in skipdiverjohns house , you know all the things that he owns outright was actually made in this country, seeing as he has a loyalty to the uk and the rest of the world isn't his concern

 

[screenman]

I'd rather pay a bit more to support our own and I know many people would rather have cheap instead.

Nobody ever regrets buying quality, our business costs make things difficult.

 

[Brooks]

Nobody ever regrets buying quality, our business costs make things difficult.

They do indeed, but let's have a level playing field to begin with and get rid of all these loopholes that allow the gig economy to bypass our tax system at the expense of tax paying companies.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Your disregard for poor innocent people is outstanding.

I probably do less to create demand for third world sweatshops than most people. I don't repetitively buy consumer electronics every five minutes just because a new model of something has come out. I don't buy high-priced branded sports clothing made in far-east sweatshops by child labour and sold at an astronomical mark-ups. I don't buy fancy western-branded carbon fibre frames/bikes made in China/Taiwan by cheap labour. A lot of my durable goods are both old and of British manufacture, and most of my day to day living spending will mainly support British jobs in the UK.

 

[screenman]

I probably do less to create demand for third world sweatshops than most people. I don't repetitively buy consumer electronics every five minutes just because a new model of something has come out. I don't buy high-priced branded sports clothing made in far-east sweatshops by child labour and sold at an astronomical mark-ups. I don't buy fancy western-branded carbon fibre frames/bikes made in China/Taiwan by cheap labour. A lot of my durable goods are both old and of British manufacture, and most of my day to day living spending will mainly support British jobs in the UK.

Fine we all know your feelings towards spending money. I wonder do your family all share the same views, our three boys are all careful with money and do not do debt, with only one still having a mortgage.

 

[DSK]

I'm old-fashioned when it comes to buying stuff. I don't lease anything and I don't use any form of finance, not even the "interest free" variety (which really isn't anyway). Strictly cash on the nail outright purchase. Anything I can touch at home is actually mine and actually paid for. Nothing belongs to the bank or some sort of other financial entity.

+1 Its the only way in my book.

I find it hilarious that stuff like appliances, beds, sofas, TV's, phones are all financed and prices are only jacked right up because so many silly people buy such stuff on finance.

 

[screenman]

+1 Its the only way in my book.

I find it hilarious that stuff like appliances, beds, sofas, TV's, phones are all financed and prices are only jacked right up because so many silly people buy such stuff on finance.

Are you sure the costs are not high to cover the business costs? I will add that I am in business and have been for 45 years and that nobody in my family used credit unless a mortgage counts.

 

[DSK]

Business costs could be partial contributors but, I am in no doubt, that prices are further hiked to encourage a trend towards credit.

 

[Brooks]

My favourite coat is my Barbour Border wax jacket I've had it 34 years! Her indoors hates it for some reason 😀 I on the other hand love it, most years I rewax it but it's due a trip back to South Shields for some repairs.
I can't think of any item of clothing made in some cheap labour sweatshop that would last as long. I'm extremely proud that i invested in such a quality British product all those years ago, it was classed as an old mans jacket when I bought it 😀
I'll send it back for a rewax and a reline and new cuff linings and it should last another 30 years!!

 

[screenman]

My favourite coat is my Barbour Border wax jacket I've had it 34 years! Her indoors hates it for some reason 😀 I on the other hand love it, most years I rewax it but it's due a trip back to South Shields for some repairs.
I can't think of any item of clothing made in some cheap labour sweatshop that would last as long. I'm extremely proud that i invested in such a quality British product all those years ago, it was classed as an old mans jacket when I bought it 😀
I'll send it back for a rewax and a reline and new cuff linings and it should last another 30 years!!

Hate those things, I have a fleece jacket about that age, it has not fallen apart and goes in the washing machine.

 

[Brooks]

Have those things, I have a fleece jacket about that age, it has not fallen apart and goes in the washing machine.

I know they made some serious quality long lasting clothing that's for sure 😀