Where were your bikes made?

[4F]

As you are still not adding France I am going to say UK

 

[youngoldbloke]

What is the point of this survey? Most bikes - frames and components, are manufactured abroad, mostly in the Far East. So the vast majority of bikes sold in the UK (exceptions mentioned above) are not 'made' here - shouldn't it be titled 'Where were your bikes assembled?" If the parts are sourced seperately and assembled here does that make them UK made? (as in the case of Ribble). What about the bike that arrives essentially un-assembled in the box? How much assembly makes the bike Taiwanese, Italian - or British?

 

[youngoldbloke]

My Orbea arrived at the bike shop from Spain and says 'Made in Spain' on it, so where does Taiwan come in?

I understand that Orbea frames are manufactured in China - in an Orbea owned facility, and the bikes are assembled ('made') in Spain. 'Making' appears to describe the assembling of components - one of which is the frame - therefore 'made in Spain'.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I would not consider a bike manufactured in China and shipped to Spain for assembly to have been made in Spain.

Personally I've always understood that under UK rules, for a product to have the label "Made in England" it has to have a minimum content that is manufactured in England, while a product that is assembled from parts made elsewhere is only permitted to be labelled "Built in Britain" at best.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Interesting related articles here Who Made your Bike?
and Who Makes What?

 

[Cubist]

Surely it's as much about conception as birth?

The Cube was made in Taiwan, but designed and thrown together by Germans.
Cubester's Ragley was, i hope, hewn by dwarves in Calderdale, and it said Yorkshire on the box, but i suspect Brant got it from Taiwan. I was responsible for its transformation into something rideable in my computer room.

The Canyon frame on my susser was designed in Switzerland but again built from bits in my garage. The frame must be Taiwanese.

The Cotic was born from legend in the Peak District, moulded from metals more precious than mithril , thin walled alloys of great wonder and beauty, but it said Taiwan on the box.

 

[mickle]

Those links seem to be saying that almost all frames are made in Asia these days, so what's the point of the question? Anyway, I still love my Orbea and approve of the company being a workers' cooperative.

What's the point of the question? To give us a broad idea of where our bikes come from. I thought it might be interesting - particularly to people who thought their bike was made somewhere it wasn't. Like you.

Being made in Taiwan isn't anything to be ashamed of. They make some of the best bikes in the world.

 

[Fab Foodie]

London, London, Wales, Taiwan.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Being made in Taiwan isn't anything to be ashamed of. They make some of the best bikes in the world.

I'd agree with that.

It's about honesty; if a bike has a sticker on it saying made in Britain or France or Germany, etc I'd like to be assured that is where it was actually made. If it was designed in Britain but made in Taiwan then that is okay but I want the label to be honest about it.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

De Rosa and Colnago's top models are crafted in Italy. Both have lower budget models that are almost certainly made in Asia and sent to Italy for a lick of paint and QC. I have De Rosa Idol (Italy) and Cannondale (Taiwan).

The below link shows the Idol (and others) being made. Looks a bit old school. lol.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5277

 

[stewie griffin]

What's the point of the question? To give us a broad idea of where our bikes come from. I thought it might be interesting - particularly to people who thought their bike was made somewhere it wasn't. Like you.

Being made in Taiwan isn't anything to be ashamed of. They make some of the best bikes in the world.

So what is your call for the Orbea then? Are you agreeing it's made in Taiwan?
Post 61 you said "Its the country of origin as printed on the shipping container it arrived at the bike shop in." That would be Spain. Again, I think it has to be where the frame is made.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

My Hewitt's steel was made in the UK - or at least that's where I think Reynolds steel is manufactured - shipped out for frame assembly to Taiwan, shipped back to the UK for spraying and sticking on the moving bits like wheels and cranks and stuff. So a new tourer that's already been halfway round the world and back! I'm not sure it came from any one place; let's call it born in motion.

 

[mickle]

Most Reynolds tubing is now made in Taiwan.

 

[mickle]

I was starting to think that i should have asked 'where was your frame made?' but actually this is more interesting.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Most Reynolds tubing is now made in Taiwan.

Ah, I ride corrected!