Where are Canyon and Focus made?

245

Comments

  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    Focus do build their Alu frames in Germany.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Focus do build their Alu frames in Germany.

    I bet they don't...
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    My Cervelo S2 frame came in a box with MADE IN CHINA printed proudly on the side.

    Not in the least bit bothered that it wasn't made in Canadia... In fact, China has an excellent reputation for carbon fibre frame building. Canadia doesn't.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    softlad wrote:
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Focus do build their Alu frames in Germany.

    I bet they don't...

    I know they dont.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • brucebanner
    brucebanner Posts: 256
    if i get a bike fit, will Canyon and Focus be able to fit the bike accordingly?
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,822
    I think that the Canyon website has a fit system showing how someone with certain dimensions would fit one of their frames and indicate the frame size.
    Yup, Canyon have their PPS - Perfect Positioning System, input height, inseam et, riding style etc and it claims to work out the relevant size. Never bought one (tempted tho') so others can comment better than me.
  • swagman
    swagman Posts: 115
    Being made in Germany i guess relates to a top quality product, but even their car manufacturers have plants abroad and in the Far East. Im sure my friends VW van was made in China. Its all down to labour costs, when a bike manufacturer can get a frame made for probarbly a few quid and stick hundreds on it to sell it hes not going to cut that profit down to a few quid in having it manufactured in Europe.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    I would even question the statement 'Designed in Germany'. Or anywhere else for that matter.

    I think it's more of the case of UK buyers turning up at the Taipei Bicycle Fair and wandering along the frame vendors stands and seeing what takes their fancy. If they see something they like then they'll start discussing the cost of tailoring that basic frame to their marketing needs - eg quantity, price, colour and decals/stickers.

    I seem to recall reading somewhere that Merida and Giant make the majority of the middle and upper market bicycles sold worldwide, including all the big US brands.

    Remember, you are not buying a 'make', you are buying a 'brand' from a sales and marketing company.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    swagman wrote:
    Being made in Germany i guess relates to a top quality product, but even their car manufacturers have plants abroad and in the Far East. Im sure my friends VW van was made in China. Its all down to labour costs, when a bike manufacturer can get a frame made for probarbly a few quid and stick hundreds on it to sell it hes not going to cut that profit down to a few quid in having it manufactured in Europe.

    My mate's UK spec VW Golf was manufactured in South Africa. I believe some of our BMW 3 series come from there too. Nothing wrong with that.
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    Berk Bonebonce wrote:
    Some high end carbon frames are made in Europe. At a guess BMC, Colnago, Time, Look. Any others?

    Viner
    Expertly coached by http://www.vitessecyclecoaching.co.uk/

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  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Colnago's aren't made in Europe.

    The three french brands; Time, Look and Cyfac i think are made in France.

    Milani and Viner make their bikes in Italy

    Then you have premium European Steel builders like Pegoretto or Rourke.

    Basically a European made bike = ££££
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    carbon CLX is now also made in Taiwan [4].

    There was some controversy in 2005 over whether Giant would be producing additional models, including carbon frame models, for Colnago. According to statements by Ernesto Colnago, founder and president of Colnago, this was not the case:
    #

    From wiki. lol may as well buy a Giant Defy Advanced , said a few times that £2200 model way too much...
    Say... That's a nice bike..
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  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    BMC's are manufactured in Taiwan but Swiss/German(???) company Futec build up the protoypes as far as i can make out.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    EKIMIKE wrote:
    Colnago's aren't made in Europe.

    The Lugged models (C50 (now stopped making it), EPS, C59) and the Master X-Light are all made in Italy.
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Thanks for the correction.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    It would seem that some Look frames may be made in Asia too.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    Well, it is the case that some carbon frames are made in Europe - the top of the range models, shall we say.

    Interestingly, we are fast getting to the situation where 'generic' frames are appearing on the market. By that, I mean, it might have a Specialized or a Kuota or a Fuji or a whatever badge on it, but it is the same frame under the paint.
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    Most carbon frames are now made in either China or Taiwan and it will be the exception that it's made in Europe It doesn't follow that the top end frames are made in Europe - for instance (and it has been said here) Colnago make their lugged EPS and C59 frames in Italy and the rest are made for them in Asia, whereas all of the Pinarellos - including the top of the range Dogma are manufactured in Asia.

    From memory I think Look have a manufacfturing plant in Tunisia that makes some of their frames.

    In the past few years I have had frames from the following companies - Planet X (UK), Cervelo (Canada/Switzerland), Specialized (USA) and Canyon (Germany) Or to put it another way : China, China, Taiwan and (probably) China.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    EKIMIKE wrote:
    It would seem that some Look frames may be made in Asia too.

    the 566 is, but not the others, as far as I know...
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    'Handmade in Germany' will indeed simply mean that it's screwed-together by an assembly-worker in Germany.

    The frame will be from Giant or Merida or somewhere in Taiwan.

    If the bike has Shimano components on it, they will be made in Malaysia or Taiwan too.



    I currently drive a Volkswagen - that's a good German make, yeas ?

    Actually no, it was 'made' in Portugal, i.e. that's where the assembly plant is, but the bits will have come from plants in Germany, Belgium, Poland, all over the place...
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    Interesting from Road CC. Should hopefully give people more confidence when buying a Canyon for shipment to the UK

    "Canyon were very keen to show us their new bikes at Eurobike, and we even got to have a go them at the Demo Day. Most of the talk was about the new Aeroad CF frame, and we had none other than pro cycling legend Erik Zabel weighing in with some comments on how the new machine fares next to its more established sibling, the Ultimate SLX.

    Canyon bikes have been available in the UK, direct from Germany, for years, but they're busy right now setting up a UK operation. The bikes will still be shipped from mainland Europe but there'll be a UK helpline for customers, and all warranty issues will be dealt with over here too, making the whole business of buying and owning one a lot more straightforward. The UK stuff should all be live by the time the 2011 bikes appear on the Canyon website."
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Focus and Canyon FRAMES are built in Asia - i.e. we're talking laying up prepeg in a mold and putting in airbladders etc. The BIKES might be built in German i.e. some 105 grouppos are bolted on. That's how they get around the "Made in Germany" label. The Econimist has done a few articles over the last 2/3 years mainly about the made in Italy label on clothes.

    All Colnagos from the CLX down are made in Taiwan. Not sure about the CX1 but it might be molded in Taiwan as front and back parts - and then perhaps glued in Italy. Not sure. If you take a bare frame and paint it in the EU you can say it's made in the EU - it's not about the process it's about the "value" added (ref the Economist article). So Colnago can easily say it's not a Colnago till we paint it and decal it, so we add 60% of the value in our paintshop.

    It's also logical that if I'm a big name producer and I order 10,000 bare carbon frames which I paint in Italy and sell for EUR 2000 each, my unit cost would be under EUR 300 each. So i can see why this lable crops up on many frames like the CLX we know are made in Taiwan by Giant in fact.

    Lastly, there are some producers like Billato who make a LOT of frames in Italy for many names, Condor has sourced there in the past. Billato were stronger 3-5 years ago when more frames were carbon tubes and lugs like the old Omega Matrix. I'm not sure how much mold tooling they've onboarded in recent year. Not too concerned really. Just like to ride the stuff.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    IMHO there's a good way of guessing if a carbon frame has been built in Europe or the States - and that is whether it is constructed using a traditional 'lugged' system.

    i.e Colnago EPS, Viner Maxima, Parlee etc

    If a frame has been 'moulded' then it more than likely has been made using the expertise in the Far East
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    My Lugged beauty came today :shock:

    I love lugged carbon. It's stunning!

    I love my new bike! :o
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    NapoleonD wrote:
    My Lugged beauty came today :shock:

    I love lugged carbon. It's stunning!

    I love my new bike! :o

    Have a look at this lugged classic beauty

    http://bicitalia.jp/2010/05/alan-mito/
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Chip \'oyler wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    My Lugged beauty came today :shock:

    I love lugged carbon. It's stunning!

    I love my new bike! :o

    Have a look at this lugged classic beauty

    http://bicitalia.jp/2010/05/alan-mito/

    :shock:

    Want.
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    edited September 2010
    My naked carbon far east frame looks better than any Ian could have made in Huddersfield or Dresden.

    The far east factories are so well tooled up that no one could rival them in Europe. Vac packed, auto claved frames will always be better than hand made stuff from EU old school makers.

    The same happened with windsurf boards 15 years ago.

    Paint hides a multitude of sins (and filler and weave defects).
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    However, I prefer the look of my lugged Colnago C50 to my Cervelo S2. Personal preference innit?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Interesting little piece on the new BMC Impec, made in Switzerland -

    http://www.bikebiz.com/news/32784/Carbo ... the-canton

    Probably by robots made in China ;)
  • brucebanner
    brucebanner Posts: 256
    I think I'm more or less decided on getting a Focus, unless something sways my mind such as them using a horrible colour scheme on the di2 bikes. The biggest factors: electronic gears on the Focus, UK based, and I like the internal cable routing. It's just a matter of saving up now.

    Which of the two companies offers better value for the money? That is, given the same amount, can I buy a higher spec'd Canyon or Focus?

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