The who makes what thread.

btiratsoo

Hello people

I read so many posts on here about certain companies frames being made in such and such factory in Taiwan/ China/ Italy/ USA/ UK etc. Does anyone actually know where bike companies have their frames made. For example - Trek. Certain high end frames are made in the USA. The rest I assume are made in a factory in the Far East. Now is this in the Giant factory, Merida, Unnamed or some other company?

I saw the Giant factory tour articles on here a while ago and although Giant's own bikes were discussed, nothing else was. Yet, when you read posts on here it comes up how Giant build 90%(I don't know if this is true or where this figure came from) of the worlds bicycles.

I tried searching for threads but either my searches were all wrong or there aren't any threads.

So, my question to you Bikeradar is: Who makes what for whom and where?

dodgy

Take a look at this, it's old, but it was listed in my favourites. http://inrng.com/2012/02/who-made-your-bike/

btiratsoo

Dodgy, that is great. From what I can see it looks like a great article. Thanks

Moonbiker

http://www.xidesheng.com/ENGLISH/About_ ... 0strength/

XDS currently has the largest production base in China, and is the largest manufacturer of carbon-fiber in the world

.

Dunno if they make frames for other companies?

Coach H

How about adding to something like this?
Started with the first things off the top of my head

Giant
- Giant
- Most Colnago (Not lugged or steel)

Merida
- Merida
- Specialized
- Boardman

Matthewfalle

dodgy wrote:

Take a look at this, it's old, but it was listed in my favourites. http://inrng.com/2012/02/who-made-your-bike/

Really good article there - many thanks.

socrates

I thought that Merida only now made for Specialized and Centurion. Could be wrong though.

nbalcombe

If I find out that a tiny Italian man with a mustache didn't make my Bianchi with his own bare hands, I'll be very disappointed.

nicklouse

nbalcombe wrote:

If I find out that a tiny Italian man with a mustache didn't make my Bianchi with his own bare hands, I'll be very disappointed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimaldi_Industri
http://www.grimaldi.se/org.html

Matthewfalle

But Bianchi was also purchased after Grimaldi acquired their holdings in Castelgarden SpA - does that mean that Bianchi are made by a small Italian man who also makes lawnmowers?

Oh - I suppose that doesn't really help does it?

smoggysteve

Why pray tell does the fact a Swedish company being the major shareholder in another company suddenly mean they are no longer Italian? Is Jaguar now American? Is Bugatti no longer French? Is Man Utd no longer English? Cancel that last one! Grimaldi are a holding co. They are a dhareholder business. That is all. Yes the majority of Bianchi are built in the China. So are iPhones, playstations and pretty much everything else in the world right now. Would a built in Italy bike be bettet in some way? Are the Italians master craftsmen? If I know my Italian brands like I do, Fiat, Ferrari, Ducati, Aprillia, Lambo they are all very unreliable. I would love to go back to the bike shop near Dortmund I visited that had not 1 but 2 Colnago c60 carbon frames both with cracked BB shells.
Where a bike or anything for that matter is made is no guage of build quality.

pastryboy

Nothing to do with company ownership but if you're buying something for the 'heritage' of the brand, like Bianchi for instance, then it seems a bit of a con when you find out its come off the very same production line as less fashionable bikes costing half the price.

dodgy

pastryboy wrote:

Nothing to do with company ownership but if you're buying something for the 'heritage' of the brand, like Bianchi for instance, then it seems a bit of a con when you find out its come off the very same production line as less fashionable bikes costing half the price.

It's been like this for years. I say it often, but people don't like it. "All bikes are the same". It's an exaggeration, but really, it's almost true. A carbon mold of a diamond frame in a faraway country, churning out frames with different badges on which are then fitted with readily available components that anyone can buy.

That's why I buy whatever is best VFM based on the material value of the frame and components, that could be PlanetX, Rose, Ribble, whatever. Same reason I've been buying Skodas for years

Matthewfalle

dodgy wrote:

pastryboy wrote:

Nothing to do with company ownership but if you're buying something for the 'heritage' of the brand, like Bianchi for instance, then it seems a bit of a con when you find out its come off the very same production line as less fashionable bikes costing half the price.

It's been like this for years. I say it often, but people don't like it. "All bikes are the same". It's an exaggeration, but really, it's almost true. A carbon mold of a diamond frame in a faraway country, churning out frames with different badges on which are then fitted with readily available components that anyone can buy.

That's why I buy whatever is best VFM based on the material value of the frame and components, that could be PlanetX, Rose, Ribble, whatever. Same reason I've been buying Skodas for years

100% correct. Chapeau. No need for the lol after Skoda either - the Yeti we had at work was fantastic - load it up to the gills with med kit, hoon off - brilliant piece of kit.

pastryboy

My thoughts exactly, I've got a Planet-X and a Pinnacle.

ben@31

Matthewfalle wrote:

dodgy wrote:

pastryboy wrote:

Nothing to do with company ownership but if you're buying something for the 'heritage' of the brand, like Bianchi for instance, then it seems a bit of a con when you find out its come off the very same production line as less fashionable bikes costing half the price.

It's been like this for years. I say it often, but people don't like it. "All bikes are the same". It's an exaggeration, but really, it's almost true. A carbon mold of a diamond frame in a faraway country, churning out frames with different badges on which are then fitted with readily available components that anyone can buy.

That's why I buy whatever is best VFM based on the material value of the frame and components, that could be PlanetX, Rose, Ribble, whatever. Same reason I've been buying Skodas for years

100% correct. Chapeau. No need for the lol after Skoda either - the Yeti we had at work was fantastic - load it up to the gills with med kit, hoon off - brilliant piece of kit.

Most car manufacturers do the same.... Share the same chassis or engine made in the same factory. Skoda will share many parts as a VW, Seat or Audi. At my work we have a Citroen Berlingo van and a Peugeot Partner van that are totally identical just a different badge. I dropped the Peugeot van off at a main dealer garage and as I was waiting I was looking at a Peugeot RCZ, it looks nice on the outside but underneath the fancy dress it is a Peugeot 308.