58 replies to this topic

[knittychick]

I like to ride my bike on our great trails - totally non-competitive. I didn't know that all the major makers had left the country (I probably would have figured it out if I'd given it much thought). Today on NPR they had a great piece on the Nation's oldest bike maker - Worksman - mentioned earlier in this thread. What a great company and history!!!

http://www.npr.org/t...toryId=97024808

[asbestoshills]

It's not about country of origin, it's about quality. The bicycle for sale is an authentic Schwinn from the days when American manufacturing was the best in the world. It may or may not be worth $150. The bicycles at Target are junk and are not worth a second look. Maybe it has a twist shifter or something - I guarantee the cable going to it is out of adjustment from day 1 and will stretch further, the wheels are out of true, the rims are steel, it will weigh a ton because they use more metal to compensate for cheap materials, the brakes are slippery and the tires are hard. I wouldn't wish it on anyone who actually intends to ride it many miles. This is an effect of how and where they are made - but that's not the reason not to buy them.

I do practice what I preach here. I don't have an American car because one wasn't available in the style I wanted, and because their quality is pretty grim. I do have an American bicycle, because it's good. It has Japanese components and I just ordered a British seat. The same thing has prevented me from buying a British motorcycle. I do buy Chinese stuff when it's good enough or it doesn't matter. I recently upgraded from a Chinese to a Japanese motorcycle helmet but it was for comfort and fit, not safety. I just bought a $40 cheapie DVD player and my wok has given me years of loyal service.

Why not protest? When I was in college there was a club set up to protest sweatshops. Their backing came from the textile union, who had no interest in Vietnamese children but desperate interest in keeping jobs in America. That's the sort of thing that makes you jaded early about such things.

And think before you dump on someone's sale post, would you?

MOST PEOPLE DON'T ride bikes professionally......WE aren't talking apples to apples...If you want good chocolate, you don't buy Hershey's, you buy See's...I'm talking about a regular bike, for a regular kid or adult and the ones from Target are fine for the weekend ride...The average family rides a few weekends a year and that's it....Those people will buy from Target..SORRY to burst your retail bubble.....It's like any sport that is done for pure fun and enjoyment...NOT everyone is a weekend warrior.....You are a bike snob....I can tell you right now, 90% OF the people on our street, kids and adults alike own a cheap bike costing no more than a $150 and they are happy with it.....No one needs a $500-2000 bike unless it's their hobby......So, get real...

[beolin]

Wow, I didn't think this would cause such a ruckus. It's a beautiful day today. I think I'll go for a bike ride.

[Ram_it!]

You are right about Toyota, duh, of course it's made in Japan> SORRY for the mistake...BUT, they probably buy parts from China..AND my Toyota will last as long as your Chevy....AND you may buy a Chevy that Americans have put together, but the parts are made in Japan or China....ALSO, Toyotas don't rattle either....Isn't that a given, maybe if you are used to driving an American car you hear a lot of rattles??????
EVERYONE knows that American car makers are in the toilet.....NO ONE is buying them...That's why they are going bankrupt...They can't change the designs and quality to keep up with Asian suppliers...ALSO, if our gov't is subsidizing the American cars, why aren't they cheaper than Toyotas???? AND GUESS what? MORE Buicks are sold in China than America...SO, maybe the American "made" cars like GM will have more success in CHINA than here.....Maybe that will keep the American worker with a job.....
In addition, I think it's funny how you have this belief that if you just buy American (what little is left that is made in America) that you are saving the economy....It's not that easy....We don't protect American jobs anymore and outsourcing is what is happening....Whether it's right or wrong makes no difference; it's what's happening...

Actually our Toyota is nothing more than a rattle trap. Bought brand new as well. I love it when brainwashed ignorant fools like yourself still believe that becasue it has the toyota logo on it, that its a superior product. its quite obvious by your posts that you have absolutely no clue on what you are talking about. There are still cars out there that use little to no Asian made parts. Yes, it is harder to find but they still exist. The big issues with the big 3 has alot more to do with labor union than it does with sales. Yes, the sales are in a dum but if you had more than a peanut for a brain, you would realize that Toyata sales are in the toilet too. Do your research before you preach your ignorance.

[Darth Lefty]

Wow, I didn't think this would cause such a ruckus. It's a beautiful day today. I think I'll go for a bike ride.

I apologize for my role in boning up your for-sale thread.

[chris v]

MOST PEOPLE DON'T ride bikes professionally......WE aren't talking apples to apples...If you want good chocolate, you don't buy Hershey's, you buy See's...I'm talking about a regular bike, for a regular kid or adult and the ones from Target are fine for the weekend ride...The average family rides a few weekends a year and that's it....Those people will buy from Target..SORRY to burst your retail bubble.....It's like any sport that is done for pure fun and enjoyment...NOT everyone is a weekend warrior.....You are a bike snob....I can tell you right now, 90% OF the people on our street, kids and adults alike own a cheap bike costing no more than a $150 and they are happy with it.....No one needs a $500-2000 bike unless it's their hobby......So, get real...

You don't need to ride bikes professionally to be able to appreciate quality. A vintage bike should never be compared to a POS from Target... I can look up and down my street and the only cheapass bikes I see are with young kids. All the adults have at least semi decent bikes. Hell, my 9 year old has a $600 bike... so what, he puts miles on it. A lot more than most. I could destroy a bike from Target with one weekends worth of riding.... why? Because they are crap.

[knittychick]

This topic inspired me to do some research on my TREK bike. I assumed it was made in the US - and I'm still not absolutely sure it wasn't because I don't know their definition of "entry level" - I don't have the cheapest, but it's not their top-of-the-line either. I was surprised to read the following:

Is my bike made in the U.S.A?
The majority of the bicycles are manufactured in the U.S.A. All models are designed and engineered at Trek’s world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, but entry level models for road, hybrid, and ATB lines (including all children’s and BMX bikes) are produced by Trek specific venders overseas. These vendors are hand picked by Trek and following the same standards as our domestic manufacturing facilities. Regardless or origin, all Trek bicycle frames (and rigid forks) carry a limited lifetime warranty.

http://www.trekbikes...p?questionid=11

There is no question that there is a difference in the quality of various bikes. Also where you buy your bike from makes a difference - a bike shop will tune it up and adjust everything to fit you before you take it home and often offer a free annual tune-up (at least for a year or two). I'm strictly a recreational rider, but I bought my bike from a bicycle dealer because their knowledge and service were invaluable to me.

[Ram_it!]

This topic inspired me to do some research on my TREK bike. I assumed it was made in the US - and I'm still not absolutely sure it wasn't because I don't know their definition of "entry level" - I don't have the cheapest, but it's not their top-of-the-line either. I was surprised to read the following:

Is my bike made in the U.S.A?
The majority of the bicycles are manufactured in the U.S.A. All models are designed and engineered at Trek’s world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, but entry level models for road, hybrid, and ATB lines (including all children’s and BMX bikes) are produced by Trek specific venders overseas. These vendors are hand picked by Trek and following the same standards as our domestic manufacturing facilities. Regardless or origin, all Trek bicycle frames (and rigid forks) carry a limited lifetime warranty.

http://www.trekbikes...p?questionid=11

There is no question that there is a difference in the quality of various bikes. Also where you buy your bike from makes a difference - a bike shop will tune it up and adjust everything to fit you before you take it home and often offer a free annual tune-up (at least for a year or two). I'm strictly a recreational rider, but I bought my bike from a bicycle dealer because their knowledge and service were invaluable to me.

Trek is the perfect example of a modern day schwinn bicycle. They havetried to keep as much as they can here in the USA and still be able to be competititve. I have actually been to Trek in wisconsin and I can say it is impressive. Even there entry level bikes in many cases are actually assembled here in the USA. Te way to tell if you have a handbuilt made in the usa Trek is to look at the chainstay (the tube under the chain in the back). If I remember correctly, if it says made in the USA then it was assembled here and the frame from overseas. If it says built in the USA then it is a handbuilt frame as well. There was some legal jargon that lets them use certain words. All OCLV carbon bikes are handbuilt here in the USA.

[folsombound]

MOST PEOPLE DON'T ride bikes professionally......WE aren't talking apples to apples...If you want good chocolate, you don't buy Hershey's, you buy See's...I'm talking about a regular bike, for a regular kid or adult and the ones from Target are fine for the weekend ride...The average family rides a few weekends a year and that's it....Those people will buy from Target..SORRY to burst your retail bubble.....It's like any sport that is done for pure fun and enjoyment...NOT everyone is a weekend warrior.....You are a bike snob....I can tell you right now, 90% OF the people on our street, kids and adults alike own a cheap bike costing no more than a $150 and they are happy with it.....No one needs a $500-2000 bike unless it's their hobby......So, get real...

If you want GOOD chocolate you damn sure don't buy See's! A good quality bike is for more than serious riders. Do you want to give your kid a bike that is likely to break down when he/she is several miles from home? Do you want them to be riding a bike that may have a frame crack or break while they are on the road. Do you want them to have a bike that the brakes fail on them just when they need them. Bikes at Target are poor quality and more importantly they are assembled by people who don't know or care about bikes. The risk is yours!

[asbestoshills]

My kids have had the same Target Schwin bike, and the neighbor's kids' too and guess what? The frame hasn't cracked, the brakes still work and it hasn't magically implodded when going down a hill!!! Give me a break...They weren't driving a HYUNDAI, it's a kids' bike and it has ran fine for two years....
And for the dad who spent $600 for a 9 year old kid's bike must be out of their mind.....They are going to grow in a year and need a new one....Unless your kid rides a significant amount, which I doubt it's a waste of money...Most kids just ride a few miles on the weekend...
Bike snobs I tell you........

[asbestoshills]

Actually our Toyota is nothing more than a rattle trap. Bought brand new as well. I love it when brainwashed ignorant fools like yourself still believe that becasue it has the toyota logo on it, that its a superior product. its quite obvious by your posts that you have absolutely no clue on what you are talking about. There are still cars out there that use little to no Asian made parts. Yes, it is harder to find but they still exist. The big issues with the big 3 has alot more to do with labor union than it does with sales. Yes, the sales are in a dum but if you had more than a peanut for a brain, you would realize that Toyata sales are in the toilet too. Do your research before you preach your ignorance.

First of all by your name calling alone you can tell you have little education.....Second of all you're WRONG! Look around Einstein....Most cars in Folsom and everywhere else for the most part are foreign made....I NOTICED you didn't name one car that ALL the parts were made in the States....Your so called American car with 100% American parts is UNHEARD of unless you made it yourself...
Also, what are you talking about???? Toyota isn't going out of business.....Sales may be down, but they certainly have a strong market share as well as Honda....Also, I bet you have a peanut complex....or is that Napoleon's????
Do you know how many times our gov't has BAILED out GM....It's an excuse to get more money from our gov't to subsidize the LABOR unions...AND guess what I'm for Unions because otherwise you and your kids' will work in conditions such as CHINA........NO fun.......That's capitalism without checks and balances....It devours the poor, to serve the masses......NOW, if you are asking me do I think it's fair that Toyota gets to sell its cars cheaper than the few American cars out there? NO....but that's how the gov't set it up...If you didn't have unions in those state's where unemployment is double digit, you would have sweat factories.....And Toyota and Honda at least in Japan pay their workers a fair wage......Can you say the same for most companies in the USA? They don't respect the worker bee...LOOK at Walmart one of America's biggest companies..

"As the weakening economy takes its toll on state budgets across the country, a new study from Policy Matters Ohio shows that Wal-Mart employees top the state’s list of Medicaid recipients.

Researchers found that an average of 13,141 Wal-Mart employees and their children were on the state-sponsored medical plan, more than any other private employer in Ohio. "
THIS IS AMERICA, don't let TV become your reality!!!!

[chris v]

My kids have had the same Target Schwin bike, and the neighbor's kids' too and guess what? The frame hasn't cracked, the brakes still work and it hasn't magically implodded when going down a hill!!! Give me a break...They weren't driving a HYUNDAI, it's a kids' bike and it has ran fine for two years....
And for the dad who spent $600 for a 9 year old kid's bike must be out of their mind.....They are going to grow in a year and need a new one....Unless your kid rides a significant amount, which I doubt it's a waste of money...Most kids just ride a few miles on the weekend...
Bike snobs I tell you........

Unless my 9 year old grows a foot this year he will be able to use this bike for a long time. And, yeah, he doesn't just cruise on it on the weekends. He actually rides it a fair amount. He probably averages 40-50 miles per week. I think you are out of your mind for letting your child ride on an accident waiting to happen. It's not about being a bike snob it's about caring for the safety of your kids...

[MrsTuffPaws]

When I was a kid I had a POS bike from a garage sale, and I was grateful for it. Sure it was fine for riding around the block to get to elementary school (remember when you could do that?), but I never rode it much for fun. Why? Because it was a POS bike and uncomfortable to ride, I was just too young to know any better. My *rich* (to me at least) friend had a "nice" bike. OMG, it was like riding a couch it was so nice. If I had a bike like that as a kid, I might have developed better exercise habits at a younger age. Or not, you never know. But just because a kid is young doesn't mean they don't deserve the best quality you can afford.

[Andrea V]

When I was a kid I had a POS bike from a garage sale, and I was grateful for it. Sure it was fine for riding around the block to get to elementary school (remember when you could do that?), but I never rode it much for fun. Why? Because it was a POS bike and uncomfortable to ride, I was just too young to know any better. My *rich* (to me at least) friend had a "nice" bike. OMG, it was like riding a couch it was so nice. If I had a bike like that as a kid, I might have developed better exercise habits at a younger age. Or not, you never know. But just because a kid is young doesn't mean they don't deserve the best quality you can afford.

+1!!

[hopeanelli]

When my boys were little say 6-9 we tried with both to buy them cheap crappy POS's from Target and maybe Walmart and within 6 months they needed new ones. So Santa bought them both high end bikes were $500 each when we bought them and well now they are 17 and 11 and still have the bikes. The 17 year old doesn't ride his much but the 11 rides his to FMS everyday and the most we have had to do was put some new tires on them and adjust brakes here and there.

My husband has an old Cannondale bike that was over $1000 15 years ago and same thing he still has it and rides it. He rides it alot probably 30 miles on the weekends around here and same thing tires and brakes once in awhile, I think he finally broke down and bought a new seat for it recently...I also have a nice bike cost me about $300 that I ride and it does the trick. I wouldn't say we are bike Snobs we just don't want to have to keep buying bikes every year and we ride a lot..Same with our motorcycles bought good bikes and we still have them and they are still running great..