Slackerprince

After riding for some time, owning a few different bikes, and hanging-around BF for a while with all the gear talk, I am wondering what exactly bike companies are?
I consider myself a Specialized guy after buying my present bike, which you can see in my signature. I bought it because I had a Specialized Rockhopper and really enjoyed it and thought it was a good value.
But, it seems to me that bike companies, Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, etc. just design frames and have them manufactured overseas. All the components, derailleurs, wheels, headsets, cranks, etc., are from other specialty companies.
So, if I get a Specialized, does that mean I am just buying a Specialized-designed frame, with alot of Shimano and FSA?
Does the brand-loyalty just stem from which name on the frame you like, or how a bike rides, or some other emotional response.
Just curious and interested in your opinions.
Thanks.

Slackerprince

johnny99

My understanding is that most Specialized bikes are made by Merida, a Taiwanese company that is part (maybe 50%) owner of Specialized. Specialized has always been primarily an import business, with the vast majority of their products made in Asia. The company name used to be Specialized Bicycle Imports (SBI).

Most Cannondale bikes are made at the Cannondale factory in Pennsylvania.

Trek did start out as a USA manufacturer and has gradually moved more and more of their manufacturing to Asia. Supposedly, they do have company employees managing the factory floor, so you may get a different quality level than other bikes made in the same factory. High end Trek bikes are still made in the Trek factory in Wisconsin.

I cannot remember a time when components were not primarily imported from Asia or Europe. Maybe before WW2 there were mass-market USA component manufacturers, but that was well before my time.

1centaur

Some design and outsource manufacturing, some build in-house, but what makes a company worth being loyal to is sweating the details either way so it rides well, does not break, and if it does break they stand behind the product while giving you a minimum of hassle.

A bike company, like any company, is the inevitable result of the passion and persistence of the people at the top to accomplish something. If that something is money, look out.

JMT114

By the description it sounds like bike companies could also make PCs.

Bob Dopolina 

Merida also makes titanium and aluminuim laptop cases.

Hodaka (who makes and finishes MANY aluminium frames) also makes furniture.

Shimano makes fishing equipment.

KMC makes all manner of industrial chain.

I could go on.

They're businesses like any other industry.

rankin116

I thought it was Connecticut?

michaelmc

From.

roadwarrior

All Cannondale road bikes except for the Synapse carbon are made in Pennsylvania.

All Trek 5 and 6 series Madone frames are made in Wisconsin.

Hope that helps.

I ride Cannondale due to a relationship with the company. Excellent bikes. Love all of mine.

roadwarrior

Imagine that...

Orbea (or what it morphed from), back in the day (a very long time ago) made guns and cannons.

timmyquest

And TV's
And automobiles
And MP3 players
And Sink faucets
And water bottles
And wallets
And Shirts/pants
And bed frames
And Lamps
And tooth picks
And light bulbs
And scissors
And blank CD's
And those little umbrellas for your margaritas

Banzai

You're not too far off. For the most part the "top tier" bike manufacturers all get their CF frames from the same 3 or 4 companies in Asia.

You can't go wrong with most of them, so it really comes down to which geometry is best for you, or which one is spec'd the way you like, or which one you simply prefer the color/labels on.

"Made in the USA" can mean a variety of things. What determines that label is if you add a certain percentage to a product's value in the country that you're labeling it with. To relate that to Cannondale:

The Synapse is made by Topkey in China. The same company that makes Fuji's frames, as well as many others, and supplies the CF to Merida for Specialized. Topkey also makes the front section of the System Six, which is then mated to an Al backside in Pennsylvania. Thus "made in the USA".

FlashBazbo

Of course, if that something is NOT money, also look out. They won't be around for long.

Let's get real. In the mass market, bicycle manufacture is NOT about art. It's not even about making the best bicycle. It's about (1) manufacturing a safe, competent bicycle frame as cheaply as possible, (2) marketing/selling it well (which includes design and paint schemes), and (3) making a profit. Then repeat it all for next year.

In the mass market, I suspect the marketing department has more to say about frame material than the design department. And within the design department, cost-to-manufacture has more influence than any alleged performance differences.

That's the real world. Anything more than that is marketing mystique.

maddog17

i think part of what should count toward brand loyalty is their warranty on the products they make (or have made for them) if a company can stand by it's product, i'll continue to buy it. if they make a product that lasts, performs well, i'll buy it. my last 2 cars were Acura's, both lasted me 10 yrs or so with no real problems. i'd probably still be driving the first one had it not been stolen and trashed by the idiots who stole it. i had 112,000 miles on it and was still on the original clutch. i bought my second one used, had that for 7 yrs and just traded it in last june for a nissan. the only reason i switched is because Acura stopped making that car. and yes i know they had the RSX, i drove it, but it was too small inside. and i couldn't afford the upgrade to the next model.

Bob Dopolina 

Cool. That's a good one.

BHBiker

BH bikes were also makers of guns and armaments before they made bikes....what is it with Spanish Bike manufacturers....he he he he ETA bomba rah rah rah sisbumba!!!!!

johnny99

Which "top tier" bike manufacturers are those? Calfee, Parlee, and even Trek make all or most of their carbon bikes at their own factories in the USA.

Bob Dopolina 

Orbea, Kuota, Fuji, Kestrel, Scott, Giant, Cannondale, Cervelo, BMC, and on and on and on...

sfcrossrider

My favorite bike company.

https://www.steelmancycles.com/

joecool2727

What Are Bike Companies?

phallenthoul

really?
I thought BMC makes their own stuff...

Banzai

Thanks! And don't forget Specialized.

If I'm not mistaken, Trek OCLV is made in WI, but not the rest.

mustang1

Is that due to lack of QC in Aisa or just less number of high-end bikes sold doesn't make it economically viable to ship production to Asia ?

smith5

thanks for the post. this is the question that I have been trying to articulate for some time now - what are we buying when we buy a bike from one of todays companies? How much of the experience is authentic and how much of it feels like walgreens?

Bob Dopolina 

?

The factories here have plenty of QC.

There is a Trek dealer 3km from my house.

I don't understand your post.

Banzai

I think that's an interesting question, and one I've been researching myself lately as I prepare to buy a carbon fiber wunderbike.

I think that part of what you're buying is, in all honesty, marketing. A name, and a certain cachet that goes with that name.

Another part is design. From manufacturer to manufacturer, there are subtle differences in geometry, ride tuning, etc.

Beyond that though, let's face it; two CF bikes made out of the same grade CF and hung with the same groupset are going to be remarkably similar, no matter which name is on it. In fact, for the most part, between labels at a given price point all the parts that help the bike "go" are all identical. So you can think in terms of three choices almost: Shimano, Campy, or SRAM.

In my research of CF lately, I've discovered that there are effectively 3 varieties of carbon fiber. Aerospace grade, Satellite grade, and true super high modulus. Manufacturers list a variety of units of measure for tensile strength and marketing about how their's is the best, but when you do the math they all convert out to the same three grades, depending on how much you're spending. For instance, Specialized 6r carbon with a tensile strength of 4900 MPa is equal to Fuji C4 at 500 kg/mm2. Or, to put it plainly: Aerospace grade.

So long as you're buying a known quality bike label, it probably doesn't particularly matter which. Just get the one that fits best, with the moving parts you like the best, in the color you like the best...no matter which name is on it.

If you're searching for something a little more special or unique, look into Calfee design for carbon, or an outfit like Waterford for steel.