Garfield Cat

That was Schwinn's giant mistake.

Garfield Cat

I wonder if the measurement of a company's design abilities is related to the number and uniqueness of their patents.

dendawg

This company still builds their own for a niche market

Cargo Bikes, Industrial Bicycles and Industrial Tricycles from Worksman Cycles Factory Direct Store

Retro Grouch 

Up North

Perhaps you need to get your facts correct prior to making such statements. Both of my Treks were designed and built in Wisconsin.

Retro Grouch 

Some is, some ain't.

It's just a rant so you know there's always a germ of truth in it but never enough to make it true.

AlmostTrick

Mean? I only buy nice bikes.

indyfabz

+1. Ti frame designed and built by one man in my home town of Philadelphia who also owns a LBS and lives in the community where the shop is located. The bike as also built up at the shop. Cerakote applied by a guy in central PA. Back in the mid-2000s, the builder twice won best MTB at the NAHBBS. He has a young son now so I don't think he exhibits there anymore.

Up North

Mine is, and when I rant I get my facts right.

Retro Grouch 

Yup and that's the germ of truth in your comment. Today, however, most ain't. Being a stickler for the facts, you already know that.

Doug64

2010 Cannondale T2 touring bike. The last year that Cannondale made their bikes in the U.S., and the last year they made a "real" touring bike.

OldsCOOL

Nice load.

trackhub

That sir, is awesome!

OldsCOOL

Thank you, kindly.

StanSeven

This is exactly right. All the bike companies are capable of producing everything themselves. But it's not efficient or economical.

jamesdak 

LOL, you appear to be part of the "elite" According to this CNBC news article, Trek makes about 1% of there bikes in the USA and that's only 4 models.

In Waterloo, Wisconsin, a passion for 'Made in USA' bicycles

So, in my book the rant stands are accurate since he clearly states, "Trek does not build much of anything". 1% isn't much of anything in my book, LOL!

FBinNY 

Whether your Trek is made in the USA or not varies by price point, with some of the top end stuff being made here. But that wasn't always the case. At one time most of Trek's production was in the USA. That was in the early days when they were growing the company. However once they hit the big time, they started source ever increasing numbers overseas.

jamesdak 

But what really matters over where it's built is how does it ride. What more really matters?

FBinNY 

I don't have any objections over where bikes are built. I was only explaining the history.

Like it or not Trek's competition builds their bikes in China, where costs are lower. They can either do the same and compete on a level playing field, or produce here, be uncompetitive, and lose market share. In the end roughly the same number of bikes will enter the country, but fewer will say Trek on the downtube,.

Marcus_Ti

No....it isn't as *profitable* for them to make their own product. Tons of operations succeeded over the years DIYing their own work.

Their margin is far higher if they farm out the building, and just paste their head-tube badge on someone else's bike frame....and consumers are so daft they'll pay the exact same price or more, until now. With worsening economic outlooks, they're finding the high times of price gouging are coming to an end as consumers simply can't or won't afford the ridiculous prices.

Which brings us to the problem of offshoring....it is corporate foot-shooting when systemic and long-term large-scale, as it has become.

NVanHiker

Going over the thread looking for 'political' content...

Up North

Sorry for being Elite! Waterloo W has quiet a few people employed making those Elite bikes for us Elite cyclists. The OP also rants about design and product research all being done overseas as well. Not the case with Trek as all R&D done in Wisconsin. Last but not least, Trek makes good bike - for the Elite of course.

jamesdak 

Well my Trek clearly states designed in the U.S. but I still think his rant is valid. And I honestly don't find anything special about Trek. I find all my old bikes give me a more compliant and controlled rude than my Madone on my rough roads. And can say the same for the Domane I rented, and really wanted to like, last summer.
Now, if I had smooth pavement it might be a different story.

gregf83 

It's all part of being in a competitive and global economy. The US economy is strong because it provides the freedom to fail. Companies with poor business models don't last long.

The alternative is to shut down the borders at the state and federal level, eliminate or drastically reduce imports and exports and force companies to do everything themselves. Brazil employs this strategy. Imported goods face duties and taxes on the order of 100%. Not sure it's working too well for their economy.

Do you have an example of a country where this strategy is effective?

Marcus_Ti

The US economy isn't strong. And most companies have poor business models, that look no further than next-quarter.

Companies selling goods require consumers. Consumers require income and therefore jobs in order to be consumers, IOW consumers need to be employees. Companies need employees to have consumers. Companies sending their jobs elsewhere are destroying their own consumer market. And everyone is looking at everyone else expecting them to do the employing, while they themselves don't. It is already falling apart, and if you think the "economy is strong" I got a platinum bridge to sell you.

The result? What we have now. Consumers barely getting by with lots of part time jobs soon to be replaced with automation. A time where everything more expensive than a big mac has a purchase-on-credit scheme available from the retailer.



The alternative? How about we start invalidating patents and trademarks of companies that don't want to make their patented/trademarked goods here and/or reverse-incorporate? The parasites prevent competition here with patents, send their own jobs elsewhere, and then use and abuse our legal system in their patent wars.