Originally Posted by
VicBC_Biker
Veganbike:I prefer to buy from domestic companies (though not much is 'Made in Canada' any more) and support better working conditions, so I accept your arguments.
I also know that while globalization has been a disaster for Canadian manufacturing, it has raised hundreds of millions of people in Asia out of abject poverty.
If I thought the price wasn't so far out of line that I'm just being foolish to buy, I'd have 'the real thing'. I already paid about my limit for that 'Made in UK' bell, and it was a mistake.
Further info:
Spurcycle now has a 'Compact' bell that's 100% Made in Taiwan. MSRP:$39 USD
The Chinese knockoff costs $4.75 USD including shipping.
I'd also be surprised if all the Spurcycle sub-contractors employed only US citizens or legal immigrants in shops with good pay, job security and benefits. But it's certainly a possibility.
Not a bunch of hippies in Seattle or SanFran hand-building those one at a time - more like 'entrepreneurs' with a great business model.
An article about the Spurcycle bell mentions the Mirrycle bell
https://www.mirrycle.com/product-category/bells/ as 'competition' (inspiration?) when the Slone brothers were developing the Spurcycle bell.
It is
veganbikes just FYI and to get it linked up so the that poster will see it you will need to use the (AT) symbol @
I don't know that it has raised them out of poverty it has certainly created a lot more sweatshops and really low cost labor but I know poverty hasn't been alleviated because of it. Certainly there are some more rich people over there or they have gotten richer but the poor don't really change that much and even a tiny increase is not super sustainable for living.
As a Canadian would you buy Chinese Maple Syrup because it is $4 instead of $12 (or whatever) for Canadian Maple Syrup? I know Saskatoon would have to turn into a tropical paradise year long before I did that, if I was Canadian (Me I prefer it from Vermont).
They do now have the compact bell and I am not happy but they still make the original bell in the U.S. so I am ok.
I could see the complaints for the bell if it didn't do it's job well and was just a bunch of logos but honestly I don't believe it even says Spurcycle on the bell or on my tool either so unless you knew what it was already you wouldn't know whose stuff it is so clearly not a marketing ploy or some Guchi stuff!