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Would you pay more for North American made bike?

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Would you pay more for North American made bike?

Old 10-09-21, 04:26 PM
  #1  
hybridbkrdr
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Would you pay more for North American made bike?

New Balance has shoe models made in America even though they're more expensive. Would you pay more for a bicycle with parts made in the USA and Canada (or even Mexico)? My thinking is it might be better in terms of wait times, shortages...
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Old 10-09-21, 04:29 PM
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Don't worry, if shipping costs go up much more, you WILL be buying American and it WILL cost more.

(which is not necessarily a bad thing)
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Old 10-09-21, 04:51 PM
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No, you can pry my Super Record groupset out of my cold dead hands.
Probably not going to give up my SON generator hub, German lights, or Brooks saddle either.
I guess I’d be smuggling those through customs in my luggage. LOL
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Old 10-09-21, 05:01 PM
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depends. is it more attractive for looks & performance compared to the other options? NB shoes imo are ugly. Rather strap pillows to my feet than lace up some ugly NB.
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Old 10-09-21, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by billridesbikes
No, you can pry my Super Record groupset out of my cold dead hands.
Probably not going to give up my SON generator hub, German lights, or Brooks saddle either.
I guess I’d be smuggling those through customs in my luggage. LOL
Fanatical allegiance to a groupset is so commendable
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Old 10-09-21, 05:09 PM
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Old 10-09-21, 05:11 PM
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I'm definitely paying more for an American made bike (Hampsten). Come to think of it, most everything on the bike is from an American company, although much of (but not all) the manufacturing is overseas: SRAM groupset, Ritchey and White Industries bits, Astral wheels, Selle Anatomica saddle.
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Old 10-09-21, 05:17 PM
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(assuming all else being =) Yes, I would but not much
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Old 10-09-21, 06:13 PM
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Old 10-09-21, 06:18 PM
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People have already made this decision, which is why stuff is not usually made in NA or any other place where it might cost more.
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Old 10-09-21, 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by hybridbkrdr
New Balance has shoe models made in America even though they're more expensive. Would you pay more for a bicycle with parts made in the USA and Canada (or even Mexico)? My thinking is it might be better in terms of wait times, shortages...
My road bike frame was designed and built 12 miles from my house in Philly. The stem, seat post, hubs and headset were MUSA. The Cerakote was applied in-state. Don’t know if it was MUSA. Don’t know, and don’t care, if I paid “more”, whatever that means. I got what I wanted.

Last edited by indyfabz; 10-09-21 at 06:25 PM.
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Old 10-09-21, 09:30 PM
  #12  
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I want to get quality as the most important thing but I will pay more for that. Ideally yes I would love something MUSA but it has to be of quality.
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Old 10-09-21, 09:40 PM
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Yes, I'd pay more for a '70s Trek 900 series road bike compared to a Austrian made Free Spirit.
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Old 10-09-21, 10:14 PM
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I would pay more for an American made “frame”.

John
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Old 10-09-21, 10:54 PM
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Me too, I’d pay more for an American made frame and possibly rims, want the other components made in Japan or Italy, and tires from Germany. Wait that describes half of my collection. Never mind. Guess I’d also pay extra for a frame made in Japan, Italy, or England. But like us, they farm everything out, so pipe dream.
Tim
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Old 10-10-21, 04:32 AM
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Since I live on the other side of the pond, I'll flip the question to "would you pay more for a European manufactured bike" and the answer is yes, but within reason. Let's say I'd pay 20%-25% more.

For instance recently I bought a set of Mavic SLR45s for 1540-ish Euro, which are actually made in EU. A similarly good set of Light Bicycle AR45 wheels with Carbon-Ti hubs and CX-ray spokes would be like 1250 Euro with delivery and pre paid tax, and I considered paying a bit more for the Mavics to be a fair deal.
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Old 10-10-21, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
My road bike frame was designed and built 12 miles from my house in Philly. The stem, seat post, hubs and headset were MUSA. The Cerakote was applied in-state. Don’t know if it was MUSA. Don’t know, and don’t care, if I paid “more”, whatever that means. I got what I wanted.
IMO, it comes down to this.
I wouldn't normally buy a product just because it was made somewhere. If the product checks all the boxes for what I am wanting within my budget, that is what I side with. If someone else is footing the bill & the timeframe is within an acceptable range for me, that may change the route I go.

I've had locally made products let me down (albeit: quality, customer service satisfaction [product support/warranty] , expectations & overall experience) that I don't default to where something comes from. Seeing how USA branded items can be assembled, made, produced using other COO means, my money goes where I can afford to spend it. Unless I come into a windfall of money to not be a limiter in being frugal, I'll continue to do what I do.
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Old 10-10-21, 09:11 AM
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I often seek out US made products. Six of my 10 bikes have US frames (2 Cannondale touring bikes, a Dean hardtail mountain, a Moots YBB for bikepacking, a Dean fast bike, and a Cannondale tandem). The wheels on all but one of my bikes have US hubs (Phil, White Industry, Ringle’ (vintage) or Paul) and many have Velocity rims. Almost all of my brakes are US…Paul…and seatposts and stems are largely US products (Thomson, Dean, and Moots). Various other bits and bobs like stem caps, bottle cages (King Cage), seat post collars, and grips are US.

Some of this is just because but there are advantages to some US products compared to other offering. Phil, White Industries, and Paul hubs are smooth and trouble free. They may be expensive but they can go tens of thousands of miles without service. Paul brakes…of which I have cantilever, linear, and Klampers…are among the easiest to tune and most effective brakes I’ve ever used.
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Old 10-10-21, 09:29 AM
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USA = yes

Canada = no

I try to buy American. For instance, USA made shoes are more expensive but they last much longer
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Old 10-10-21, 10:40 AM
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I guess it really depends on if you hold Nationalism ahead of quality and value. If you do, then you will be riding bikes of decreasing quality and value.
In the bicycle arena as well as in most other areas of our material life, Americans think they know what quality and value mean. They judge these two from one end to the other and speculate on reasoning, yet profit dictates these things after our resolve has worn thin. Americans won't stand for anything less than a 400% PM so we are assed out to boringly cross our fingers and "hope this time I get a good one."
This will not end, it will only get worse
Personally I think people shouldn't be selling things they didn't make, there needs to be direct accountability for quality and value.

This is all one of the main reasons I pick a frame, wheels and equipment, and make my own bike from parts all over the place. That way I can be proud of my accomplishments and not beholden to other peoples ideas of value and quality.
I also don't have to play catch-up and constantly upgrade to match the current trick of the week.
I also don't have to join in on the conversations of which money grubbing consortium brand is better than another.
The answer is mine.
My bikes are assembled in America by a craftsman that sources his parts from the past and present, and gets those parts from all over the world.
Worrying about where it was assembled has no upside.

Last edited by macstuff; 10-10-21 at 10:56 AM.
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Old 10-10-21, 03:53 PM
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Like indyfabz, I have. It was what I wanted, and it's been a joy to ride since I got that custom bike.

And again, I don't know where most of the components were made (nor do I really care).

Will America's custom makers be in deep trouble if the Chinese or Taiwanese get into the custom bike business?
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Old 10-10-21, 03:56 PM
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Yes, I did and will continue to do so.
Road bike is a Waterford frame,
with as many made in USA components as possible.
Riding it 10 years now,
hope to be able to do so for 20 more.
when ever I purchase an item,
try to get a made in USA or at least
North America. EU/UK next.
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Old 10-10-21, 04:41 PM
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I'd prefer to buy American-made if I could. Though the best I can probably get is an American company. I own a Trek (American) and I believe the Project One bikes are painted in America. I have RSL wheels and those are (mostly) made in America. I could have gotten (but didn't) SRAM groupset, and they're American. Instead, I got Shimano. The rest of the parts are Trek or Bontrager and I don't think any of them are made in America.
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Old 10-10-21, 04:56 PM
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Easton Ultralite frames are made in USA if.. they're still available? I got one - its gr8
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Old 10-10-21, 05:34 PM
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...The greatest threat to competition in the private sector continues to be the state. - John Chamberlain
People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices. - that's Adam Smith.
The interest of the dealers, however, in any particular branch of trade or manufactures, is always in some respects different from, and even opposite to, that of the public. To widen the market and to narrow the competition, is always the interest of the dealers. - that's Adam Smith, too.

IOW, established businesses are the primary obstacle to competition. It follows, then, that Government obstructs competition when it lets established businesses call the tune. In fact, there's at least one point in Wealth of Nations in which Smith explicitly warns against letting businesses write regulations.

Apologies to the mods if this is considered a politics. I have a hard time separating politics from economics, but the quotes above come from Adam Smith in 1776, and he's writing about businesses, not about governments or politicians.

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