Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

(I'm not looking for reasons why I shouldn't buy American or why it
doesn't matter or trying to get political or jingoistic- just an
unemployed toolmaker who prefers his dollars go to US workers.)

Thanks a lot.

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

In article ,
says...
I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

When I was shopping, the Trek dealer told me that their more expensive
( $1000) bikes are made in the US (Wisconsin, IIRC, though I could be
wrong on that), but their cheaper ones are made elsewhere in the world.
Keep in mind that the company is still based in the US, so the profits
stay here, and most of the office personnel are here.


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Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
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Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 19:54:02 GMT, wrote:

I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

(I'm not looking for reasons why I shouldn't buy American or why it
doesn't matter or trying to get political or jingoistic- just an
unemployed toolmaker who prefers his dollars go to US workers.)

Thanks a lot.

See:

http://www.usstuff.com/bikes.htm

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

David Kerber wrote:

In article ,
says...

I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

When I was shopping, the Trek dealer told me that their more expensive
( $1000) bikes are made in the US (Wisconsin, IIRC, though I could be
wrong on that), but their cheaper ones are made elsewhere in the world.
Keep in mind that the company is still based in the US, so the profits
stay here, and most of the office personnel are here.

I think this is the general case for all "American" bikes.
The higher end ones are made here (the frames), with cheaper
models farmed out to Taiwan or China. Componentry is of
course largely Japanese.

The Treks are based and made in Wisconsin. Waterford is there
too and they also build Herons. Cannondale has their
headquarters in Connecticut but the bikes are produced in PA.
Independent Fabrication is here in MA.

How to tell which model is actually built where I do not know.
Perhaps just ask at the respective web sites.


SMH

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

Get a Cannondale. All their models are made in PA.

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

TREKs & Gary Fisher bicycles are made both here in the US and overseas.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to build lower-end frames here in the US,
due to the astoundingly-cheap (yet increasingly-skilled) labor in China. At
the higher price points, technology can keep the US production ahead of the
game, and build a better frame for a similar price (but it's a moving
target, with the technology that TREK uses in a domestic frame today likely
to become the standard way they're built in China two years down the road).

In general, bikes below $700 will have frames produced overseas, although
final finishing, painting & assembly is usually done in the US. Above $700,
nearly all frames are produced in TREK's Waterloo, WI facility. The plant
in Whitewater is primarily used for painting & assembly.

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com

For a given model, you need to look at the label on the chainstay. If it
says "Made in the USA"
wrote in message
. net...
I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

(I'm not looking for reasons why I shouldn't buy American or why it
doesn't matter or trying to get political or jingoistic- just an
unemployed toolmaker who prefers his dollars go to US workers.)

Thanks a lot.

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

Folks back home (I graduated from UW-Whitewater) are pretty ticked off at
Trek, according to my family. Looks like Trek is laying off everyone at the
Whitewater facility, probably to ship the jobs overseas.

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" wrote
in message . com...
TREKs & Gary Fisher bicycles are made both here in the US and overseas.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to build lower-end frames here in the
US,
due to the astoundingly-cheap (yet increasingly-skilled) labor in China.
At
the higher price points, technology can keep the US production ahead of
the
game, and build a better frame for a similar price (but it's a moving
target, with the technology that TREK uses in a domestic frame today
likely
to become the standard way they're built in China two years down the
road).

In general, bikes below $700 will have frames produced overseas, although
final finishing, painting & assembly is usually done in the US. Above
$700,
nearly all frames are produced in TREK's Waterloo, WI facility. The plant
in Whitewater is primarily used for painting & assembly.

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com

For a given model, you need to look at the label on the chainstay. If it
says "Made in the USA"
wrote in message
. net...
I'm interested in getting a hybrid type bike and would prefer to buy an
American-made product, if possible (yeah, I know most of the components
are going to be imported). Have been told that Trek bikes are made in
the US and that Gary Fisher bikes are made by Trek (?). (Fisher bikes
I'm considering are the Utopia/Nirvana/Zebrano/Tibruon series.)

The websites of both companies are rather vague on the question, which
usually implies that many or most of their products maybe made elsewhere
(i.e., using terms like "Designed in America", etc.)

Is there an easy way to tell what bikes are US-made on the websites?

Are the bikes well-marked?

Any other suggestions?

(I'm not looking for reasons why I shouldn't buy American or why it
doesn't matter or trying to get political or jingoistic- just an
unemployed toolmaker who prefers his dollars go to US workers.)

Thanks a lot.

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" wrote
in message . com...
TREKs & Gary Fisher bicycles are made both here in the US and overseas.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to build lower-end frames here in the
US,
due to the astoundingly-cheap (yet increasingly-skilled) labor in China.

I've watched, over the last 20 years or so, the migration of bicycle
production from place to place. In my very early career we had bikes
manufactured in Europe (Peugeot, Raleigh) and Canada/US. A lot of those
makers were pushed out of the low-end market by cheaper Japanese bikes.
Over time, they became too expensive as cheaper Taiwanese brands became
available. From Taiwan they've migrated to China. I've already seen bikes
manufactured in India. I wonder how long they can keep finding cheaper
places to build bikes..Bangladesh? Mali? The technology transfer is pretty
good..Japan had great quality, Taiwan learned and became a strong maker
(Giant). Chinese bikes were absolute rubbish early on but they have become
the equal of Taiwan in quality. Indian bikes right now are also total crap,
but soon they will equal the Chinese quality. Developed nation labour is
too expensive for such "menial" tasks. Environmental costs, wages,
benefits, unions...they simply can't compete. Welcome to the Brave New
World.

Cheers,

Scott..

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

Folks back home (I graduated from UW-Whitewater) are pretty ticked off at
Trek, according to my family. Looks like Trek is laying off everyone at
the
Whitewater facility, probably to ship the jobs overseas.

I haven't heard anything about it, and hope it's not true. But if it is,
it's not because they're shipping the jobs overseas... the jobs are already
there. We created them with a new world economy with fewer trade barriers
and a desire to get everything done as cheaply as possible, even if that
means buying from huge megastores that make predatory demands upon their
suppliers and replace decent local jobs with those paying less $$$ and fewer
benefits (not that I'd say anything like that about Wal-Mart...).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Trek & Gary Fisher bikes = USA made
 

In article ,
says...
"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" wrote
in message . com...
TREKs & Gary Fisher bicycles are made both here in the US and overseas.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to build lower-end frames here in the
US,
due to the astoundingly-cheap (yet increasingly-skilled) labor in China.

I've watched, over the last 20 years or so, the migration of bicycle
production from place to place. In my very early career we had bikes
manufactured in Europe (Peugeot, Raleigh) and Canada/US. A lot of those
makers were pushed out of the low-end market by cheaper Japanese bikes.
Over time, they became too expensive as cheaper Taiwanese brands became
available. From Taiwan they've migrated to China. I've already seen bikes
manufactured in India. I wonder how long they can keep finding cheaper
places to build bikes..Bangladesh? Mali? The technology transfer is pretty
good..Japan had great quality, Taiwan learned and became a strong maker
(Giant). Chinese bikes were absolute rubbish early on but they have become
the equal of Taiwan in quality. Indian bikes right now are also total crap,
but soon they will equal the Chinese quality. Developed nation labour is
too expensive for such "menial" tasks. Environmental costs, wages,
benefits, unions...they simply can't compete. Welcome to the Brave New
World.

It won't last forever. There are only a limited number of places to
move. Once they've all been industrialized, you'll see prices start to
rise, and jobs migrating back to the more industrialized countries where
technology over-rides labor costs. It's going to take quite a while,
though.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).