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