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The end of the flying pigeon...
Saw this in today's Age: http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/...150185062.html - ONE of the most iconic symbols of old China — the sturdy, gearless black bicycle ridden by the masses — is running out of customers in Lycra-clad, mountain-biking modern China. Sales at Flying Pigeon, the state bicycle company set up after the Communist revolution in 1949, have plummeted so far that the company is considering outsourcing to South-East Asia and Africa to cut costs. Tens of thousands of Flying Pigeon and the other two former state brands, Forever and Phoenix, still travel the cycle lanes of China's cities. But cars are now king and the cycle lanes are being rebranded highways. Bicycles have been banned in parts of Shanghai to ease congestion and cycling in Beijing has become a daily suicide mission with 1500 new cars a day swerving onto the capital's roads. In a cut-throat market, the only bicycles selling well are racers and mountain bikes. Most up-and-coming Chinese would not be seen dead on Flying Pigeon's sturdy 20-kilogram bone-shaker with its reinforced crossbar to carry pigs. Sales have plunged since the 1980s when 4 million cycles were sold each year. Last year 1.5 million were made, 30 per cent of which were exported. Yet the company does not believe in advertising. "We have no need to advertise. Everybody in China knows Flying Pigeon," the company's export director, Wang Dajian, said. Asked if he was willing to enter a joint venture to help to modernise the company, Mr Wang was horrified. "Never! No! Too much history, too much culture. We can never have joint venture here. Flying Pigeon is too Chinese, too traditional." Traditional perhaps, but many of the young employees who make up the 500-strong workforce arrive at work on stylish mountain bikes.- I've never ridden one so I can't talk, but seems like an awful shame if it were to disappear... Especially with the retro-revolution in Western countries... Hmm... anybody know enough Chinese to set about importing the newest retro cool accessory?? hmm... -- eddiec |
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#2
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The end of the flying pigeon...
eddiec quoth thus - "Bicycles have been banned in parts of Shanghai to ease congestion" Oh yeah that's gonna help - kinda hoped they might have learnt from the West's mistakes?!? best, Andrew |
#3
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The end of the flying pigeon...
eddiec wrote:
Yet the company does not believe in advertising. "We have no need to advertise. Everybody in China knows Flying Pigeon," the company's export director, Wang Dajian, said. Asked if he was willing to enter a joint venture to help to modernise the company, Mr Wang was horrified. "Never! No! Too much history, too much culture. We can never have joint venture here. Flying Pigeon is too Chinese, too traditional." Traditional perhaps, but many of the young employees who make up the 500-strong workforce arrive at work on stylish mountain bikes.- Reminds me of the film "Spotswood". I've never ridden one so I can't talk, but seems like an awful shame if it were to disappear... Especially with the retro-revolution in Western countries... Hmm... anybody know enough Chinese to set about importing the newest retro cool accessory?? hmm... I wonder whether they could adopt the Harley Davidson marketing approach. I think their sales were plummeting when they basically sold to biker lifestylers but when they started to sell to middle-aged men looking for their lost youth they found a new outlet. Perhaps all those aging baby boomer comrades could be encouraged to reduce their waistline on a Pigeon. I once had a fantastic silk screened poster which depicted Mao Zedong holding up a bike, with Chinese text saying "For your health's sake, ride a bicycle". Somehow it was lost in my travels. Peter -- Peter McCallum Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA |
#4
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The end of the flying pigeon...
Andrew Price wrote:
eddiec quoth thus - "Bicycles have been banned in parts of Shanghai to ease congestion" Oh yeah that's gonna help - kinda hoped they might have learnt from the West's mistakes?!? best, Andrew The chinese learn from others mistakes about congestion? You think that thats likely? Dave |
#5
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The end of the flying pigeon...
"eddiec" wrote: Saw this in today's Age: snip Hmm... anybody know enough Chinese to set about importing the newest retro cool accessory?? hmm... It's already being done! http://www.bicyclesforever.com.au/co...26donerw%3Dyes Saw these at the Celluloid Cycles film festival. Pretty basic quality level, but I'd lve to have one for the cool retro style. -- Cheers Peter ~~~ ~ _@ ~~ ~ _- \, ~~ (*)/ (*) |
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