^^^All of this time/thread I thought you were looking for a road bike, not the mountain bike you want.
What bike brand can I buy that not made in China?
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I don't want a mountain bike but I dont want a road bike either.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
Do most of the hybrids offer suspension front forks nowadays??
(Sorry, I am just not up on the info on these since I've never been in the market for one.)
(Sorry, I am just not up on the info on these since I've never been in the market for one.)
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Do most of the hybrids offer suspension front forks nowadays??
(Sorry, I am just not up on the info on these since I've never been in the market for one.)
I would not have thought so but a vast majority of the ones I have looked at that are over $500 have front suspension.
Even lower (as I realize I am shopping fairly low myself) in the product line many of them do not.
Do most of the hybrids offer suspension front forks nowadays??
(Sorry, I am just not up on the info on these since I've never been in the market for one.)
I would not have thought so but a vast majority of the ones I have looked at that are over $500 have front suspension.
Even lower (as I realize I am shopping fairly low myself) in the product line many of them do not.
FYI guys, there are sub-$500 US-made bikes, but only if you want a cruiser style:
http://worksmancycles.com/
http://worksmancycles.com/
Originally Posted By: Cooker
I don't want a mountain bike but I dont want a road bike either.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
I'm a big fan of the urban/commuter style bikes.
Check out the Giant Seek. I'm hoping to get a Seek 0 end of this year on closeout.
I don't want a mountain bike but I dont want a road bike either.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
I'm a big fan of the urban/commuter style bikes.
Check out the Giant Seek. I'm hoping to get a Seek 0 end of this year on closeout.
Originally Posted By: Stu_Rock
FYI guys, there are sub-$500 US-made bikes, but only if you want a cruiser style:
http://worksmancycles.com/
worksman has been around forever, but they are clunky fat tire primitive utility bikes, mainly used for factory floor getarounds or delivery bikes.
FYI guys, there are sub-$500 US-made bikes, but only if you want a cruiser style:
http://worksmancycles.com/
worksman has been around forever, but they are clunky fat tire primitive utility bikes, mainly used for factory floor getarounds or delivery bikes.
I just bought a Specialised Stratus which is a hybrid. The particular model that I bought has a CF fork & aluminum frame. It was ~775 in NH which seemed good enough for me. Frame's made in Taiwan. I have no real use or desire for a suspension.
John.
John.
bikesdirect.com
Get alot more for your money......
Get alot more for your money......
Originally Posted By: Cooker
I don't want a mountain bike but I dont want a road bike either.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
A hybrid is a compromise that does neither function very well. However, if you're just looking to putter around the neighborhood, it will probably be fine.
I agree with the other posters also on their comments about Taiwan. Taiwan is much more desirable than China, they have some excellent bike craftsmen in Taiwan.
I don't want a mountain bike but I dont want a road bike either.
A hybrid or dual sport bike it what I am looking for.
A hybrid is a compromise that does neither function very well. However, if you're just looking to putter around the neighborhood, it will probably be fine.
I agree with the other posters also on their comments about Taiwan. Taiwan is much more desirable than China, they have some excellent bike craftsmen in Taiwan.
Originally Posted By: dja4260
bikesdirect.com
Get alot more for your money......
My GF got her bike from them. The quality is pretty low. We had to get her wheelset replaced right out of the box because the back wheel could not be trued. The derailleur hanger was bent, causing it not to shift right. I took it to a mechanic to try to get it straightened out on their bench but it still doesn't shift as well as it should. The brakes are absolute [censored], I am going to get her some good Shimano ones. The tires suck and only take 90psi max, I am debating giving her a pair of my Michelin ProRace2 that I have sitting in my spare parts bucket. But what is the point of putting a $120 set of tires on a $349 bike? Guess I'll just say, I love you honey, and slap them on lol.
Whatever component group they advertise, for example my GF's bike was advertised as a Sora component level, the only thing Sora on the bike was the rear derailleur and the integrated shift/brake lever. Everything else is just the cheapest Chinese [censored] possible.
The bike cost $349 shipped, but we've already spent another $150 in parts and labor trying to get this thing into a rideable condition. And really I could easily go drop another $500-$700 on it today to get it up to my expectations of a usable road bike, the good technology has now trickled down to Tiagra level components so I view that kind of as a usable floor.
In other words, she'd have been better off buying a $1000 bike from a reputable bike shop in the first place. Or a good used bike from someone who decided that riding wasn't for them after all.
As I mentioned in my last post, if you're just going to putter around the neighborhood, Bikes Direct bikes are probably fine. But she wants to ride with me. And to me a 30 mile ride is pretty much a non-event, easy. Which is the farthest we have gone together. Some of it is her ability level needing to catch up to mine. But some of it is also her equipment holding her back, I can see it just by watching her ride.
I'd like to get a good used tandem, but me being 6'7" causes fit problems with off the shelf bikes, and a custom tandem is $$$$$$$. Anyway, I digress.
To the OP: spend the full $700 in your $500-$700 budget, you won't regret it. Better yet, find the $1000 bike on sale for $700 and get that.
bikesdirect.com
Get alot more for your money......
My GF got her bike from them. The quality is pretty low. We had to get her wheelset replaced right out of the box because the back wheel could not be trued. The derailleur hanger was bent, causing it not to shift right. I took it to a mechanic to try to get it straightened out on their bench but it still doesn't shift as well as it should. The brakes are absolute [censored], I am going to get her some good Shimano ones. The tires suck and only take 90psi max, I am debating giving her a pair of my Michelin ProRace2 that I have sitting in my spare parts bucket. But what is the point of putting a $120 set of tires on a $349 bike? Guess I'll just say, I love you honey, and slap them on lol.
Whatever component group they advertise, for example my GF's bike was advertised as a Sora component level, the only thing Sora on the bike was the rear derailleur and the integrated shift/brake lever. Everything else is just the cheapest Chinese [censored] possible.
The bike cost $349 shipped, but we've already spent another $150 in parts and labor trying to get this thing into a rideable condition. And really I could easily go drop another $500-$700 on it today to get it up to my expectations of a usable road bike, the good technology has now trickled down to Tiagra level components so I view that kind of as a usable floor.
In other words, she'd have been better off buying a $1000 bike from a reputable bike shop in the first place. Or a good used bike from someone who decided that riding wasn't for them after all.
As I mentioned in my last post, if you're just going to putter around the neighborhood, Bikes Direct bikes are probably fine. But she wants to ride with me. And to me a 30 mile ride is pretty much a non-event, easy. Which is the farthest we have gone together. Some of it is her ability level needing to catch up to mine. But some of it is also her equipment holding her back, I can see it just by watching her ride.
I'd like to get a good used tandem, but me being 6'7" causes fit problems with off the shelf bikes, and a custom tandem is $$$$$$$. Anyway, I digress.
To the OP: spend the full $700 in your $500-$700 budget, you won't regret it. Better yet, find the $1000 bike on sale for $700 and get that.
There is a bike store up the block from my home and I have been debating the riding bike. I may not want a specific mountain bike a la Mongoose.. Tried that. Much effort became required when riding anywhere far, and there is a hill involved. Sure, gear down on the 21-speed... however, I too may be interested in some kind of road/mountain bike hybrid, as with sidewalks and roads with gravel and bumps it is almost required. Or the mountain bike. I just hope I do not get pressured when I go in there, or know what I want before I do.
This is the link to the bike store literally up the block from me. http://www.thebicyclelink.com/ Loooking at the site, they appear to sell Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Haro, Eastern Bikes and Mirraco.
Walmart has "GMC Road bike" for $189, what is everyone's opinion on that? China aside...
All the site links appear dead but I was checking out Trek. Maybe I will begin biking as well..
EDIT: From Trek site.. Where are Trek bikes made?
We design and develop each and every bike that bears the Trek name at either our world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, or in our European design facility in the Netherlands. We manufacture more bicycles in the U.S. than any other company. Select Town bikes are assembled in Hartmansdorff, Germany, and the remainder of our bikes are built in Asian facilities under strict Trek oversight.
This is the link to the bike store literally up the block from me. http://www.thebicyclelink.com/ Loooking at the site, they appear to sell Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Haro, Eastern Bikes and Mirraco.
Walmart has "GMC Road bike" for $189, what is everyone's opinion on that? China aside...
All the site links appear dead but I was checking out Trek. Maybe I will begin biking as well..
EDIT: From Trek site.. Where are Trek bikes made?
We design and develop each and every bike that bears the Trek name at either our world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, or in our European design facility in the Netherlands. We manufacture more bicycles in the U.S. than any other company. Select Town bikes are assembled in Hartmansdorff, Germany, and the remainder of our bikes are built in Asian facilities under strict Trek oversight.
It's NOT always because of "issues" that some want to buy "made in USA" vs. foreign made.
Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
EDIT: From Trek site.. Where are Trek bikes made?
We design and develop each and every bike that bears the Trek name at either our world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, or in our European design facility in the Netherlands. We manufacture more bicycles in the U.S. than any other company. Select Town bikes are assembled in Hartmansdorff, Germany, and the remainder of our bikes are built in Asian facilities under strict Trek oversight.
it bothers me when 'american' companies make a point of saying they have some special relationship w/ the asian sub-contractor, like this makes it all ok?
Trek made their name making bikes HERE. they bragged about the ability to do so, since Japanese bikes dominated the market when Trek started.
they used to have beautiful lugged road bikes, and had their own investment-cast lugs made too, even oversized for lugged mountain bikes!
they used to have domestically made 3 carbon tubed road bikes (they felt dead, but at least they were built well) then their OCLV carbon bikes which were awesome.
they even for a very short time had USA-made tig-welded low end mountain bikes; I have 2 of them.
now, I can't seem to find hardly ANY USA-made bikes from them, really sad that they can [censored] their legacy like that.
EDIT: From Trek site.. Where are Trek bikes made?
We design and develop each and every bike that bears the Trek name at either our world headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, or in our European design facility in the Netherlands. We manufacture more bicycles in the U.S. than any other company. Select Town bikes are assembled in Hartmansdorff, Germany, and the remainder of our bikes are built in Asian facilities under strict Trek oversight.
it bothers me when 'american' companies make a point of saying they have some special relationship w/ the asian sub-contractor, like this makes it all ok?
Trek made their name making bikes HERE. they bragged about the ability to do so, since Japanese bikes dominated the market when Trek started.
they used to have beautiful lugged road bikes, and had their own investment-cast lugs made too, even oversized for lugged mountain bikes!
they used to have domestically made 3 carbon tubed road bikes (they felt dead, but at least they were built well) then their OCLV carbon bikes which were awesome.
they even for a very short time had USA-made tig-welded low end mountain bikes; I have 2 of them.
now, I can't seem to find hardly ANY USA-made bikes from them, really sad that they can [censored] their legacy like that.
^^^The same with Cannondale.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
^^^The same with Cannondale.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
much like schwinn before them, cannondale is literally not the same company it was.
in the 'old' cannondale, ALL their frames were completely made in Bedford, PA. the owner and founder, Joe Montgomery steadfastly refused to outsource frame production.
when they went bankrupt (coincidence?) and got bought, the new owners quickly shut down US clothing production, and then phased out frame production also.
they also are trading on their legacy; their stock-in-trade before was domestic production; now, they don't offer anything else that anyone else also has.
interestingly, as production moved overseas, prices didn't go down.
isn't that the line they used to sell us, that outsourcing saves us (the consumer) money?
^^^The same with Cannondale.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
much like schwinn before them, cannondale is literally not the same company it was.
in the 'old' cannondale, ALL their frames were completely made in Bedford, PA. the owner and founder, Joe Montgomery steadfastly refused to outsource frame production.
when they went bankrupt (coincidence?) and got bought, the new owners quickly shut down US clothing production, and then phased out frame production also.
they also are trading on their legacy; their stock-in-trade before was domestic production; now, they don't offer anything else that anyone else also has.
interestingly, as production moved overseas, prices didn't go down.
isn't that the line they used to sell us, that outsourcing saves us (the consumer) money?
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Originally Posted By: mpvue
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
^^^The same with Cannondale.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
much like schwinn before them, cannondale is literally not the same company it was.
in the 'old' cannondale, ALL their frames were completely made in Bedford, PA. the owner and founder, Joe Montgomery steadfastly refused to outsource frame production.
when they went bankrupt (coincidence?) and got bought, the new owners quickly shut down US clothing production, and then phased out frame production also.
they also are trading on their legacy; their stock-in-trade before was domestic production; now, they don't offer anything else that anyone else also has.
interestingly, as production moved overseas, prices didn't go down.
isn't that the line they used to sell us, that outsourcing saves us (the consumer) money?
Yes, I believe this image represents that appropriately:
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
^^^The same with Cannondale.
They had some USA made machines (frames at least) WAY down in their price point lineup in the past.
I guess they ALL must succumb to price-based consummerism, just like U.S. auto manufacturers, sadly enough.
much like schwinn before them, cannondale is literally not the same company it was.
in the 'old' cannondale, ALL their frames were completely made in Bedford, PA. the owner and founder, Joe Montgomery steadfastly refused to outsource frame production.
when they went bankrupt (coincidence?) and got bought, the new owners quickly shut down US clothing production, and then phased out frame production also.
they also are trading on their legacy; their stock-in-trade before was domestic production; now, they don't offer anything else that anyone else also has.
interestingly, as production moved overseas, prices didn't go down.
isn't that the line they used to sell us, that outsourcing saves us (the consumer) money?
Yes, I believe this image represents that appropriately:
So when are the experts here going to start their own domestically built bike company?
Build your own frames, wheels, tires, tubes, fasteners, handlebars, cables, pedals, and groupsets? Or at least use such components from domestic manufacturers.
I'm not saying the companies are not greedy. I'm saying if it means so much to you, and you think it can be done competitively, then put your money where your mouth is and start building bikes.
You'll create jobs, create a good product and put some of that money the "greedy" companies are pocketing in your own pockets as well as the pockets of your workers.
Build your own frames, wheels, tires, tubes, fasteners, handlebars, cables, pedals, and groupsets? Or at least use such components from domestic manufacturers.
I'm not saying the companies are not greedy. I'm saying if it means so much to you, and you think it can be done competitively, then put your money where your mouth is and start building bikes.
You'll create jobs, create a good product and put some of that money the "greedy" companies are pocketing in your own pockets as well as the pockets of your workers.
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