Where do they build Cervelo, Orbea, Giant, Time look, etc… Taiwan or in there perspective countries?
taiwan
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Waterloo, WI???
All the ones you mentioned…Taiwain.
Trek’s carbon bikes are made in the USA and some carbon bikes are made in their home country, most are not.
Just my personal opinion but I would rather buy “made in the USA”
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I am not sure that “made in the USA” is necessarily better… it’s certainly more expensive. Buy a Parlee if you want the best carbon America has to offer.
I would personally rather support an American company that uses as much as possible american made items in its product (obviously I know component groups are manufactured overseas)
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agreed
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Is it because you don’t like Asians? (joking…but then again, maybe that’s the case).
I’d actualy prefer to support any company from any country that distributes the wealth pretty fairly among it’s workers…ie not billion dollar owner who pays $.50/hr so someone can eat gruel and live on a dirt floor. But, the again, that’s what I bought…so I’m a hypocrite.
By the way, I used to work in a sweat shop where the cheap M.F’er owner manuiplulated and exploited the hell out of all of his employees. They were all American and so was he…but he made carbon fiber tables…not frames.
(assuming we follow the current North American belief that they are two different countries)
China…
Taiwan…
China…
Taiwan…
China…
Taiwan…
and occasionally you’ll find someone building their own -usually carbon lugged, and the tubes are probably from China…
or Taiwan…
…or China…
cervelo … taiwan.
orbea … no idea.
giant … taiwan.
time … france.
look … mostly tunisia … some in france.
taiwanese factories make fine bikes. some better than others. every looked in side a giant? some are a little scary on the inside. some are fine.
the best carbon bikes are made in europe, and the usa. colnago’s c50 and extreme c (arguably the best carbon race bikes) are made in italy. trek madones are made in wisconsin.
Look - china
Colnagos are a bit behind the game now.
My preference for carbon would be that it was designed in Europe or the USA and built in Asia with strict quality control from the designers - Cannondale, Storck, Cervelo etc
The quality out of Taiwan is very good. If you have a Columbus framed bike it was drawn (and likely built) in taiwan (except Starship I think).
why would you say colnago ‘are a bit behind the game now’? the c50 and extreme c are pure race bikes that are pretty much the standard against which everything else is measured.
put an extreme c and a soloist carbon side by side and see which one is the ‘better’ bike. the soloist is a good racing bike, but the extreme c is better in every respect (except for aero-ness, but i dont think this matter much for road racing).
anyway … i think the point is, there are a lot of nice carbon bikes right now, most of them coming from asia. i dont know anything about it, but i like the look of the new ridley noah. thats a cool fast looking bike.
there’s some good carbon manufacturers in Italy as well, my cousin has a (custom frame) bike from this company
http://www.c4carbon.com/eng/bikes/default.htm
it’s really gorgeous and super light and was not that expensive either… I have been tempted about getting one made with my measurements next time I go visit there: given this order cheat sheet I bet they could accomodate tri geometries as well
http://www.c4carbon.com/cyC4Img/SingleImage.aspx?img=../bikes/images/vyrus/misure.gif
very interesting how this particular model has an integrated seatpost (max 15mm of adjustment)
This pic looks quite unusual as well, it’d be interesting to see the rider on this bike…
I believe some kestrels (the open frame models?) are made in the USA & the balance in China. I may have the models reversed but I believe that’s a true statement.
If by “better” you mean “Italian Brand” then I have to agree with you.
If we evaluate on a more function/performance based set of criteria the picture changes:
Warranty - Soloist
Price - Soloist
Weight - Extreme-C (supposedly - a normal C50 weighs 400g more than claimed)
Aero-ness - Soloist
Race Results - Soloist
Stiffness - Soloist
Handling - Equal
The construction method of the Extreme-C is only worthwhile if you’re going custom, otherwise it’s a bit outmoded. C50s are an old mans bike, if you want a racer look elsewhere.
All of the older kestrel one-piece models are made in the USA. All of their forks are made in asia now, as well as the Talon, Evoke, etc.
KM40, SCI models, etc are USA.
We are missing a few:
Serotta-- saratoga New York
Seven -Boston Mass
Parlee -mentioned earlier
Calfee I don’t know
reach a little north and you have Guru
K
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i guess we are going to disagree, but thats ok.
i would beg to differ on nearly every one of your points (except for price). and in my experience, based on a function/performance criteria, the colnago wins even more decisively.
and to say the c50 is an ‘olds man’ bike is simply wrong … it (and its c4 predecessor) are the winningest carbon frames made. there is nothing at all low tech about the construction technique.
i would say one of the more significant criticisms of the soloist is its handling. the c50/extreme c is one of the best handling race bikes made … right up their w pegs, merckx, and pinarello.
cheers.
Where did you get the info that looks are built in China?
There was an interview with the owner I think on velonews where he said that frames were made in Tunesia and finished in France. The pedals are all made in france. Their sales are 4x what they were 10 years ago and they still employ the same number of workers in France.
Pardon me if I am wrong, and pardon you if I am not.