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Made in China vs made anywhere else

10K views 66 replies 15 participants last post by  The Grand Tour 
#1 ·
As per instructions, here's the thread to discuss this issue.

Me, it's the PRODUCT and it's value/performance that is important, not it's country of manufacture.
Sure, the "best" widget is made in Germany and costs $1000, but is it better for the money than the clone from China that costs $100? It depends on performance and lifespan. I have a lot of cheap Chinese made stuff that has lived for over a decade or two without any problems (guitar amps and effects, stereo equipment, appliances). I've also had cheap Chinese stuff fail after only a year or two (multimeters, Vizio TV, 4-1/2" grinders).

ISO 9001 and the advent of CAM/CAD manufacturing have made the differences between countries of manufacture almost invisible. BUT, no one is really competing with China for the lowest price point on products, and THOSE products are ones to probably avoid if you want them to work for very long. Something simple shouldn't be an issue, though, there isn't much difference in the performance of a $1 Chinese-made hammer and a $50 Swedish made hammer.

Remember, once upon a time "Made in Japan" meant shoddy inferior quality.
 
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#59 ·
I'll be moving to a very hilly area upon retirement. I love to road and mountain bike, so I'm looking at those electric bicycles. Very cool really, although I feel like I'm cheating. I can still pull my own weight, but with plenty of 15 to 20% grades, the time to either cheat or go home is upon me. I think the best bikes are not made in China.
 
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#60 ·
I've been curious about the electric assist bikes that are still light enough ride without the assist, but I like my mt bikes 25lbs or less. Maybe the elec part would make a 30lb bike "feel" like a 25lb bike on hills, but if it "feels" like a 26lb bike, what's the point? I'm also interested in nearly fat bikes, like with 2.5-2.75 tires, but I haven't ridden one on trails yet.

Since 94% of bikes are made in China, but that depends on whether you think Taiwan is China (China does), and only super high-end boutique bikes are made in USA or Europe/Japan/Korea with more than 50% Chinese sourced parts and materials, and I wouldn't spend above that $5000 price where these exist, I'll be buying a Chinese made bike to ride myself to death before the nursing home gets it's talons into me and my retirement savings.

I'm also looking at buying property in Moab so the action is right outside my door. It's still possible to buy vacant lots in or very close to town for under $100k. Fence it off, pour a pad, and pull up in an RV for a few months each Spring and Fall. Sell it for more than you bought it once you aren't using it anymore (it's real estate, that's what it does).
 
#62 ·
There's a large piece of acreage for sale up by the road that goes to Dead Horse Point, with highway frontage. It's approved for a motel or restaurant or some other commercial uses, with water rights. Too far from town for me, I'd like to get around on a bike. Every so often the Lion's Back goes up for sale; it's on private land. But the grind riding up Sandhills Rd is murder!
 
#64 ·
Someone got caught riding an assist mt bike in a major race a year or two ago. The frame looked exactly like any other frame, they hid the batteries in the downtube and the small motor was in the bottom bracket. I don't know how well such a bike would work on the elec alone, but it reduced the effort needed to pedal by at least 10%, which is all the difference in the world for competitive cycling. Most of the elec bikes I see around are just elec motorcycles with bike rims, which is fine if you just want transportation around town but not have to get a motorcycle endorsement on your license, or register it to get plates. It's a big loophole that will probably get filled at some point as people ride these around at 30-50mph on city streets and sidewalks.
 
#66 ·
They've been used (illegally) in Tour de France

60 Minutes did a segment about the racing community using electric bikes in major racing events a while back, including the Tour de France. Man that was making them was fined, now he makes them and issues a disclaimer ;) They are very light weight, same weight as other racing bikes. If I remember correctly one of the tip offs was riders not pedaling while going up hill :eek: , no seriously it was the weight of the tires.
Race officials and other teams couldn't tell the difference.

Semper Fi
 
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