Rick Vosper: Who's Number 1? | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News Rick Vosper: Who's Number 1? Published June 20, 2012 by Rick Vosper Conventional wisdom is the Big Three bike brands — Trek, Giant, and Specialized — control the lion’s share of the US bike market. Actual numbers in this business are almost impossible to come by, but you’d be hard put to find an industry insider who’d disagree with that statement. And in terms of total unit sales, that wisdom is probably right. But when you look a little deeper, from the viewpoint of an individual consumer going into an individual local bike shop, the picture changes pretty significantly. Turns out there’s a total of 143 bike brands active in the US market (down from 150 last year). Moreover, in terms of which brands are tops in which shops and/or markets, it’s not Trek, Giant, or Specialized that leads the pack. Not Raleigh or Cannondale or Haro or Diamondback or Schwinn, or any of the top brands we’d all expect.

On a purely representative basis, the leading brand in the country is…”Other.” And it has been for years. The bottom line is that in terms or retail representation, anyway, none of the top ten brands is anywhere near as big as those bottom 130 combined. You’d have to merge Trek and Giant to equal those little guys in aggregate. So individually, the smaller brands don’t pack much of a punch, market-impact-wise. But put them all together, and they’re a force to be reckoned with. Which has some very powerful implications for the bike-buying, consumer, for retailers, and for the industry as a whole. More about that in just a minute. Source data for this claim is the just-released National Bicycle Dealer Association (NBDA) report, US Bicycle Market 2011 , written by our friends at the Gluskin-Townley group. You can pick up your own copy for $299 from the NBDA, or save a hundred bucks if you’re a member there.

The results are based on a survey of more than 300 independent bike shops, and “the basic question,” according to author Jay Townley, “was to write in their bestselling bicycle brands, not numbers, but bestselling brands based on unit volume. So with Trek, for instance, 12% of retailers surveyed said it was their bestselling brand.” Even more interesting is how the representation shakes out by shop size, says Townley. “At $300,000 or less, Trek is #7; Redline is #1. At $3000-5000, Trek is #2,Raleighis #1. Where Trek has its hold is in the million-plus-dollar retailers. Trek is not #1 in all regions of the country, nor are they #1 in all size stores. It varies.” But wait, there’s more. “Trek, Giant, And Specialized pretty much control the top 3 spots,” Townley continues. For the others, it’s very dynamic, depending on a lot of things, including who’s got inventory that year and how good it is in the eyes of the dealers.

The only brand which held its position over the past four years is Cannondale at #8. Schwinn held the #11 slot from 2008-2010, then jumped up to the #10 slot in 2011.” Makes sense, right? To maximize sales, the most powerful brands make it their business to be in the most powerful (generally = biggest) retailers. But not all bike shops represent all brands, and there’s plenty of excellent not-so-big retailers (and bike brands) in this country…which means there’s a huge number of bike shops representing non-top-10 brands. And neither those retailers nor those brands are going away anytime soon. So What’s Your Point? What does all this mean for the bike-buying consumer...or the bike-selling retailer, for that matter, or the bike-supplying manufacturer or distributor? Plenty. For one thing, it’s a classic representation of the Long Tail Effect , and it’s one of any number of business-school phenomena that help make the bike business so interesting...or completely frustrating, depending on your point of view.

For another, it means that the doom-and-gloom scenario we’ve been hearing for years in this industry is a bunch of baloney. You know, the one where a few monolithic bike brands and a relatively small number of high-volume retailers effectively control the entire bike market. Well, that stuff ain’t likely to happen any time soon, at least not without some huge shifts in the market. So what will happen over the next 5-10 years? Glad you asked. Stay tuned. Giant Bicycles - Manufacturer Profile | eBicycles Giant Bicycles A Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer and possibly the world’s best-known brand with the largest production line. Giant produces seven ranges of bikes with something for everyone from comfort bikes to high-end off-road and racing bikes. address: 3587 Old Conejo RdNewbury Park, CA 91320-2122 telephone: (805) 375-6400 e-mail: andrewjuskaitis@giantbicycle.com Description Giant has literally become a giant of a company. They produce over five million bicycles a year and have dubbed themselves the “world’s largest bicycle manufacturer”.

It’s most likely true because half the time you’re riding one of their bikes without knowing it as they also manufacture bikes for brands like Trek, Specialized, Schwinn and Bianchi. Most cyclists trust Giant for reliability and quality. Giant Bicycles was established in 1972 as OEM and a manufacturer for other bicycle companies. But in 1986 they established their own brand and by 1998 were producing over two million bikes and in 2002 over four million. They later expanded into big biking nations like the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Australia and China; manufacture items like pumps, apparel and luggage (2002 in the United Kingdom) and established a European company in the Netherlands (1996). Giant’s initial idea was to expand into the $200 and above price range, although today their bikes cater for all ends of the market. A quick look through their catalogue reveals 12″ bikes for children, carbon and aluminium road options, downhill mountain bikes and designs for women. Something that sets Giant apart is their ability to manufacture their own carbon fiber bikes using the formulaOne carbon process.

This means they start from bare carbon thread and build bikes into frames while most brands utilize manufacturers like Advanced or Martec to do this for them. Giant therefore has more control over their manufacturing process and the stiffness, weight and ride quality of the finished product. It has been successful for them though, with their high-end bikes taking racers such as the Global Giant Mountain Bike Team, T-Mobile and Team Rabobank to the podium. The road bikes range from competition to fitness bikes and have both aluminium and carbon fiber frames. Giant has TCR and OCR ranges of road bikes. The TCR has steeper angles and a shorter wheelbase making for better power transfer, sprinting and climbing. The OCR is more comfortable and intended for touring with a longer chain stay/wheel base and more upright geometry. About 10 years ago Giant also introduced the compact frame concept for road bikes that sloped the top tube downward at the seat stays to reduce the overall size of the front and rear triangles. This reduced weight and increased lateral rigidity and acceleration speed. The design changed UCI regulations and became a benchmark for compact frames in the industry. It was made particularly famous by the success of Laurent Jalabert and his Once team in the Tour de France.

Some of their road bikes like the TCR Advanced SL cost close to USD $10,000 so you may have to be a little crazy, or very good, to pay that much for a bike. It has a carbon fiber frame and integrates the seat post and frame as a single unit that must be cut precisely to fit the owner. More entry-level road bikes like the TCR Alliance are around the USD $2,000 mark. Giant’s high-end mountain bikes use Maestro technology, a full suspension platform with six travel/frame configurations for various trail conditions. They have different bikes for novices and pros (competition, trail, freeride or sport) and options for the kind of ride you favour be it cross-country, downhill or freestyle. Mountain bikes cost from USD $500 to USD $8,000. Giant also produces quality mountain, road and lifestyle bikes designed to fit women better. Lifestyle ranges target casual cyclists and are designed for comfort and convenience. There are also power-assisted bikes with lithium batteries for easy riding and bikes for juniors. Basically you could kit the whole family out with something from the Giant range.

Hours of work Products Made In: Taiwan, Netherlands, China Availability: Independent bike dealers in over 50 countries Types of Bicycles: road, mountain, comfort, BMX, mode, indoor, family, specialty Construction Methods: tig welded, formulaOne Carbon process Frame Materials: carbon fiber, aluminum, steel 7 Bicycle Brands - Comparing Brands of Bike from the Various Bicycle Manufacturers Bicycle Brands On this page: Broad Spectrum Manufacturers | High-End Only | Mass-Produced | Specialty Do The Brands Of Bicycles Really Matter? Any bike shop that stocks only certain bicycle brands will often swear the one they carry in-store is the best. As a general rule, bicycles of a certain style within a similar price range, are quite comparable wth each other. There's not a great difference between a Roadmaster, Mongoose, Pacific, Schwinn, British Eagle, Magna or Huffy Bicycle that can be purchased at a department store. By the same token, an entry level Giant road bike is similar to an entry level Trek, and mid level Specialized Bikes are similar to those from Cannondale. NOTE: Department store brands of bike are generally not comparable to any reputable bicycle brands that are sold in bike shops.

(Although you probably won't be making a purchase decision between Huffy Bicycles and Pinarello Bicycles.) Some bicycle manufacturers only make high-end bikes, others only low-end cheap bikes, while some bigger companies sell a whole range of bicycle types in various price ranges. When trying to calculate the best bike to buy , it is more important to compare bikes of a similar type, using similar frames and groupsets. These will also generally fall within a similar price bracket. The best brand of bike for you, can be different to the best brand for someone else. It depends on your body shape, level of fitness and personal preferences. Research online and at your local bike shop before buying a bicycle . About the Bicycle Manufacturers Apollo is a well known bicycle brand in Australia, which retails through bike shops. Road Kids Bicycles Avanti Bikes Avanti was launched in New Zealand in 1985 and has since become one of the more popular bicycle brands in both Australia and New Zealand. Road Kids Bicycles Bianchi Bianchi markets itself on the long association with past and present cycling champions to position itself as a leader in innovation. The Bianchi brand, like Schwinn, has a long and prestigious history.

It now sits in the stable of bicycle brands owned by CycleEurope. (CycleEurope is in turn owned by Grimaldi Industri. Other CycleEurope brands include Crescent, DBS, Everton, Gitane, Kildemoes, Legnano, Micmo, Monark, Puch and Spectra. Road Kids Bicycles Cannondale Joe Montgomery founded Cannondale Bicycles in a little shop above a pickle factory. After some tough years, the Cannondale company is now producing high quality bicycles and cycling gear. City / Hybrid Felt Felt Bike frames were first built in 1990 by Jim Felt, and now the Felt Bicycles Company distributes bikes internationally. BMX Gary Fisher Bicycles Fisher Bikes has until recently been a mountain bike specialist, but entered the road bike market in 2008. The brand is owned by Trek. Gary Fisher is considered to be one of the founding fathers of mountain biking. Mountain Kids Bicycles Fuji Japan's Fuji Bicycle brand was born in 1899. Like many bicycle brands, Fuji suffered through the 1990s, and the parent companies in Japan and America went bankrupt.

Distribution rights for the brand were purchased by Advanced Sports Inc in 1998. ASI continues to market and distribute Fuji Bicycles, Breezer Bikes, Kestrel Bicycles and SE Bikes. Kids Bicycles Bikes For Sale | New York Bicycle Store | Bellitte Bicycles Contact Us Bellitte Bicycles prides itself on finding the perfect bike for each individual customer. With hundreds of bikes on display, and thousands in stock, Bellitte’s can accommodate riders of all sizes and skill levels. We carry men's and women's mountain bikes, road bikes, comfort hybrids, fitness hybrids, multi-sports and beach cruisers. As well as, a large selection of children's bikes, BMX and freestyle bikes, fixed gear bikes, folding bikes, adult and children's tricycles, unicycles, and scooters. When you purchase a bike at Bellitte Bicycles you are purchasing a product that we stand behind. All new bikes are covered under a manufacturer warranty, as well as, our adjustment warranty. Please ask your sales representative for more details. We stock a large variety of bicycles capable of fitting any budget.

At Bellitte’s we assure our customers the best prices by offering our Low Price Guarantee! So come on in and find the perfect bike for yourself, a family member, a friend, or anyone else. These are the brands of bicycles that Bellitte Bicycles carries. If we do not have a specific model in stock we may be able to special order it for you at no extra charge. 169-20 Jamaica Ave. Jamaica NY 11432 Se Habla Español Phone: 718.739.3795 We Accept All Major Credit Cards Layaway and Financing Available Mountain Bike Manufacturers :B2BManufactures.com For Taiwan and China Mountain Bike Manufacturers Manufacturers and Mountain Bike Manufacturers Suppliers Chih Young Industrial Co., Ltd. ( Origin : Taiwan Manufacturer & Supplier ) Chih Young Industrial Co., Ltd. is an experienced manufacturer specialized in producing castors, Mountain Bike, and other parts for Manual & Power Wheelchairs, Electric-Scooters, Walkers, Commodes, and Trolleys with over 20 years of experience. We have built up outstanding business growth in this field because of good products quality and our rapid business service. Our R&D team provides a total solution for customers.

OEM/ODM, special projects, and small quantity order are welcome. Our factories have various modernized machineries and testing equipments to ensure production efficiency and quality control. If you are interested in our products, contact Chih Young Industrial Co., Ltd. now! We sincerely hope to establish a long-term cooperation relationship with you. Alu-Mate Metal Industrial Co., Ltd. ( Origin : Taiwan Manufacturers & Suppliers ) Established in 1997, Alu-Mate Metal Industrial Co., Ltd. is a professional manufacturer of high end bicycle parts, such as Mountain Bike, folding Bike frames, tandem frames, and so on. We are a team organized by professional bicycle manufacturers and enthusiasts from MAXWAY, A-PRO and GIANT. A team with more than a decade of experience in frame manufacturing and R&D. To ensure delivery and quality is not only our slogan but also our business life. This is the key point to bringing us famous customers like "SCOTT" "SIMPLON" "CORRATEC" ...etc. We emphasize high quality and ensure that our products are manufactured correctly and quickly. If you are interested in ALU-MATE products, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to receiving your early order.

Seven Stars Rubber Co., Ltd. ( Origin : Taiwan & Mainland China Manufacturer & Supplier ) Established in 1972, Seven Stars Rubber Co., Ltd. is one of leading professional tire manufacturers and suppliers exporter. We have specialized in manufacturing highest quality rubber tires for more than 30 years, products now include the widest range of scooter & motorcycle tires, Mountain Bike, implement, wheelbarrow. Seven Stars more than three decades experience, innovation and know-how in the tire industry is now praised by many millions satisfied customers throughout the world. With so long term established manufacturing experience, we are the one of tire suppliers you can rely on to deliver you high quality products under your specified and strictest high demands. Kindly please send your detailed inquiry right now for immediate feedback. Yeu Chueh Industry Co., Ltd. ( Origin : Taiwan Manufacturers & Suppliers ) Founded in 1990, Yeu Chueh Industry Co., Ltd. has been dedicated to manufacturing and delivering hydrofroming products includes aluminum alloy tube, Mountain Bike, motorcycle handlebar, hydroforming tubing, bicycle road bars, and so on.

Yeu Chueh has used its in-house technical ability to successfully develop unique Hydro-forming technology to produce advanced bicycle and motorcycle aluminum components. High production efficiency and strict quality control are key to success in the world market. Yeu Chueh will continue to innovate by developing new technology and advance the vertical integration of production process. This will allow company to offer customers quick delivery of the design, tooling and production with great accuracy and a high level of customer satisfaction. Karbona Parts Inc. ( Origin : Taiwan Manufacturer & Supplier ) Karbona Parts Inc.: Taiwan Bicycle Parts and Accessory Manufacturer (1) bicycle Parts: handlebars, seatposts, stems, frames, wheelsets ( wheel sets), suspension forks & BMX, cranksets, Hub, road bikes, MTB ( Mountain Bike), Bike pedals, cassette, derailleurs, carbon parts, skewer, spacers. (2) bicycles accessory: bottle cages, caps, skewers, spacers, barends, saddles. Karbona is a company that can deliver the best prices, the best service and the best support to a satisfyevery link in the manufacture to market supply chain. KARBONA's products range is both extensive and enjoys a rapid turnaround.

We are able to ship into the specified assembly factory in line with customers production needs with the minimum of fuss. Suzhou Everich Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. Suzhou Everich Imp.&Exp.Co.,Ltd, reformed from Suzhou Light Industrial Products Imp.&Exp. Corp, was founded in 1980. As a member of Suzhou Imp.&Exp.Co.,Ltd (Group), one of the 200 best Chinese export companies, we specialized in the import and export business of light industrial products, textiles and garments, bicycles and spare parts, hardwares, home appliances, medical products, chemical products and so on. Suzhou Everich Imp.&Exp.Co.,Ltd has a professional contingent of 125 staffs who are accomplished in foreign trade business and various merchandise knowledge, and enjoys high appreciation from foreign merchants. With over 30-year-experience in the field, the company has established a harmonious business relationship with companies in over 100 countries and regions. The company has been... Jiande Xingda Industry Co., Ltd. Jiande Xingda Industry Co., Ltd.

is a professional manufacturer engaged in producing all kinds of bicycles and solar light, such as folding bicycles, Mountain bicycles, mini bikes, children bicycles, scooters, light bicycles, and heavy duty bicycles, etc. And various kinds of solar light. Profile : extreme sports equipments Hangzhou Xinrui Bicycle Industrial Co., Ltd. Hangzhou Xinrui Bike Industrial Co., Ltd. is an enterprise specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing all kinds of bicycles. Our main products include Mountain ( MTB) bikes, racing bikes, folding bikes, freestyle bikes, beach cruisers, chopper bikes, city bikes, kids' BMX bikes, electric scooters, related bicycle parts, etc. We have passed ISO 9001:2000 international quality authentication. We have advanced install equipment and automatic assembly lines. Annual production capacity comes to 500, 000 sets. All the company staff always adhere to the enterprise principle of "Quality is the core, non-counterfeit products" and the management theory of "Sincere, Justice, Innovation, Service, High-qulity, Mutual benefit". With the fine product design, advanced equipment,... Profile : Bicycle Rims Xinda Equipment Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd.

XINDA EQUIPMENT IMP & EXP., LTD, is located by the famous beautiful Huang Shan scenery. For about nine-year after our establishment in 1999, we have already been an entity combining with business trading, technology and after-sales service, and also concentrating on extending our business scope all over the world, we meet the demands of markets standard goods, we have good reputation in trading, staffs offer competitive price and provide you a large choice. We have got a stable development and established a long term relationship with various countries and areas, such as East Asia, Europe, USA, and Middle east, while the business scope has extended to electrical appliance, touch screen monitors & TVs, power handtools, fastners, air conditioner, water pumps, submersible sewage pump, garden tools,... Profile : touch screen monitors - LCD TV PC monitors - LCD displays Tianjin Meibang Bicycle Industry Co., Ltd. Tianjin Meibang Bicycle Industry Co., Ltd. is an enterprise specialized in manufacturing bicycles and electric bicycles. The company and its subsidiary company Tianjin Yahui Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. annual output of bicycles is more than eight hundred thousand, electric bicycles more than fifty thousand.

Profile : extreme sports equipments Zhejiang Crown King Bicycle Co., Ltd. Zhejiang Crown King Bicycle Co., Ltd. specialized in manufacturing bicycles, electric bikes and bicycle parts. Quality is controlled strictly according to ISO9001, our products not only sell well in domestic market, but also sold to more than 20 countries and regions. Since 1995, we provided good OEM service for famous brand in USA like "Huffy" and Japanese, won good praise. Profile : extreme sports equipments Zhejiang Jianlong Bicycle Co., Ltd. Zhejiang Jianlong Bicycle Co., Ltd. is the rising one of the Bike manufacturing. The major productins are Mountain bikes and shock absorbers bikes. It has kinds of new and pretty styles and it' s in good capability. They have been overrun the country standard by China' s authoritative detecting appartment. The bikes have been worldsold and well liked by foreign bussinessmen. Profile : extreme sports equipments NECO Technology Industry Co., Ltd. NECO - Professional Bike Parts Manufacturers We at Neco Technology Industry Co. Ltd., founded in 1986 in Taichung, Taiwan, have been in the forefront of machinery tooling design and development.

Having acquired more than 30 years of experience in the cycling field, general manager Mr. Neco Wang has been extensively making contributions to not only the growth, development and success of the company, but to the global bicycle industry as well. In order to offer high quality products and expand plant capacity, we specialize in manufacturing headsets and bottom bracket components. Not only can we cover a wide range of applications and finishes, but we can also extend the capacities of alloy cold forging, steel press, hole taping and CNC finishing, etc. Starting from 2010, Neco Ltd. has... Where your bike was made...- Mtbr.com Where your bike was made... Results 1 to 37 of 37 1,840 Where your bike was made... I saw another thread that alluded to this topic. Since it's often a bit of a debate point, I figured I'd post this as a merely informative/interesting bit-o-reading. Yes, it's a bit long, but it reads pretty quickly. If you don't have the time, just scan the list and find your brand (unless it's a tiny garage brand - then it's probably not on the list).

copied from The information contained in this report comes primarily from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News' Factory and Suppliers Guide, published annually in October. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News is the definitive trade publication in the bicycle industry. Other sources of information include trade show and factory visits, technical writers in the cycling media, and bicycle company employees who wish to remain anonymous. Some bike companies have a few secrets. And one of those secrets is where your bike is made or who actually made it. The bike companies like it that way because many of them rely upon the same factories to build their bikes! The big picture is pretty clear: around 95% of the bikes sold in the U.S. are made in China or Taiwan by a handful of manufacturers of which Giant is the largest. Generally speaking, low to mid level bikes are made in China and mid to high level bikes are made in Taiwan. The exception is carbon; many manufacturers use Chinese manufacturers to make their carbon frames ï¿½ even their high-end racing frames. When it comes to knowing where your bike is made, shouldnï¿½t it be as easy as looking at the sticker on your bike or what is printed on the box in which your bike came?

After all, how confusing can a label that says ï¿½Made in the USAï¿½ or ï¿½Made in Franceï¿½ or ï¿½Made in Italyï¿½ be? Well ï¿½ in a word ï¿½ very. It is very confusing because your definition of ï¿½made inï¿½ is different from the bike industryï¿½s definition. A typical rule of thumb is that the country claiming origin has to add 60% or more of the value of the final product. For example, you and I can import an unpainted carbon fiber racing frame from China to Spain which will ultimately retail for $4,000 with Shimano components in the United States. The frame and fork may only cost $200 from the Chinese manufacturer. In Spain, we will paint, decal, assemble, and box the bike for shipping to the U.S. Our cost to paint, decal, assemble, and box might be $300 and the cost of the components might be another $800.

So is this bike ï¿½Made in Chinaï¿½ or ï¿½Made in Spain?ï¿½ According to the bike industry's definition, the bike is made in Spain. The sticker will say ï¿½Made in Spainï¿½ as will the shipping box to the United States because over 60% of the value will be added in Spain. Letï¿½s say we take the same frame and have the Chinese manufacturer paint it, decal it, assemble it into a bicycle, and ship it to Spain. When we ship it to the United States, the label will have to say ï¿½Made in China.ï¿½ Perhaps the best way to eliminate the confusion is for the bicycle industry to follow the lead of the automobile industry and tell the end consumer the countries of origin of all aspects of the bicycle. After all, if you are led to believe by a bunch of marketing people that your bike was handmade in Spain when it was actually mass-produced in a Chinese factory, would you buy that bike? Maybe ï¿½ but you wouldnï¿½t pay a premium for it.

With these things in mind, here is an alphabetical brand by brand run down of some key bike brands sold in the U.S. along with a few bits of trivia. Bianchi - As I was writing this, it occurred to me that Bianchi and Schwinn have remarkably similar histories. Both were turn-of-the-century family-owned companies, manufactured their own bicycles, were popular brands in their respective countries, fell upon hard times, were eventually sold, moved substantially all of their production to Asia, and have seen a resurgence in the past few years under new owners! In 1996, Bianchi was sold to a Swedish conglomerate (now known as Cycleurope1) whereas Schwinn went through several owners before winding up with Pacific in 2001.2 Under Cycleurope, which owns 11 bicycle brands,3 much of the bicycle production shifted from Italy to Asia, with the exception of some final bicycle assembly (i.e., Asian frames assembled into complete bicycles) and limited high-end production. Let me take a minute and address Reparto Corse bicycles, because their "Made in Italy" sticker is a source of confusion.

The historic Treviglio factory - a monstrosity of a thing which used to house much of Bianchi's manufacturing before it shifted to Asia - has a section dedicated to Reparto Corse. It used to be that Reparto Corse (RC) meant the race department where high-end bikes were made. Now it is used as sort of a branding logo to identify the upper-end bikes that get the RC design and marketing treatment. Many of the RC bikes have a "Made in Italy" sticker, which usually means assembled in Italy using a frame made in Asia. For example, the carbon RC frames are made by Advanced International Multitech (a Taiwanese carbon manufacturer of bike parts, baseball bats, golf shafts, arrows, fishing poles, etc.) and the aluminum frames are made by Taiwan Hodaka. There are some frames still welded at Treviglio. My understanding is that the aluminum frames with carbon rears are either welded there or, at least, bonded there. I also understand that the frames with foam injection have the injection process completed there, even if the frames come from Asia. Although Taiwan Hodaka manufacturers many of Bianchi's U.S. models, Fairly and Giant have manufactured for Bianchi in the past.

Cannondale - Aluminum Cannondales are made in the U.S. Cannondale, which was owned by founder Joe Montgomery and his son Scott. Cannondale is now owned by its key investment fund after experiencing financial problems. Cannondale's market share appears to have diminished but stabilized. According to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News in June 2007, low-end Cannondales are made in Taiwan - probably by Fritz-jou. Others are welded and painted in Taiwan then sent to the US for assembly. The Synapse is made by Top Key. In February 2008, Dorel Industries announced the acquisition of Cannondale and Sugoi clothing in an all-cash transaction of $190 million to $200 million. Dorel purchased Pacific Cycle (Schwinn, Mongoose, and GT Bicycle brands) in 2004. Cervelo - Cervelo is a Canadian company. Bikes are made in Asia and assembled in Canada.

Cervelo R3 is made in China Colnago - In 1944, when Ernesto Colnago served as a 12-year old apprentice in the shop of Dante Fumagalli, did he have any idea he would become the most famous of all Italian frame builders? Colnago is, perhaps, the most coveted of all professional-quality bicycle brands - just look at the pages of VeloNews or Pro Cycling and see how many professional riders race on Colnagos! Frames are still hand-made in Italy, except for three entry level aluminum models made in Taiwan (probably by Giant) and the carbon CLX, which is also made in Taiwan.4 De Rosa - De Rosa is an Italian company that is one of the Italian "big three" that includes Colnago and Pinarello. Ugo De Rosa, along with his sons, have been building bikes for over 50 years. As far as I know, all bikes are made in Italy. Ducati - Bianchi has announced a licensing agreement with Ducati to produce a line of bikes with the Ducati name. It is my understanding that the frames will be sourced from Asia with the final assembly at Treviglio.

Felt - Felt was started by motocross guru Jim Felt. All production comes from Asia. Fisher - Gary Fisher is the "godfather" of mountain bikes. After struggling with his own bicycle company, he sold his brand to Trek Bicycle Company. Still involved in designing and marketing his brand, Gary is a popular figure at bicycle industry events. He's sort of a cult figure with an unmatched sense of fashion! Fisher bikes are made in Asia, except for the full-suspension rigs (which are made in Wisconsin). Fuji - Fuji is now owned by Ideal, who manufacturers most of their bikes. Ideal is one of the key Taiwanese manufacturers along with Giant and Merida. Ideal also manufactures for other brands. Topkey of China manufacturers Fuji's carbon frames. Giant - You may have ridden a bicycle made by Giant without knowing it! Giant is the world's largest bicycle manufacturer with factories in Taiwan, China, and Europe. Giant, a Taiwanese company started in 1972, manufacturers their own bikes - including the carbon bikes, which is unique in the industry (i.e., most other brands utilize other manufacturers such as Advanced or Martec).

In addition to making their own bikes, Giant also makes, or has made, bikes for many other prominent brands, including Trek, Specialized, Schwinn, and Bianchi. Giant's claim to fame is that they have the most sophisticated and efficient manufacturing facilities in the bicycle industry. A bit of trivia is that Giant owns 30% of Hodaka, a key Taiwanese supplier for many brands such as Bianchi.5 Giant also sponsors the T-Mobile professional cycling team. Haro - a California BMX company started in 1977 by Bob Haro. All production comes from Asia. Haro owns the Masi brand. Kenstone, with factories in Tawan and China, is a key supplier. Jamis - Jamis is the house brand of G. Joannou Cycle, a long-time distributor of bicycles and accessories. The bicycles are designed in the U.S. and sourced from Asia. Kestrel - Kestrel, an early pioneer in carbon frames, introduced the first production non-lugged carbon frame in 1986. Originally, frames were manufactured in California. In recent years, production shifted to Asia. The frames appear to be made by Martec.

Kona - a California company with all production from Asia. Kona, founded in 1988, is a very small company similar in size to Marin. Fairly and Hodaka in Taiwan are key suppliers. Kuota - Kuota frames are made in Taiwan by Martec, the same manufacturer that makes Kestrel frames. Kuota is a creation of Sintema, an Italian manufacturer of components. Basically, they designed the frames, had the frames manufactured in Taiwan, and marketed the brand heavily in the U.S., Western Europe, and Australia. Kuota has been a successful brand launch in a very short period of time. LeMond - Greg LeMond is the first American to win the Tour de France, winning in 1986, 1989, and 1990. LeMond also won three World Championships and the Tour DuPont. His career was cut short by lead poisoning from a hunting accident. LeMond's early bikes were made by Roberto Bilatto in Italy and distributed by a now-defunct company named Ten Speed Drive Imports. The Bilatto-made frames are somewhat collectible.

After an attempt to have an independent bike company, LeMond licensed his brand to Trek Bicycle Company.6 Trek now designs and markets his bikes, which are made in Asia except for the spine bikes featuring OCLV carbon (which are made in Wisconsin). A bit of LeMond trivia is that he helped develop the first aerobar with Scott and used it in his amazing come-from-behind victory in the 1989 Tour de France.7 Litespeed - Starting in the 1980's, Litespeed was a pioneer in titanium frame building. As their reputation grew, a steady stream of cycling legends came to Litespeed for their titanium expertise. For many years, Litespeed built frames for famous brands such as DeRosa, Merckx, Basso, LeMond, Tommassini, and others.8 Litespeed was, for a period of time, the largest manufacturer of high-end bicycles in the world. All bikes, including the Merlin brand that they own, are made in Tennessee except for the carbon Pavia (which has been discontinued). The Quintana Roo brand is also owned by Litespeed but is made in Asia.

Look - Look is a French company with frames made in France and Asia. Look is also a leading pedal brand. Marin - a California company with production from Asia, except for a handful of high-end models. Marin is a very small company similar in size to Kona. Key Asian suppliers are A-Pro, Fairly, and Sunrise. Masi - Faliero Masi was, in my opinion, the "grandfather" of all Italian frame builders, serving as inspiration to famous frame builders like Ernesto Colnago. Faliero sold his company to Americans in the early 70's. Since then, the brand has had several owners including Schwinn! At present, the Masi brand is owned by Haro (the California BMX company)9 and the bikes are made in Asia. One of my favorite frames was a made-in-Italy Nuovo Strada that I bought from Cumberland Transit in the 80's. Unfortunately, it was stolen in the 90's! Alberto Masi, Faliero's son, still hand-makes the traditional Masi frames in the shadow of the Vigorelli Velodrome in Milan.

Unfortunately, these frames - due the licensing of the Masi name to Haro - are not sold in the U.S. under the Masi name. Instead, these frames are sold in the U.S. under the "Milano" name.10 Merlin - see Litespeed. Olmo - Olmo is a prominent brand in Italy. Traditionally, Olmo has been made in Italy. I don't have any information on whether any models are made in Asia. Orbea - Orbea is one of the two large Spanish bicycle manufacturers. It is sort of like Spain's version of Trek or Schwinn. Bikes are produced in Spain and Asia. High-end carbon frames are made in Asia and "finished" (i.e., painted) in Spain. From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News: Orbea builds aluminum frames in-house. Carbon fiber frame production, which accounts for half of its road bikes, up from 20 percent just three years ago, is outsourced to such Chinese specialists as Martec. But unlike many bike makers who are content to tweak stock factory frames, Orbea does all of its carbon fiber frame design, engineering and prototyping in-house.

It builds its own molds for new frames and assembles several dozen prototypes before handing off manufacturing instructions to China. "We need to keep and develop our own knowledge of composites and carbon fiber, and then to find someone who can work with us to build what we want them to build," Joseba Arizaga (Orbea's marketing manager) said. "We make the molds, the first frames, everything here in Orbea. Then, when we are ready to do mass production, we send the instructions to Asia." 11 Pinarello - This Italian company has been producing world-class frames since the 1950's. Pinarello - along with Colnago and DeRosa - is one of the Italian "big three." You can visit their website, pinarello.com, for a nice history of the company. Some frames are now made in Taiwan, including the aluminum Galileo. I haven't been able to confirm this, but apparently the carbon frames are made in Asia then shipped to Italy for painting and assembly. Raleigh - A few years ago, the U.S. management team, headed by former Murray exec Bill Austin, bought Raleigh from its U.K. owners.

Headquartered in Kent, Washington, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Kinesis and A-Pro. Schwinn - Schwinn was for many years the largest American brand. All bicycles were made domestically until the late 80's. In 1985, Schwinn management called mountain bikes a "fad" - oops.12 After two bankruptcies, Schwinn is now owned by Pacific, who also owns GT, Mongoose, and the Pacific (and some other brands). Pacific is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Under Pacific's ownership, the Schwinn brand is returning to prominence. Pacific sells more bicycles than any other brand in North America. However, that includes Pacific brands sold at WalMart, Target, etc.13 The bikes sold in the U.S. are made in Asia, many by Giant. Scott USA - Scott got its start in Sun Valley, Idaho, when Ed Scott developed the first aluminum ski pole in 1958. In the 80's, Scott developed a bike line. Eventually, Scott pulled out of the U.S. market and focused on Europe, where Scott is headquartered.14 After an absence of several years, Scott has returned to the U.S.

market under the direction of Scott Montgomery of Cannondale fame. Although the company is headquartered in Switzerland, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Hodaka and Giant. Serotta - Serotta is a U.S. manufacturer of high-end bicycles. It competes with Seven and Waterford and is of similar size to Waterford. Seven - Seven is America's number one custom bicycle brand. Seven Cycles was founded by Rob Vandermark in early 1997. Rob, previously head of R&D at Merlin Metalworks, decided to branch out on his own and develop a company to build high-end titanium and steel frames. He also wanted to offer the rider custom geometry, without extra charges and long lead times. So Rob assembled a team of experienced craftspeople who all shared a common goal: To build the highest quality, most innovative frames, and therefore provide the cyclist with the best riding experience possible. All bikes are hand-made in Watertown, Massachusetts. Specialized - Started in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, Specialized has enjoyed a long-standing reputation for being a leading bicycle design and marketing company. Several years ago, Merida (a Taiwanese manufacturer) bought a substantial interest in Specialized.

Although Specialized is still headquartered in California under the leadership of founder Mike Sinyard, all bikes are made in Asia. Key Asian suppliers are Merida, Ideal, and Giant. Time - Time produces what is arguably the most advanced carbon frame in the world and all frames are hand-made in France, even the entry level frames. Trek - It's hard to believe that America's largest bicycle brand had humble beginnings in a barn! Yet in 1976, Dick Burke - with an investment of $25,000 - started making bicycle frames in a little red barn near Madison, Wisconsin. By 1980, Trek built their first manufacturing plant in Wisconsin and the rest, as they say, is history!15 After many years of making its own bicycles in the U.S., Trek moved entry and mid level bicycle manufacturing to Asia. In 1992, Trek introduced its proprietary OCLV carbon process (Optimum Compaction Low Void) which is still used in its handmade carbon frames. All OCLV carbon frames - road and mountain - are still made in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The all-carbon 5000 (which does not feature OCLV) is made in Asia.

Worldwide, Trek is the second largest bicycle company after Giant (of the brands sold only in bicycle stores). They are one of the most sought-after brands by U.S. dealers because of their strong commitment to brick and mortar bicycle stores (i.e., the brand cannot be sold mail order or over the Internet) and because of their dealer-friendly policies. Trek owns (or licenses) Fisher, LeMond, Klein, and Bontrager. Tommasini - Tommasini is a small Italian frame builder in Grosseto, Italy, of similar size to Seven, Waterford, and Serotta. Much of Tommasini's production is exported out of Italy, with their largest markets being the U.S., Germany, and Japan. In September 2006, Irio Tommasini's nieces took over U.S. distribution and are relaunching the brand in the U.S.16 Waterford - Waterford is America's number one steel custom bicycle brand. All bikes are hand-made in Waterford, Wisconsin. In the late 1970's, a young rider, designer and builder named Marc Muller was hired by the Schwinn Bicycle Company.

He brought the experience and innovation from his own framebuilding enterprise and took charge of building the Paramounts, the dominant brand of American-build racing bicycles. In the early 1980's, Marc moved the Paramount factory to Waterford, Wisconsin and continued building elite bicycles and also created a cycling design laboratory. Marc and his staff introduced a number of key innovations including oversized tubing (one of the most significant advances in frame design), 26" wheels, cast-in cable guides and a patented full suspension system. These advances allowed them to design and build bikes for National and World champions such as Ned Overand, Marc Allen, Mike Engleman, Tom Prehn and many others. In 1993, Marc Muller and Richard Schwinn, great-grandson of Ignaz Schwinn, bought the Paramount factory and renamed it Waterford Precision Cycles.17 Marc is now one of the most respected bike designers in the entire bicycle industry. And Waterford, with a one hundred year heritage in bicycle manufacturing, continues to make a winning, world class frames one at a time. Waterford is 90 minutes north of Chicago. If you visit Chicago, feel free to call for a factory tour.

tangaroo: What electrolytes do chicken and turkey have again? rck18: All of them, because they're meat. Originally Posted by NateHawk I didn't even see Diamondback in there. A formerly USA-made bike company that's gone overseas. My 11yr old midrange Diamondback hardtail has a Made in USA sticker on it. It's not a great frame, but it surprised me even then that it was a ~$500 bike made in the USA. My Stumpy was made in Taiwan. No surprise there. It has served me well for the past several years. I only hope to be able to afford a bike from a boutique builder in a couple years. I think diamondbacks are made by Kinesis today. Raised in a Chicken-Coop by Chickens

Question: The Bicycle manufacturers Trek, Giant and Specialized come from which country ?
Answer: U.S.A.