Asia VS EU/ USA

[wheelsONfire]

As we constantly see builders like Parlee, that used to make frames in USA, Lightweight frame from Asia instead of Germany aso aso.
Prices seems to be increasing or still rather high for most of these brands.
What do you guys who look at premium frames feel about this?

[kulivontot]

This thread seems xenophobic and a duplicate of 80000000 other useless threads. Try limiting your question to a specific brand and you will get far more useful responses.

[antonioiglesius]

The question is: there are companies that used to manufacture in the US or Europe, and have outsourced to Asia without a corresponding drop in price?

1. It may help to discuss specific companies. Parlee and Lightweight are two examples.
2. I think the quality of the product and the customer service matters. Has the quality dropped? Has customer service improved? What else contributed to the non-drop in price?

Market plays a role I suppose: if there is demand at a certain price point, then the price will remain unchanged. It also looks like product making is split into two parts: the design and actual manufacture. People seem to care, or are only aware of, where it is designed (i.e. Apple products designed in California).

As China gets stronger, one of the next places where manufacturing will take place will be Africa. US seems, at least on the surface, oblivious to Africa, but China has been consistently investing in Africa, notably in its infrastructure.

[MyM3Coupe]

As we constantly see builders like Parlee, that used to make frames in USA, Lightweight frame from Asia instead of Germany aso aso.
Prices seems to be increasing or still rather high for most of these brands.
What do you guys who look at premium frames feel about this?

I wouldn't pay Pinarello/Colnago money for any Asian made frame when I can buy a handmade Time with a lifetime warranty. I actually wouldn't pay over $1,500 for ANY Asian made frame. If i ever bought an Asian frame it would be a Giant as they make like 80% of other brands frames who hide behind fake Italian heritage (like Pinarello).

[bremerradkurier]

I'd love to see a 100% made in Japan carbon frame with a 3 Rensho brand name.

[snowdevlin]

As we constantly see builders like Parlee, that used to make frames in USA, Lightweight frame from Asia instead of Germany aso aso.
Prices seems to be increasing or still rather high for most of these brands.
What do you guys who look at premium frames feel about this?

I wouldn't pay Pinarello/Colnago money for any Asian made frame when I can buy a handmade Time with a lifetime warranty. I actually wouldn't pay over $1,500 for ANY Asian made frame. If i ever bought an Asian frame it would be a Giant as they make like 80% of other brands frames who hide behind fake Italian heritage (like Pinarello).

Have you been hurt in the past by a Pinarello owner? Or a Pinarello itself?
Looks like you can't miss an opportunity to spill your hate on the brand...
Are you paying for other people's bikes?
Has anyone asked you to pay one?

Luckily there are so many bike brands on the market, anyone can find one that he/ she likes.
Enjoy your bike and let other people enjoy theirs, regardless of your tainted view.

[kode54]

The question is: there are companies that used to manufacture in the US or Europe, and have outsourced to Asia without a corresponding drop in price?

1. It may help to discuss specific companies. Parlee and Lightweight are two examples.
2. I think the quality of the product and the customer service matters. Has the quality dropped? Has customer service improved? What else contributed to the non-drop in price?

Market plays a role I suppose: if there is demand at a certain price point, then the price will remain unchanged. It also looks like product making is split into two parts: the design and actual manufacture. People seem to care, or are only aware of, where it is designed (i.e. Apple products designed in California).

As China gets stronger, one of the next places where manufacturing will take place will be Africa. US seems, at least on the surface, oblivious to Africa, but China has been consistently investing in Africa, notably in its infrastructure.

i have a Parlee. one that is made in asia. the price for their higher end US made frames were out of reach for me...so i bought the next best thing. when it comes to customer service, Parlee has always been a stand up company regardless of which frame you owned, you got treated as though you bought their high end frame.

[beanbiken]

[stormur]

As we constantly see builders like Parlee, that used to make frames in USA, Lightweight frame from Asia instead of Germany aso aso.
Prices seems to be increasing or still rather high for most of these brands.
What do you guys who look at premium frames feel about this?

I wouldn't pay Pinarello/Colnago money for any Asian made frame when I can buy a handmade Time with a lifetime warranty. I actually wouldn't pay over $1,500 for ANY Asian made frame. If i ever bought an Asian frame it would be a Giant as they make like 80% of other brands frames who hide behind fake Italian heritage (like Pinarello).

Have you been hurt in the past by a Pinarello owner? Or a Pinarello itself?
Looks like you can't miss an opportunity to spill your hate on the brand...
Are you paying for other people's bikes?
Has anyone asked you to pay one?

Luckily there are so many bike brands on the market, anyone can find one that he/ she likes.
Enjoy your bike and let other people enjoy theirs, regardless of your tainted view.

I think you miss the point.

If I pay for Versace top of the line piece, I do not expect I DEMAND hand made in Italy. I expect extraordinary design & quality. I demand made in Europe. Versace "made in China" is fake , not Versace. Super premium product DOESN'T COME FROM FAR EAST. IT'S MADE IN EUROPE.

Imagine Patek Philippe or Blancpain watch "Designed in Zürich, made in Korea".... Unimaginable, isn't it ? So WTF you accept "Pinarello made in China " ????

From far east comes products made in gazillion of pieces and widely available on ebay

If company is printing on frame "made in Italy" , and on bottom bracket I see sticker "made in Taiwan"... something is wrong here. Not with Taiwan, with the brand.

History of outsourced frame manufacturing for famous brands is older than carbon fiber, isn't it ( Mr Colnago, Mr Pinarello ? ).

Personally I don't see any reason to justify 3x higher price for the product of similar performance, manufactured by same supplier just because of "famous heritage" and fake "made in Italy" decal ( yes, pinarello use decals, not painting on most ( nomen omen ) of their frames ) . As I wrote many times ; we're talking about sport equipment, performance per price ratio, all the rest is BS.

But if we narrow this discussion just and only to performance of the product, then who cares where it is made ? If design, performace & quality are fine, I'm fine with it. ( I skip here strictly economical factor, it's completely different story ).

PS, yes I do have Pinarello in my stable too.

[beanbiken]

[dj97223]

As we constantly see builders like Parlee, that used to make frames in USA, Lightweight frame from Asia instead of Germany aso aso.
Prices seems to be increasing or still rather high for most of these brands.
What do you guys who look at premium frames feel about this?

Parlee still makes some of their frames in the USA.

[glam2deaf]

Holy shit this thread is stupid and overtly racist.

[bremerradkurier]

Anybody else remember Italian framemakers in the '90s putting their labels on Russian built Ti frames?

[wheelsONfire]

Holy shit this thread is stupid and overtly racist.

Are you kidding or are you lost in marketing BS?

[Johnny Rad]

Build a wall somewhere.
Make someone else pay.

Oops, sorry! Wrong thread on similar subject.

SMH.