(07-07-2025, 10:33 AM)rydabent Wrote: Years ago almost all bike were produced in China, because of cheap labor. Consider yourself lucky if your bike was built in Taiwan, because the quality is much higher.
Not true considering global manufacturing and distribution prior to 25-30 years ago. In the 70s you were very likely to get a better quality but lower cost bike with a frame built in Japan (badged as Japanese, USA, Canadian, and Japan's own brands) over many other country's domestically built bikes; but certainly more than Chinese built frames at the time. Just name me one popular Chinese bike brand sold in the USA in the early '80s and prior; then try the same thing with a Japanese built brand and it becomes obvious that China was not yet a major global player in the bike industry to the extent that Japan or many other countries were. That has changed over that past 30 years causing a loss of many companies; Japanese and others. Economy affected the market also, as others have mentioned. Raleigh/TI (UK), Peugeot/Motobecane/Automoto (France), and Indian manufacturers were big prior to and during the '70s, but Japan built frames/bikes (whether Japanese badged or marketed under local brands) were gaining popularity and in the '70s were becoming much more prevalent as they displaced US department store and other shop brands (Huffy, Murray, Schwinn), as well as major European marques; by the mid '70s they were as good or better than the competition in same market level from other countries (and most were using equal to or better components than European bikes at a lower cost; e.g. Sun Tour and Shimano).
Many Japanese bikes were sold under various regional brand names in various countries (a few using "Italian" names as a marketing ploy). Japan was producing great frames from low cost and entry level to top level racers for their domestic market and as contracted by many companies (e.g. Centurion (USA), Bianchi Italy), etc.) throughout the '70s-'80s. Many of those distribution/sales companies folded over the past couple of decades due to Taiwan's (Giant) and China's exponential growth (and India) and overall increasing quality for the cost compared to what other conutry's bike builders can do.
People seem to forget about Sun Tour. Shimano would not be where they are without Sun Tour. The bike industry is not rational, as Campagnolo should now be defunct and Sun Tour should still exist. Cyclists were (still are!) happy to pay more for less and keep Campy alive when it did not innovate for nearly 25 years in mech development, only to regress when it finally did to produce more obsolete (but nice looking!) equipment for another 10 years before pulling their heads out of their bodily orifices. Same with Italian frame builders and companies living on heritage while attempting to produce high quality handbuilt frames to an increasing market (early '70s) and resulting in quality and consistency issues while subcontracting to other builders to make "their" product.
Those who can make the most, the second best, at the fastest rate and lowest cost and decent quality will eventually supplant those who can only make a few, make the best, but at high cost with potentially no better quality. Japan still makes great bikes, but the mass manufacturing that they enjoyed waned at the end of the bike boom and from others' contracts moving to China, Taiwan, and other countries.
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