World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory • Hacker News Board

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#141

Post by flyGuyOnTheSly » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:28 AM UTC

bigiain wrote: post #115

flyGuyOnTheSly wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's tougher than it looks. Especially so with newer Chinese made products actually adding lead weights inside their cheap plastic cases to make their cheap products feel as though they were cut from a heavier cloth. Some rules of thumb that I have when it comes to buying old power tools are: Does it look like something your grandfather might have owned? Is it of all metal construction? If not, are the plastics of a…

Also - keep in mind a lot of places you find these things they're _really_ cheap, so it's often perfectly fine to buy one that is _probably_ good, then pull it apart when you get home to check it's interior and construction. If you only dropped $5 at a thrift store, it doesn't hurt too much when you find its actually shitty plastic with a lump of rusty steel inside - and you just trow it out...

That is a great point.

Plenty of items that I have purchased and been unhappy with personally have found their way back to thrift stores.

I try to donate primarily to the more local actual charities that do a lot of good in my community like the salvation army, but I have no problem donating to for profit thrift stores either as I am in them often and I can see the great things that they're doing for a very large number of less wealthy people.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#142

Post by fnord77 » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:29 AM UTC

> Tariffs are adding $100 on average to the price of bicycles made in China and exported to the U.S., compared with those made in zero-tariff areas, Tu said, explaining the rationale for the switch to the Taiwanese site.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#143

Post by entee » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:30 AM UTC

Ironically, the pic at the top of the article has many bikes painted "Trek" in the background despite the caption saying it's Giant's facility. In truth, pretty much every major bike manufacturer makes their frames in Taiwan, often in the same facilities. Decals and branding are applied after.

There's a huge amount of manufacturing know-how and infrastructure around bike manufacture in Taiwan, especially around carbon fiber manufacturing. You can even go buy a carbon frame design in Taiwan, you pay more for the design if you want it to be exclusive.

Therefore, it's not terribly surprising that they moved to Taiwan. If they were moving to the US that would be something.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#144

Post by nerdwaller » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:33 AM UTC

entee wrote: post #143

Ironically, the pic at the top of the article has many bikes painted "Trek" in the background despite the caption saying it's Giant's facility. In truth, pretty much every major bike manufacturer makes their frames in Taiwan, often in the same facilities. Decals and branding are applied after. There's a huge amount of manufacturing know-how and infrastructure around bike manufacture in Taiwan, especially around carbo…

For those interested in MTB, guerrilla gravity is designed and, as far as I know, built in Colorado. The reviews of their bikes (even aluminum frames) are resoundingly positive. Considering the price points they’re not one to overlook.

https://ridegg.com/

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#145

Post by Proven » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:43 AM UTC

monk_e_boy wrote: post #63

fuzz4lyfe wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And you'd never encounter a product that smells formaldehyde with an OEKO-TEX label. These guys will put lead in children's toys but would never be so unscrupulous as to put a fake label on the product? Or lie to obtain certification?

I don't know about manufacturing. But for food products people get prosecuted all the time by trading standards. My friend who works for them has a lot of interesting stories to tell. One story, she visited a local pub and asked for a dairy free ploughman's, the waiter asked if she would like butter on her bread. My friend waited for it to be added, then she put the whole meal, plate and all into a plastic bag and to…

What a disgusting friend you got.

She’ll entrap you next. Brunch date rape accusation or something.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#146

Post by kortilla » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:48 AM UTC

UI_at_80x24 wrote: post #40

nextos wrote: post #8

I don't immediately discard an item because it's made in China, as I know of some high quality items made there. Most Apple products, some Xiaomi products or Meermin/Feit shoes. However, I tend to be very skeptical about its quality. Moving manufacturing to China is most often done to reduce cost. The only industry where it's not done due to cost, but supply chain issues, is electronics. And with cost reduction comes…

>Sadly, it's all about price. This is the problem, but not how you are stating it. If CEO's didn't make 300x the lowest paid employee, and "shareholders didn't demand" exponential growth quarter after quarter, then the price to be 'Not made in China' would be reasonable. Fix these problems then the damages caused by seeking "cheapest possible AND cheaper" would be non-existant. *NB: I am a shareholder. I want my inve…

BS, if it wasn’t about consumers going for lower prices, the market would be packed with high-end manufacturers. People want cheap shit at Walmart regardless of how much the CEO of Alphabet makes.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#147

Post by plausibilities » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:51 AM UTC

microcolonel wrote: post #20

nafizh wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The title clearly says 'World's top bicycle maker says'. It's an opinion.

Yeah, not sure about how they're measuring. By market cap, Shimano is about four and a half times larger. P/E is very close between the two; Giant's PY return is about 77 times better than Shimano's.

Shimano also makes expensive high-end fishing reels.

They go for anywhere from a couple hundred to 1k+ (like the Stellas) apiece and you typically want 3 - 5 rod/reel setups when going on a fishing trip.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#148

Post by Nition » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 1:58 AM UTC

nextos wrote: post #8

I don't immediately discard an item because it's made in China, as I know of some high quality items made there. Most Apple products, some Xiaomi products or Meermin/Feit shoes. However, I tend to be very skeptical about its quality. Moving manufacturing to China is most often done to reduce cost. The only industry where it's not done due to cost, but supply chain issues, is electronics. And with cost reduction comes…

I have this vague idea of starting a "buy it for life" type store, everything with a 10+ year warranty, plus required maintenance stated clearly for each product. Sell tools, clothing, kitchenware, appliances, whatever.

Is there anywhere like that already? I'm in New Zealand but I'd like to hear about international examples even if I couldn't shop there.

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#149

Post by inanutshellus » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 2:00 AM UTC

Nition wrote: post #148

nextos wrote: post #8

I don't immediately discard an item because it's made in China, as I know of some high quality items made there. Most Apple products, some Xiaomi products or Meermin/Feit shoes. However, I tend to be very skeptical about its quality. Moving manufacturing to China is most often done to reduce cost. The only industry where it's not done due to cost, but supply chain issues, is electronics. And with cost reduction comes…

I have this vague idea of starting a "buy it for life" type store, everything with a 10+ year warranty, plus required maintenance stated clearly for each product. Sell tools, clothing, kitchenware, appliances, whatever. Is there anywhere like that already? I'm in New Zealand but I'd like to hear about international examples even if I couldn't shop there.

I think it was called "Sears"...

Re: World’s top bicycle maker is moving U.S. orders to Taiwan factory

#150

Post by PhasmaFelis » Tue, Jun 18, 2019, 2:00 AM UTC

monk_e_boy wrote: post #63

fuzz4lyfe wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And you'd never encounter a product that smells formaldehyde with an OEKO-TEX label. These guys will put lead in children's toys but would never be so unscrupulous as to put a fake label on the product? Or lie to obtain certification?

I don't know about manufacturing. But for food products people get prosecuted all the time by trading standards. My friend who works for them has a lot of interesting stories to tell. One story, she visited a local pub and asked for a dairy free ploughman's, the waiter asked if she would like butter on her bread. My friend waited for it to be added, then she put the whole meal, plate and all into a plastic bag and to…

...Wait. Your friend asked for no dairy, then said she wanted dairy anyway, then got people in trouble for that?

Am I missing something important here? This sounds like a textbook example of soulless, arbitrary bureaucracy that benefits no one but bureaucrats and their enforcers.