Who Made My Bike?

If you participate in group rides, in Facebook cycling groups, or in one of the many online cycling forums then there is a good chance you have heard someone say or write something like, “I don’t ride any cheap Chinese bikes. I paid more for my Trek because I wanted American quality.”  You might have heard the version but with Specialized or Cannondale as the bike of choice. If you are in Germany then Canyon might be your choice while Italians have Bianchi, Colnago and Pinarello to use as examples of home country manufacturing superiority. In past years, I would take time to explain to the OP that they were riding either a Made in China or Made in Taiwan frame finished with a group set, wheels, tires, bars, and so on from around the world. I eventually gave up but maybe it is time to revisit the discussion. Bicycle manufacturing, like the sport of cycling, is one of the most international industries with a global supply chain second to none. The idea of an American, German or Italian bike might have had meaning in the 19th century but in 2021 it is simply anachronistic.  

The first serious road bike I bought was a Trek 3 tube carbon. I loved that bike and loved the idea of helping support an innovative American firm. Trek has continued to innovate, win literally ever major road cycling race, and helped support cycling in the US. While they are an American based company, they do not make their frames in America. The frames are made by a firm called Quest Composite Technology based in Dongguan, China. Check their Website and you will see Trek mentioned on the first page.

This is a common practice in the industry. One firm focuses on what we would call intellectual property (materials development, research and design, testing and so on) and then hires a second firm to manufacture the product. The second firm, Quest in this case, is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), for Trek. Quest also manufactures bikes for Canyon. A German firm, Canyon gets full credit for designing some of the best road bikes in the world, but it is a Made in China frame.

Watch this great video tour of the Canyon assembly building and you will hear about all the great stuff Canyon is doing but I do not think you will hear anything about China. Why would they mention China when they are selling German quality, engineering and design?

Again, Trek and Canyon are not unique. Keentech Composite Technology makes carbon frames for Cervélo. G&M Carbon Components makes frames for BMC. Pinarello frames are made by Carbotec Industrial of Taiwan and China. Scott frames are made in a Giant factory. Keentech is a subsidiary of the Taiwanese firm Topkey which makes some Cannondale, Merida and Specialized frames according to their Website. Merida owns some 49% of Specialized as well as being an OEM for them.

You may have noticed that I have not mentioned Giant. They deserve their own paragraph as the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world, a major OEM, and the creator of some of the best road bikes in the world. They also have a great backstory.

While I understand the desire to support the home team, I have never been ethnocentric when it comes to bicycles and cycling accessories. My loyalty has always been to my dollar which explains why I have bought almost everything, including four bikes, on-line since 1999. What I look for when I make a buying decision is the highest quality to cost ratio possible.

Your money is your money so I would not be so presumptuous as to tell you how to spend your cash. I would caution you to be careful the next time you mount your bike, settle down on your Italian saddle, begin to turn your pedals and shift your Japanese group set, marvel at how smoothly your German tires roll across the pavement, to not insult the beautiful frame you are riding by calling it a “cheap Chinese bike.”