[sanjuro]

I was thinking about this on my road ride this morning. As a follow-up to the Chris King thread from yesterday, this is component spec for a sweatshop-free bicycle:

Fork: Marzocchi only (Fox uses Taiwanese parts)
Headset: Chris King
Stem: Thomson
Handlebars: Jones
Brakes: Hope/Formula/Magura
Crankset: Middleburn
BB: Phil Wood
Derailleurs/Shifters: Paul (a bit of a cheat, considering they don't make derailleurs anymore)
Hubs: CK/Hope/DT
Spokes: DT/Sapim
Rims: Mavic
Seatpost: Thomson
Saddle: Brooks Leather

 

[stosh]

Do you drive a Toyota?

 

[dan-o]

Have you ever been inside a Taiwanese or Chinese bicycle factory?

I've been inside dozens and the factories making IBD level bikes are on par with the factories I've seen in europe in terms of working conditions. In fact, one of the nastiest factories I've been in was a rim factory in Italy staffed with Baltic and African immigrants.

If not, you're talking out your ass and basing conclusions on a generic newspaper article. There are tons of jobs here in the US that treat people like crap too.

 

[macko]

You forgot a frame manufacturer. I suppose there are a bunch of independant frame companies inside the US/Canada not to mention Surly, Cannondale, Rocky Mountain?, etc.

 

[sanjuro]

Have you ever been inside a Taiwanese or Chinese bicycle factory?

I've been inside dozens and the factories making IBD level bikes are on par with the factories I've seen in europe in terms of working conditions. In fact, one of the nastiest factories I've been in was a rim factory in Italy staffed with Baltic and African immigrants.

If not, you're talking out your ass and basing conclusions on a generic newspaper article. There are tons of jobs here in the US that treat people like crap too.

Well, I think my list of manufacturers are small shops as well as being fairly reputable.

This isn't some lecture. I could come up with a list of sweatshop-only components as well.

 

[sanjuro]

You forgot a frame manufacturer. I suppose there are a bunch of independant frame companies inside the US/Canada not to mention Surly, Cannondale, Rocky Mountain?, etc.

You would suppose correct. Titus, Seven, and Intense, just to name a few.

BTW, Surly is made in Taiwan.

 

[syadasti]

What makes you sure none of the parts or raw materials used in those products aren't from third world countries?

 

[narlus]

does your bike need a chain?

 

[dan-o]

You would suppose correct. Titus, Seven, and Intense, just to name a few.

Seven's stems/posts are made in China.
Bloody hands in Watertown!

 

[syadasti]

Do you drive a Toyota?

Most modern Toyotas probably have more domestic content in them than domestic autos do

 

[dan-o]

does your bike need a chain?

Yes but his are hand forged by a treesitter in Eureka.

 

[BikeGeek]

does your bike need a chain?

Belt-drive baby!

 

[narlus]

Yes but his are hand forged by a treesitter in Eureka.

i don't know about you, but i get my energy from some windfarm in nunavut.

 

[MMcG]

Belt-drive baby!

But where is the belt for the belt drive produced?

 

[sanjuro]

I give up! Exploit an Asian Worker Today!!!

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I give up! Exploit an Asian Worker Today!!!

That's the spirit!!!

 

[macko]

Evidentally you'll have to change the thread title to: "As Close To A Sweatshop-Free Bike As Possible Short Of Extracting The Basic Elements From The Ground By Hand And Forging Them Into Parts In Your Own Basement"

 

[Westy]

Belt-drive baby!

You can have Ciaran make you one out of leather.

 

[H8R]

I have a Shimano-free and Sram-free bike. (at least I'm pretty sure it is...Sram owns everyone now)

That's as far as I go.

 

[sanjuro]

Evidentally you'll have to change the thread title to: "As Close To A Sweatshop-Free Bike As Possible Short Of Extracting The Basic Elements From The Ground By Hand And Forging Them Into Parts In Your Own Basement"

I feel pretty confident about the list I supplied. You might tighten the brake list down to Hope only, but I think it is exploited-worker-free.

 

[maxyedor]

I have a Shimano-free and Sram-free bike. (at least I'm pretty sure it is...Sram owns everyone now)

That's as far as I go.

That's called Campy.
Also the high end Race Face stuff is made in Canada eh

 

[H8R]

That's called Campy.
Also the high end Race Face stuff is made in Canada eh

Campy, Race Face and Truvative-free too.

 

[JRB]

Titus outsources quite a few frames from what I understand. I am not sure of anything that is not Ti that we can swear is made in the US.

 

[maxyedor]

Campy, Race Face and Truvative-free too.

That leaves Suntour and single speed

 

[N8 v2.0]

If you buy a product made in China you are helping some poor peasant kid get out the mud and muck of a rice field and into an climate controlled building with a regular paycheck.

 

[Westy]

If you buy a product made in China you are helping some poor peasant kid get out the mud and muck of a rice field and into an climate controlled building with a regular paycheck.

Like the 12 Chinese coal miners that die each day.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Like the 12 Chinese coal miners that die each day.

At least a kid in the bike fab shop ain't digging coal.

 

[sanjuro]

If you buy a product made in China you are helping some poor peasant kid get out the mud and muck of a rice field and into an climate controlled building with a regular paycheck.

Look at me!

 

[N8 v2.0]

I'm naked!

 

[Angus]

Like the 12 Chinese coal miners that die each day.

No different than the coal miners that die in West-by-god-Virginia

 

[Carbon Fetish]

You forgot a frame manufacturer. I suppose there are a bunch of independant frame companies inside the US/Canada not to mention Surly, Cannondale, Rocky Mountain?, etc.

The Cannondale Synapse is made in Taiwan.

 

[sanjuro]

Hmm, how would it be to find a image of a naked Asian man in San Francisco?

 

[BurlyShirley]

Well, if they didnt have sweat shops, they wouldnt have shops at all and they'd starve to death much faster than theyre worked to death. I think Ill keep doing what Im doing.

 

[jimmydean]

Just buy your next bike at Wal Mart. You know they treat all employees well and would never sell questionable un-american goods, right?

 

[Changleen]

Sweatshops build character.

 

[syadasti]

Just buy your next bike at Wal Mart. You know they treat all employees well and would never sell questionable un-american goods, right?

Yeah check out the new Kathy Lee Gifford Edition GT

 

[Jabuttri]

Most bikes come from decently skilled manufacturers. These are not like the nike shops

 

[H8R]

That leaves Suntour and single speed

DING DING!


Zoke fork w/ Zoke front hub
SC Chameleon frame
CK headset
Paul rear hub
DT spokes
Trailpimp rims
Bontrager Crobar
Atomlab BMX stem
Avid levers
Avid rear v-brake
Hayes 8" mech front brake
Azonic cranks
Custom chainwheel
KMH chain
ACS freewheel
Lock-on grips
Thomson post
SDG saddle
Generic flat pedals..(maybe Free Agent I think?? More likely Wellgo)

Someone lemme know if any of that stuff is Sram or Shimano made. I mean, who knows these days?

 

[Wumpus]

DING DING!


Avid levers
Avid rear v-brake

Someone lemme know if any of that stuff is Sram or Shimano made. I mean, who knows these days?

You're going to have to get rid of your brakes.

 

[H8R]

You're going to have to get rid of your brakes.

WTF?

When did they buy them??

I'm sooo out of it.


Anyway, my brakes are like 5 years old at least, so it don't count.