An All-American bike?

[rpm]

Given the state of the US economy and our balance of payments, I've been thinking a lot lately about buying more locally, or at least made in the USA. So, I'm wondering how close you could come to building a high-end bike completely out of parts made in the USA.

I'm thinking you could come pretty close. What I don't know is how much of the stuff made by U.S. component companies like SRAM and Zipp is actually made here.

How close could we come to an all-American bike?

[swoop]

check it out.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=42781&highlight=american+bike

[Mr. Butterworth]

This is a great idea that I've thought of as well. Here's what I know:

Any Zipp labeled wheel is still made here. Their facility in Indianapolis is pretty cool to see in action. That includes their cranks. Some Flashpoint parts are made overseas, as are their bars/stems.

Zero Gravity makes brakes in Georgia.

Thomson is US-made.

Reynolds and Edge both make products in the US, although not all.

WTB is a US-based company for saddles, but don't know if they are produced here.

You're going to be hard-pressed to find shifters, derailleurs, etc that are made state-side.

[rpm]

check it out.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=42781&highlight=american+bike

Oops. I was on vacation when that thread was posted.

[stevep]

WTB is a US-based company for saddles, but don't know if they are produced here.
.

not made here

[I Want Sachs?]

Given the state of the US economy and our balance of payments, I've been thinking a lot lately about buying more locally, or at least made in the USA. So, I'm wondering how close you could come to building a high-end bike completely out of parts made in the USA.

I'm thinking you could come pretty close. What I don't know is how much of the stuff made by U.S. component companies like SRAM and Zipp is actually made here.

How close could we come to an all-American bike?

You can come close, but make sure the builder and the component dealers ship their product to you via shipping companies that uses exclusively American planes, trucks, cars that run on American oil over roads paved with American sourced asphalt.

[Erik.Lazdins]

You can come close, but make sure the builder and the component dealers ship their product to you via shipping companies that uses exclusively American planes, trucks, cars that run on American oil over roads paved with American sourced asphalt.

Let me add this - I agree provided none of us gets hit, clipped, nudged, pegged, or sucked through the engines of any of these cars, trucks, semis, or jets delivering any of these goods! :beer: :beer: :beer:

[WadePatton]

You can come close, but make sure the builder and the component dealers ship their product to you via shipping companies that uses exclusively American planes, trucks, cars that run on American oil over roads paved with American sourced asphalt.
What in coots hell does that have to do with anything?

If a guy wants to maximize the domestic product in his bike then YIPPEE!!!

I'm all for it.

Does he have to research where the ore was mined for the metals involved and where the tools were made to mine that ore?

Give a dude/dudette a break.

[PCR]

I just bought a Gunnar... Wisconsin based.

[Lifelover]

Does it have to have gears?

[I Want Sachs?]

The point is that we live in a global world, and being regional is hard to do. Sometimes being regional create problems, and sometimes not.

Some of us likes to have things made only by self, family, same sex, same race, same religion, same state, same country, same continent, same specie (disliking robots). I guess if you like those thing, that is fine.

I do like handmade bike show, but also realize machine helps out on many aspect of the bike to a different degree. Essentially, nothing is totally handmade, or totally machine made. A cheap KMart bike would need a human to do part of the assembly as well. Does that make the bike handmade?

Back to the original quesion by OP, totally American bike is essentially impossible given how many little parts goes into a bike. :beer:

[Fixed]

Does it have to have gears?
fixed gear you might come closer
cheers .....

[Ken Robb]

I'm trying to rig a Muncie M-22 to shift my Allrounder's gears but no luck yet :D .

[WadePatton]

The point is that we live in a global world, and being regional is hard to do. Sometimes being regional create problems, and sometimes not.

Some of us likes to have things made only by self, family, same sex, same race, same religion, same state, same country, same continent, same specie (disliking robots). I guess if you like those thing, that is fine.

I do like handmade bike show, but also realize machine helps out on many aspect of the bike to a different degree. Essentially, nothing is totally handmade, or totally machine made. A cheap KMart bike would need a human to do part of the assembly as well. Does that make the bike handmade?

Back to the original quesion by OP, totally American bike is essentially impossible given how many little parts goes into a bike. :beer:


While I agree that a one-nation content bike is difficult--unless you're in the far east, I ask what's wrong with helping a rider maximize domestic content if that is his/her goal?

Just flat out saying "can't be done" isn't very helpful. And taking it to the level of "who made the saw (machine) that I cut the bamboo I grew in my backyard?" or "where were the constituent chemicals formulated to make the resin?" are taking things just a little teeny tad too far.

I'm not bent on fabbing a wholly USA domestic ride, but I do like to know what choices are out there--in order to choose wisely.

As far as gears go--WI makes a double freewheel and a double crankset--mix and match. :banana:

[Lanternrouge]

Reynolds and Edge both make products in the US, although not all.



I understand that Reynolds has moved its production facilities over the China. The Edge products are still made in the U.S.

[cmg]

"How close could we come to an all-American bike?" ................again?

[e-RICHIE]

"How close could we come to an all-American bike?" ................again?
unless it's made by an indian it's worthless atmo.

[davids]

unless it's made by an indian it's worthless atmo.The guy who pooped in that cave in Wyoming. He's old school.

[Charles M]

I did Lynskey with all Bontrager (bar,stem,post,wheels,cages) and SRAM...

Kinda drew a blank on good rubbers and chain. Nokons are just better than stockers, and well, I wasn't switching back to speedplay (love em, but I have Keo's on pretty much everything) or slapping on the M2 racers. And my ass is such an important part of my body...

I fully intended to go all american.

Then just thought "fark it". I don't mind a theme, right up till I have to sacrifice ride...