Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
If you can point me to where on the BMC site tubing quality and where the bikes are made are discussed? I thought mainland China. Taiwan is certainly better but no-name brand tubing doesn't inspire confidence. BMC, Surly, Soma, they're about the same. Decent but cheap frames. I don't know about the Roadini but have always thought that Rivendell is known for high quality steel framed bikes fabbed in the US, not really competing in the same segment of the market as BMC, etc.
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from the latest Riv catalog:
"We’re picky about who builds our frames. Of the
frame suppliers we’ve used over the years, few
have equaled and none have exceeded the quality,
precision, and consistency of the Rivendell frames
from our small-volume Taiwan builders. They build
to spec, and frames and forks get tested to rigorous,
objective standards by computer-controlled hydraulic
robots. What we learn from the tests, we apply to
the production frames. If you shop with an American
job-preserving conscience, consider that nobody
in America can deliver the combination of detail,
quality, consistency, and volume we require to stay
in business. Our Taiwan-built frames directly support
nine of 13 jobs here at Rivendell in Walnut Creek. "
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/14...27747902060761
From the Road frame page on Black Mtn:
"The steel used in the road frame is a heat-treated, double butted, 4130 chrome-moly tubing made by the leading steel tubing supplier in Taiwan. It’s tubing I specified for the ride quality I want and it rides great. "
https://blackmtncycles.com/frames/road-frames/
somewhere on one of the early blogs on the Black Mtn site, Mike discusses who makes it frames and forks... in regard to "no-name tubing", who does Riv use? Really not trying to be argumentative here, just saying... also, in the Riv catalog above, it seems to indicate only the custom Rivs are now made in the US. All others it seems are made over in Taiwan, I guess Waterford got too expensive for them.
** here is one post where Mike speaks a bit more on the tubesets he specs...
https://blackmtncycles.com/black-mou...rame-update-3/