Interesting Giant Factory Video Tour with Ben Delaney

[jkbrwn]

Super interesting short video touring Giant’s carbon assembly factory.

https://youtu.be/aLgPYzwlVh4?si=-h9TuFlWs2OlK8ws

Well worth 13 minutes of your time.

[Veloo]

Thanks for posting.
X-raying 100% of the carbon forks made. Wow.
Wish they showed more but that was actually a surprising amount already.

[Nomadmax]

If I were going to ride a CF bike, it'd be a Giant.

[Buzz Killington]

Tour guide says it takes 3-4 minutes to test one fork and they only have one operator. Even if they do it for 3 shifts per day for 365 days, is it possible to really test all the forks they mentioned?

[54ny77]

that was super cool. thanks for posting!

gives a far greater appreciation for all that entails. handmade, in scale.

from toray thread to putting an assembled bike in a box, a to z.

[eddief]

My heart goes out to those factory workers doing some of those steps all damn day. Wrapping carbon pieces to make the frame and did you see those handlebar tape wrapping ladies?

[StressStrain]

Originally Posted by Nomadmax

If I were going to ride a CF bike, it'd be a Giant.

I hear Giant makes frames for many other brands, so on the upside, you don't have to buy a Giant to ride a Giant.

[benb]

Originally Posted by Buzz Killington

Tour guide says it takes 3-4 minutes to test one fork and they only have one operator. Even if they do it for 3 shifts per day for 365 days, is it possible to really test all the forks they mentioned?

They didn't say how many of those rooms they have.

[benb]

Awesome video. This is one to trot out to show anyone who insists on making derogatory remarks about Asian companies/brands. However I thought at least one of the European companies (Time or Look?) was doing their own weave -> sheet -> prepreg, but maybe they stoppped doing so.

It's almost bonkers that a manufacturing setup that sophisticated is basically used to make glorified toys for us.

I believe think my Trek was built there. I test rode at least one Giant before buying that current Trek but the dealers around me aren't that great for Giant. The nearest one is literally at the end of my street, but they really don't carry that many of the nicer road bikes, they focus a bit more on the modest bikes for everyday people. The next nearest Giant dealer basically holds Giants up as their cheap bikes for cheap people and tries to get you into a Euro brand as hard as they can.

FWIW I have had 3 Giants. My first real MTB was an Iguana, then I had an NRS, and I had a TCR Composite when they were brand new.

[2000m2]

That's really impressive and cool to see. Thanks for posting!

[benb]

Originally Posted by eddief

My heart goes out to those factory workers doing some of those steps all damn day. Wrapping carbon pieces to make the frame and did you see those handlebar tape wrapping ladies?

Kind of an amazing step. A lot of manual (but highly skilled and critical) labor in the middle of an extremely space age production process.

I wonder how well the layup schedule workers are paid.. it's a super critical step.

[sweitee]

Originally Posted by benb

Awesome video. This is one to trot out to show anyone who insists on making derogatory remarks about Asian companies/brands. However I thought at least one of the European companies (Time or Look?) was doing their own weave -> sheet -> prepreg, but maybe they stoppped doing so.

Time does weave their own but their method is fairly different. They weave 3D 'socks' rather than sheets in a bidirectional pattern from the outset. You can see their loom in this video.

Edit: Here's a video showing Time's factory size and layup process for comparison. I think I've read in the past that this method makes for marginally heavier carbon fiber frames.

[FriarQuade]

Originally Posted by Buzz Killington

Tour guide says it takes 3-4 minutes to test one fork and they only have one operator. Even if they do it for 3 shifts per day for 365 days, is it possible to really test all the forks they mentioned?

If every fork takes 3 minutes they could do 175,200 forks a year. Assuming they don't shut down for Chinese New Year. They opened the video with calling it a million bike factory. That would mean that either only 17.5% of the bikes are getting a carbon fork that's subject to that inspection or there's more than one of those stations or ....

Originally Posted by eddief

My heart goes out to those factory workers doing some of those steps all damn day.

It takes all types of people to make the world work. I spent all afternoon welding T bolts for the HAG together. I'd much rather be hiding behind my welding hood than sitting in my office doing things that might add more value to the business but aren't anywhere close to enjoyable to me personally. #ihatespreadsheets