Which brands have maintained or improved their products?

[El Chaba]

In the history of modern civilization, no company has ever moved production to Asia (excepting Japan) to improve quality. Michelin, Vittoria, Selcof, ITM, Carnac, etc....the list is long of once great cycling manufacturers whose products suffered greatly after outsourcing production to the far east...

[bicycletricycle]

How do you guys feel about Ritchey?

I think they went from low volume high quality to medium quality high volume and are now at the upper end of high volume medium quality.

that is confusing.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

How do you guys feel about Ritchey?

I think they went from low volume high quality to medium quality high volume and are now at the upper end of high volume medium quality.

that is confusing.

Seems they are doing well for who they are in the marketplace on their frames and complete bike builds - offering the custom/heritage options is pretty cool too.

Their upper-end finishing kit is right there with the best (and priced to match). And the mid-range WCS alloy stuff is some of the best value going.

It seems they are a bit lost in the shuffle when it comes to wheels though. Don't know if its a lack of marketing, or ??

And I haven't seen a saddle of theirs I've wanted to try in a decade or more.

[jemoryl]

Sometimes I wonder if most of the legacy bar-stem-seapost brands (I hesitate to use the word cockpit) - 3T, Deda, Ritchey, ITM, Zipp etc. are all produced it the same factory in Taiwan. Someone like Kalloy can make a nice light stem that sells for $25, so there must be some good margins on the stuff sold under the 'name' brands.

[veggieburger]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

In the history of modern civilization, no company has ever moved production to Asia (excepting Japan) to improve quality. Michelin, Vittoria, Selcof, ITM, Carnac, etc....the list is long of once great cycling manufacturers whose products suffered greatly after outsourcing production to the far east...

True, but maybe as an unintended consequence? The high-end carbon stems that were coming directly out of Italy were sloppy messes compared to their Taiwanese/Chinese counterparts. While I agree that the initial move was to save $$, the eventual outcome was a much more polished product.

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by veggieburger

True, but maybe as an unintended consequence? The high-end carbon stems that were coming directly out of Italy were sloppy messes compared to their Taiwanese/Chinese counterparts. While I agree that the initial move was to save $$, the eventual outcome was a much more polished product.

Which Italian carbon stems? Other than WR Compositi I am not aware of any carbon stems made in Italy, but there were quite a few Asian stems decorated as Italian brands....

[GonaSovereign]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Current Sora or Rival better than 1998 Record, because of design and materials?.......ahhhh, nope. Maybe QC but materials and design of at least Rival essentially the same, albeit more robust to reduce failures. SuperRecord last made in 1987 until 2009.

I keep forgetting a couple decades ago is still this basically the 21st century. My comment was meant for the Super Record of the 70's,80's. With that in mind, yes to materials and design. The 98 Record stuff is really good.

[veggieburger]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

Which Italian carbon stems? Other than WR Compositi I am not aware of any carbon stems made in Italy, but there were quite a few Asian stems decorated as Italian brands....

I used to work in the bike industry, and the first batch of 3Ts that came to our warehouse were from Italy, made in Italy. We placed an order for a dozen in each length from Milan weeks before. They looked fine from the outside, but the inside was gloopy and unfinished.

Obviously you never truly know where all the parts come from, but I'm quite confident these were...at the very least...assembled in Italia.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

In the history of modern civilization, no company has ever moved production to Asia (excepting Japan) to improve quality. Michelin, Vittoria, Selcof, ITM, Carnac, etc....the list is long of once great cycling manufacturers whose products suffered greatly after outsourcing production to the far east...

I am not sure if this is true but I can not think of a brand off hand. I think that taiwan probably makes the nicest aluminum frames currently available. The best lightweight forged and machined stems seem to come from taiwan. The taiwan deda stems are better than the CNC Newtons.

[jmoore]

ahem...

cough, cough

[SPOKE]

Originally Posted by sandyrs

Norco, at least in the US, has greatly improved its standing in the last couple years. I really like their current bikes.

I just finished building my carbon Search XR gravel bike. Inside the frame is very clean. This bike came with the Ultegra hydro mechanical kit and works very well. The ride quality is much better than I expected from a bike with 40mm wide tires. The steering is really light. It just goes where you want it to with a light lean or push on the bars. I'd buy another Norco....

[foggypeake]

Litespeed seems to have recovered somewhat from its diversion into carbon. I was sure they were going to die, but it looks like they have refocused their attention on titanium and recovered (to a degree).

But since the sale of the company by the Lynskeys, they will most likely never return to this glory:

[merckx]

Silca! Not the same company, but the current products are vastly superior. Expensive too.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by GonaSovereign

I keep forgetting a couple decades ago is still this basically the 21st century. My comment was meant for the Super Record of the 70's,80's. With that in mind, yes to materials and design. The 98 Record stuff is really good.

well, 1987 SR had lots of titanium parts on it..but I would hope design has 'improved' in the last 30 years...

[Hellgate]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

and yet Bicycling magazine persists

Amazing they are still around isn't it. The same rehashed "stories" for the past 40 years...

I miss Winning, RIP...

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