China is where Japan was 40 years ago. Remember when "made in Japan" was synonomous with poor quality. The problem China has is that they are going to get old really quickly - just like Japan.

In 1978 China implemented the one-child rule. For some stupid reason, many little girls were aborted. Now there are 119 men for every 100 women in China. Their population has a huge demographic disconnect - too many men, not enough children, and no immigration!! Plus they're commies!! And the coastal cities have tasted a little freedom and economic success (the rural inland areas are still poor). You can't unring that bell.

Japan has the same age problem, but not the male/female problem. Back in the 70's and 80's, Japan was going to dominate the world economy for decades to come. Now they're old, they have no immigration and their youth are unwilling to work the 80 hours/week that their mothers and fathers did.

I see China falling into the same trap, except a percentage of their population is going to have to become homosexual as there aren't enough women for all those single-child men.

Good luck China, you're going to need it.

I have a 22-year-old Colnago and a 20-year-old carbon fiber Peugeot, both with Campy Super Record. There's little doubt where any one part of the two bicycles was manufactured.

I thought Maserati was partly made in China. Or was it that a bunch of rich Chinese (rich off American $$$) in China were driving Maseratis?

If the former and not necessarily the ladder, don't worry, Ferraris will soon be made there too. ;)

China has a lot more time to enjoy its reign before it suffers Japan's fate. While I'd be worried about a country with such an enormous military full of men who can't find wives (even if they invaded some neighbors and sold all the women into wife-slavery, it wouldn't make a dent in the problem), they have so many people, that even with one child per family, they will be able to go on and on for a long time. Japan is in huge trouble and the only solution now is to either open the floodgates to immigration or start practicing polygamy. China has more than 10x Japan's population! Oh, and the one child per family policy can be gotten around by paying a fine. THink rich folks aren't doing that?

It is very simple, curb the demand for it and they will not make it. Thing is American brands are manufacturing in China to sell in the US. You do not see too many Chinese brands here.

Chinese engineering and R&D is getting very good and better every day. Take a look at Microsofts R&D center there, it is top notch.

Like it or not, they are going to be a large player, if not the largest in the global economy. Better to engage and learn to work with them than to be ethnocentric to your own demise.

BTW, we make some crappy stuff too...

Trek's website clearly states their frames are made in USA - but my Trek FX had the Made in China sticker-

I removed it...


rjp

I said this in the Chinese car thread...laugh all you want. The game is pretty much over and we've pretty much lost.

Not only that, they don't dick around when somebody screws up:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a8LoFM2DyRbM&refer=asia

Low end Trek frames are made in China. Almost everyone's are.

They're certainly doing that part right. We have to go through 15+ years of appeals and millions of dollars in taxpayer cost just to get a confessed serial killer or axe murderer offed. Then deal with their kin suing the government because it took too long to find a vein.

What, Free Market is only good when it benefits the US? Open Economy, capitalism and expanisism only goes one way? Should we up tariff proetctions? They will beat us with by our own (g)creed. Who here hasnt bought a $19.95 power saw or a $500 PC?

Im sure many of us are old enough to remember Deming, "Jap Crap" and the lessons wrought on the US auto industry, the Swiss watch industry, and the global electronics indusrty to name but a few....

Low end should be. For low-end and recreational riders.

To add: would you truly pay Trek $8,000+ knowing this was made in China?
http://www2.trekbikes.com/images/bik...l69_pewter.jpg
I wouldn't. I'd have a frame built for me before shelling out that kind of money.

I wouldn't buy any Trek (especially multiple thousands for a cf frame), but that's just me. I'd buy a used steel frame made by a small builder. If I were going to spend serious coin (say $5K) it would be Moots.

Where's all that Harbor Freight stuff from???

Yeah, and iPods and iPhones and TVs and stuff.

All crap? Blanket statements are seldom factual.

The recent unfortunate discoveries of ill-produced Chinese products will be the catalyst for positive change, and that's good for everyone in the long run.

Now all we (U.S.) have to do is figure out how to better compete in the world economy.

Sherwood

I had some grille badges made in China for my internet board last year. The quality was absolutely superb and they turned the finished order around in under 7 days INCLUDING shipping back to the UK. The badges are still on the cars no problems. I'm not kidding, they are like jewellery - flawless.

Around the same time, I bought another badge from a different board that was made in the USA. The back snapped off it after a week on the car. Would I say all US-made stuff is low quality? Of course not, but the same goes for China.

I have an '83 Chevy RV and the quality of the chassis 24 years later is incredible - it's like a new unit. I have quite a bit of other US-made stuff too and a lot of it is also pretty good, but the point of origin is no longer a guarantee of quality, high or low.

"I had some grille badges made in China for my internet board last year."

Some of our Porsche grill badges are made in China. Any complaints there?

Sherwood

We do compete. We compete in the realm of ideas, satisfying needs, new technologies.

Sure, China builds it. But do they conjure up the ideas, research and engineering that lead to what they build? No.

The brain trust is here.

Yes I know, but a lot of our consumer dollars are going over there. In that respect, we could do a lot better.

Sherwood

FWIW, I have a BMW factory tank bag for my bike that costs $280-$300 at the dealer. My fiance got some on a Chinese website for around $60 each and we will probably put them in our eBay store for a tody profit. They look factory new and the one I have is made in China too. They are OEM and super quality. Will report back when I have them in hand.

The teardrop bag?