I have posted about lightweight bikes in the past, most notably a sub 7 pound Crumpton fixed gear. A 7-pound fixie is one thing, but a 7-pound complete road bike is just unbelievable. German cyclist Gunter Mai built just such a bike (3195 grams to be exact) and claims to ride it up to 1,000 kilometers a week. Read more about Gunter’s bike including the component specs at this VeloNews tech article.
Gunter’s bike may be custom all the way, but like me most of you probably ride stock bikes. If you own a bike from one of the big manufacturers and you are wondering where it was made, check out this site. Not all bike manufacturers are included, but it is a pretty comprehensive list and it is quite interesting to read. I should note that by posting this I am not implying that any bikes or brands are inferior just because they are made in Asia. Giant makes some great bikes under their own brand and for other brands in their Taiwanese and Chinese factories. I am certainly not bothered by the fact that my own Specialized S-Works road bike was made in Taiwan out of Italian tubing. As long as the frame is well designed and well made, the country of origin doesn’t matter that much to me. Still, it is better to know ahead of time than to find out after your purchase that your beloved Spanish or Italian racing bike actually was born in Asia. It is always better for manufacturers to be forthcoming.
Photo credit: Nils Wiedemann for VeloNews
Leave a Reply to Fritz Cancel reply