We Went To Taiwan & Started A Bike Company... 

where can I buy Tiwan source Book ??

Much aggression. So tough. Very impressed. Wow.

This video is hypothetical. no jobs are lost to a chinese person you can go MAGA yourself in a corner.

53sled Even if the video Is hypothetical you cant say the situation isn't real. How many bikes are made in the US now? The largest maker of frames for companies is Giant...chinese! They take our jobs. Poison our children and pets then use the profits to buy our realistate! Whatever MAGA is , Im not ashamed to have no idea what you mean. Just millenial doublespeak. My generation had no problem speaking whats on our minds. Example? FUCK YOU!

I totally would have pegged you for a trump voter. Perhaps you are the my vote doesn't matter but I'm going to bitch about stuff on youtube anyway type.

Oliver Batchelor You're smart, that could be true, but the guy who started Allied, made here in USA, said when he worked for Specialized (? someone correct me if I'm wrong), the trips to Asia, for QC, and the stupidest little stuff, it was easier to build them here in the States. He said if he wants to change something on a frame line, he can just walk out in his factory and change it. Where the hurdles he had to jump through in Asia were unbearable.

i dont think what he says maybe true,cause u never go through ,talking only can be very easy

Thanks for the feedback. It means a lot to us that people, such as yourself, who've "been there and done that" on the factory level feel that we hit the mark. Much appreciated. We're always aiming to hit that mark, but it's a big story to squeeze into a video of this length. Cheers.

It's the same with China in other industries. Either you micro-manage, be the PIA and dad at the same time, or you probably will fail. They either will run down your products, or someone else will take your company.

Mr808Late Nope.

Rob Melvin - Exactly, LOL... I've done this VERY thing, just not with frames. And, I never had to leave the States, it was done all online over video chat and on the phone. It was actually just as easy as this video is trying to say "It isn't".. NOW... Don't get me wrong... If you're trying to start out with a colossal corporation style structure, and trying to immediately jump into the top 10 brands of any given industry, then of course its "not that easy". lol But, if you're a small outfit just wanting to make a living, penetrate into the market, and start building your brand, then yes, it is that easy. :) Look at the years, the way, and HOW each of tnt following companies started: - Fit Bike Co. (BMX) Stated as a VERY small brand way back by a rider who teamed up wth a money group. Now they're colossal. - NEW: Cult Bikes (BMX) Originator of Fit Bikes, got tired of the way Fit was going, and branched out and re-started "Cult". With the way they brand, two riders they pick up, and the way they market in the industry, they EASILY captured market share and are a quickly rising company. - Snafu (BMX) used to be a tiny little operation with not much to offer. They scaled up, and are now a high end parts company that provides huge market share. - Sunday (BMX) - ands literally 1000's of others started off the same small way, then scaled larger and larger into the he companies they are today (like the companies listed above). It's not so much about "best quality" anymore, as it is about "honorable warranties and really, really, really cool riders that are in the 'in' crowd within the market's audience". There are some TERRRRRIBLE quality frames, parts, and etc out there right now that cost more than better parts/quality. But, because they have the "cool guys" pushing and riding their brand, everyone jumps on tbe bandwagon like a freaking clique in high school, haha. So, the moral of the story in the BMX industry always seems to be: - f*ck supreme quality, decent quality is good enough. - If you provide a virtually 'no questions asked' warranty system, everyone automatically thinks your the shit and that your products are insanely awesome (even though they're incomparable to the top 10 durable products in the market). - Get really cool guys that are wild, funny, and gimmicky to ride your products and promote your brands and you'll gain a massive cult-like following out of nowhere because brand and image mean EVERYTHING in riding now. Who gives a shit about safety, quality, and ingenuity anymore!? pshhhh... - Pay your riders well so they'll keep their mouths shut about the operation of the inner workings within the company, and they'll continue to promote your brand regardless of how shitty it is. hehe (This is my experience with the BMX industry. We started producing and selling the parts and products we have, over 10 years ago. We're now a major player within the BMX industry aftermarket sect, and I honestly have no idea how. lol. Our parts are made the same as everyone else's, our factory is the same as everyone elses, and the only difference between us and the next leading 5 guys is the looks of it products and the way we image ourselves within the industry, haha). So, to anyone watching this video: don't let it shit on your dreams. As long as you plan ahead for scalability, and you have a solid branding plan and way to step up the image of your small company, then go for it! :)

OSP K9 I never get it why I should buy stuff some pro rider uses. most of them don't even have a choice, hahaha.

"It's not so much about "best quality" anymore, as it is about "honorable warranties and really, really, really cool riders that are in the 'in' crowd within the market's audience" Never a truer work spoken!

@@strikeforcek9149 Actually QC on custom bike frames are a very different story to random bike componentry, and if you HAD tried to do what the video was about, you'd have found that out yourself 1st hand. I tried the China direct container purchase method, but the quality of the stock was very hit or miss, and then a couple years ago I partnered up with a colleague on a venture to make hand built, high quality, custom FS Ebike frames in Asia, and there was a myriad of problems that needed to be addressed, from the blueprints/plan stage, to the actual assembly of the bike frames. Instead of using Taiwanese or Chinese frames and factories plus the issues with that, we went with a small independent custom frame maker in Lombok, Indonesia. He can make pretty much any frame style you can imagine, (even bamboo frames if you like,) and personally supervises his workforce of welders and painters etc, so his QC standard is higher than most factories. However despite all the pre-thought, we nevertheless had a post-manufacture issue with needing to add more steering clearance when using dual crown forks. This meant each frame needed to be re-done and have a more tapered panel welded to the newly modified head tube, top tube and down tube to fix the issue, (even though the frame wasn't originally specified for a triple clamp.) Add to that the fact that Lombok was hit by a series of killer earthquakes that paralyzed the Island, and you can see why someone would have to be there to keep things moving, (time is money too,) as well as quality up, ok perhaps not physically on the ground in an Earthquake, but def right after, or something like that could derail a fledgling company if administered remotely. Even componentry needs close supervision as I find out to my cost. Once a shady Chinese manufacturer specced a bike out with a "normal industry type bottom bracket." I mean who checks a brand new BB if it's not creaking? Most assume that nowadays when even a base level industry BB, a sealed bearings Sq taper is sub $10, there'd be no room for a manufacturer to "cheap out," well think again, beautiful hydroformed alum frame, lovely matte black and blue paint job and... POS generic chinese version, caged bearing, FRENCH bottom bracket!! Yup, French, unbelievable. He probably sourced them for next to nothing and figured "why not?" That's the problem, finding out just where the Chinese factory cut the corners to enable such a cheap price. If you check carefully it will always be there and you REALLY DON'T want to be Stateside, unloading a shipping container of them, when you DO discover it!

Yeah, you could literally make a new bike brand by just making your logo in MS Paint and sending it to a manufacturer in China along with some cash and your home address. They will do the rest and get the bikes shipped to your door in a month or two, depending on how many bikes your ordered and with which parts.

Yea! But I guess it's easier to bitch about us jobs disappearing while continuing to source from low-cost Asia...

how did i not see that. Lmao!!

I guess it's lunch break

I know this video is old but I just rewatched it and noticed that haha. They have a nap time at most manufacturers in Asia for every type of product.

AL China shit sucks not worth 10 $

40-50$.. OK, on the factory? on the port? Add import tax, transport, quality control, etc.

Careful on how they would tell you what you want to hear to get you in first, then add up as you discover what you don't want down the road. Bait and switch is a popular game they play there.

hahha

very common for asian to have micro-naps during work :)

I know. I'm asian.

me too. We don't have comfortable floors where I work. I suppose I could drive my van to the office instead of ride bike bike though. :)

LOL - I wonder about the working conditions there...

Flex LCS. Or... IS it that easy and they want less competitors-haha!

@@jmanswat2457 They are actually doing you a favor by telling you how not to get ripped off. The video contained commentary from more than just bike company representatives.

Best of luck! Where is your shop?

Same here. Many people came to me sayin the typical 'you better go china and get the bikes done cheaper'... Which is not. I'm a very little bike maker and I don't want to mess around with huge numbers. Thanks to this video, now I can see light at the end of the tunnel!

If you ever choose to start a bike company send me a frame and I will crash test it for you 😂

It's also worth adding that the macho nature of the bicycle industry can be explained quite simply by the fact that the only women in this video are the ones with their jugs out handing out marketing materials.

You're spot on, RAGBRAI (ride across Iowa, 10,000 registered riders, 5-7,000 unregistered and daily riders) this year, 2018, our team had 3 riders come over from the Netherlands, a mother, her son and his wife. The mother, 60ish, had a 20 yr old 'scrapper' of an aluminium bike that she chugged along with everyday the 450 miles of the ride, I couldn't believe how heavy it was compared to mine, but I'm like you said, all about performance, get a new bike every 4-5 years, and constantly upgrading what I have. That was what she said they rode everyday in Holland. Think her son had a newer bike. You get an A on your thesis project.

Netherlands I meant.

But the bit you are missing is that in the Netherlands there are cycle lanes everywhere that separate cars and bikes and so it is safe for everyone to cycle. I live in London and although some bike lanes are being built and more people are cycling still many/most people find cycling in busy traffic too intimidating. So the average person does bot use a bicycle as their main means of transport, even though it would be much faster than bus transport and good for the environment. A majority of the people who cycle regularly in London are men in professional jobs who commute into Central London to/from their office jobs. They are well paid and like high performance bikes so buy loads of carbon fibre racers. Thus the focus of bike companies on selling high margin £1000+ carbon fibre racers.

In my city where urban line bikes have appeared and the planners started out spacious the bikes look attractive and welcoming in rows. Generally the media are attacking all two wheeled transport. No one over 6' 1" can find a ridable, upright-seated highway bike off the big fours' racks or Harley or Italy that gets seventy miles to the gallon. They won't spring for a tall visor, a sixth gear, and a medium sized engine because they fetishize option so as to divide, divide, divide attention while people buy the bike AND THE LOAN for the bike in the same sitting.

So even you came here checkin chances?! XD

Skills With Phil now that you mention it, they DO both have the handlebar mustache...

I swear

think about how many freakin bike companies in the world there are x how many produced x then how many are actually made this fashion and rebranded.... your bike will look like everyone else's bike and cost 3 x more..... I think starting a bike company in which you cant actually produce your own bikes, is a terrible idea.... ^^

Ya. I lost track of how many "Kickstater" bikes/e-bikes I've seen recently that are nothing but rebranded bikes that have been on AliExpress or Alibaba for several years now. All being touted at 2-3x the price as new and unique or custom.

C. Lincoln maitais he said. Real men drink beer.

They actually do build it, they design and prototype it in the lab (most big manufacturers do) but mass production is done in Taiwan as its much easier and cheaper than putting money in a manufacturing plant.

v1d300 yeah, I know that, but I guess I imagined that their manufacturing was done in house. Almost every other industry works the same way, but I guess I just thought bicycle companies were different. Mainly because the biking community is just so hipster. I'm okay with manufacturing being done this way though, cuts cost, which means frames can be sold for less.

haha same. I think that's because I've seen videos of the devici and trek factory

Ryan Burston I haven't specifically seen these videos. However, I'm tempted to say there's at least a few companies that don't outsource their manufacturing. But who knows?

There are, small companies like Nicolai for example, smaller production-higher quality imo.

Do you just visit the factory and they just allow you to enter it? Or do they allow you to set up a small area as your office space inside the factory and you stay there the whole time to check the product?

Hi Unix Based, I want to ask you a few questions regarding your wheel company and how you started it. Can you please let me know how to contact you ?

How old are you? How much money you have?