[bcrdukes]

Some of you touched on "Made in China/Taiwan" and less and less of Made in USA.

Fact of the matter is that manufacturing abilities, processes, and technologies are far more advanced in Asia than in the USA. American companies such as Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale, who were at one point at the forefront of an American manufacturing empire, nearly went bust because the quality was nowhere as good as their Asian counterparts (Giant is one of them who showed them what's up.) Cannondales were dubbed "Crackendales" at one point because their frames were known for cracking. And yeah, they were hand-made in the USA. Go figure.

There are so many factories in Asia these days who have the technology and raw materials and craftsmen who are capable of pumping out huge volumes of bicycles. Let alone the workmanship and quality of these bikes far surpass those of their American and Italian competitors. Don't be surprised if your Italian and American branded bicycle is manufactured in Taiwan or China.

Keep in mind - some of the higher end bikes are still manufactured in-house (i.e. Trek, Cannondale, Specialized etc.) but you need to remember that these are high-ticket bikes with low demand. Profit margins on current-year bikes are huge and it's normal for stores to make 30 to 40% on them. Shops have to be careful with what and how much they carry. Some shops need to meet quarterly, semi-annual, and/or annual sales targets in order to remain a dealer. It's tough to move high-ticket items/bikes as opposed to your run of the mill aluminum bicycle.