[Grape Ape]

You have to consider more than just the country of origin. The factory that makes cheap Walmart bikes may not be anywhere near an environmentally friendly as the one that makes my Wabi.

That is an excellent point. I used to buy Redwing work boots. The last time I went to buy a pair some of them i found were made in China. When I asked the shoe guy about that he told me, Redwing uses a glue to make their boots that is no longer legal in the United States, due to the EPA regulations. So instead of finding a safe glue that has the same characteristics they decided to just send the work to China where they can use the glue.

I no longer wear Redwing boots. They are made in the USA, and it is a USA based company, but it is about ethics on some of these things. The material was determined to be unsafe for workers to be exposed to in the USA so instead of making it worker safe they made it unsafe for other workers. That is just not right in my book.

As for my Cannondale. I am very happy with the quality and feel it is worth more than what I paid for it. So I would have to say they are worth the price.

 

[Industry_Hack]

I asked Richard, the owner of Wabi Cycles, why he couldn't offer his new Special with chromed lugs. He explained that he could not find an environmentally approved chromer in Taiwan. If chromed lugs meant harming both the environment and the workers making his products, he would not offer them. When I posted this on another site, it was pretty much roundly agreed upon that he made the right decision, and deserved respect for that.

There are plenty of companies out there that don't respect their workers (Nike) or the environment. They should be avoided on principle, whether they are American, Canadian, or other.

 

[Farnsworth]

I asked Richard, the owner of Wabi Cycles, why he couldn't offer his new Special with chromed lugs. He explained that he could not find an environmentally approved chromer in Taiwan. If chromed lugs meant harming both the environment and the workers making his products, he would not offer them. When I posted this on another site, it was pretty much roundly agreed upon that he made the right decision, and deserved respect for that.

There are plenty of companies out there that don't respect their workers (Nike) or the environment. They should be avoided on principle, whether they are American, Canadian, or other.

I wish they would pass legislation to accommodate safe business practices as opposed to allowing a manufacturer to send it to China and continue poising the Earth and it's inhabitants.

 

[synack]

I wish they would pass legislation to accommodate safe business practices as opposed to allowing a manufacturer to send it to China and continue poising the Earth and it's inhabitants.

I think that's a very valid point. We can make substances illegal and manufacturers then send it to countries without human rights laws (or weak laws), what is really the point?

I think we should also make the outsourcing corporations provide a list of substances/chemicals used in their products when manufacturing is overseas.

 

[Industry_Hack]

I wish they would pass legislation to accommodate safe business practices as opposed to allowing a manufacturer to send it to China and continue poising the Earth and it's inhabitants.

You can express that sentiment very easily with your wallet.

 

[Georgewerr]

So you're saying that you will reward companies with poor business practices, even if it means paying more for lower quality?

How many other countries have you lived in?

You could buy a Nissan or Honda made by your fellow countrymen. Is that patriotic? Or would it be more patriotic to buy a Ford, many of which are made in Canada and Mexico?

If you buy a product from an overseas corp. where are the tax $$$ going to Japan or to our country that is in a free fall in deficit, Our country is trying to help us out of this bad time, We need to help them out

George

 

[Georgewerr]

I operate a fleet of US made Toyota Tacomas as delivery vehicles. They are some of the best trucks on the road. We get somewhere between 2 and 300,000 miles on them before retirement and even then, they still run fine. I've yet to have one develop any serious drivetrain problem.

Ya can't go wrong with a yota!

Powertrain your right on. How about those frames rusting and breaking in two or the spare tire coming off and hitting the car behind you.

George

 

[Georgewerr]

You can express that sentiment very easily with your wallet.

Hank I agree with this statement but how do we know in must cases, the public will never be informed.

 

[Industry_Hack]

If you buy a product from an overseas corp. where are the tax $$$ going to Japan or to our country that is in a free fall in deficit, Our country is trying to help us out of this bad time, We need to help them out

George

Huh? Please explain.

 

[Georgewerr]

Huh? Please explain.

Profits go overseas then that country taxes the earnings of business, the U.S. government does not receive a dime. Our workers are out of work and receiving unemployment but revenue that could help pay for this went elsewhere.

George

 

[Industry_Hack]

Profits go overseas then that country taxes the earnings of business, the U.S. government does not receive a dime. Our workers are out of work and receiving unemployment but revenue that could help pay for this went elsewhere.

George

So the basis of your argument is that the US government doesn't tax foreign companies doing business in the US? I don't think you understand how things actually work, so perhaps you better provide an example of your logic.

On a related note, American auto workers being out of work has far less to do with foreign competition than it does with poor management and bad business practices. As for non-automotive businesses, too many of them that are publicly held placed more importance on meeting quarterly projections than long-term sustainability.

 

[IanHighfield]

Profits go overseas then that country taxes the earnings of business, the U.S. government does not receive a dime. Our workers are out of work and receiving unemployment but revenue that could help pay for this went elsewhere.

George

Been reading these last few posts. George? are you an elderly World War 2 era gentleman? You sound like the old buggers I work with. The scene is passing you by. It's a world economy today. All companies who make large durable goods today are so internationally intertwined that to pick and choose British or American or Korean is hopeless and useless. If you want to stay in business, make a better mousetrap. Your own US car industry has actually improved its product greatly in the last 20 years because of Japanese competition. If it were not for this kick in the pants Detroit would have gone defunct a decade ago. And it would have taken all those jobs with it. You owe Japan a deep kowtow.

 

[Georgewerr]

Been reading these last few posts. George? are you an elderly World War 2 era gentleman? You sound like the old buggers I work with. The scene is passing you by. It's a world economy today. All companies who make large durable goods today are so internationally intertwined that to pick and choose British or American or Korean is hopeless and useless. If you want to stay in business, make a better mousetrap. Your own US car industry has actually improved its product greatly in the last 20 years because of Japanese competition. If it were not for this kick in the pants Detroit would have gone defunct a decade ago. And it would have taken all those jobs with it. You owe Japan a deep kowtow.

My grandpa served fighting these same japs in WW2 I am prood of him for this.

This may be a world economy but I can try and help my fellow Americans have and keep a job instead of helping someone in china to be able to afford there cardboard box. They need to feed there familys too but they are not being paid a living wage. We need to force anyone doing buisness in the U.S. to pay a living wage and to follow our enviromental laws instade of just dumping the crap on other countrys

I agree that the world economy has improved the products produced

Yes I bought my 2 Cannondales for the labal on the stays Handmade in the U.S.A. also my Trek say this on its seat stays.

Happy Cycling
George

 

[Georgewerr]

So the basis of your argument is that the US government doesn't tax foreign companies doing business in the US? I don't think you understand how things actually work, so perhaps you better provide an example of your logic.

On a related note, American auto workers being out of work has far less to do with foreign competition than it does with poor management and bad business practices. As for non-automotive businesses, too many of them that are publicly held placed more importance on meeting quarterly projections than long-term sustainability.

I never brought up automotive workers, How can our companys compete when Chinas labor laws are so lax that they walk all over there workers.

How can anyone recieve unemployment insurance if there is no income coming into the goverment. All work is moving overseas, people are being laidoff. Overseas companys pay taxes to there country not ours. unemployed Americans have no income and not paying income taxes. if your employed are you willing to make up the shortfall I'm not willing to.

I sound like a protectionist this is not my intent I'm not asking anyone else to have my logic I'm just explaning mine.

George

 

[Georgewerr]

Hi everyone,

I'm new on this site. This conversation is starting to get touchy so I'm not going to post on this thread anymore. being new I dont want to piss anyone off yet. I will save that for when everyone knows me beter.

George

 

[Industry_Hack]

My grandpa served fighting these same japs in WW2 I am prood of him for this.

This may be a world economy but I can try and help my fellow Americans have and keep a job instead of helping someone in china to be able to afford there cardboard box. They need to feed there familys too but they are not being paid a living wage. We need to force anyone doing buisness in the U.S. to pay a living wage and to follow our enviromental laws instade of just dumping the crap on other countrys

I agree that the world economy has improved the products produced

Yes I bought my 2 Cannondales for the labal on the stays Handmade in the U.S.A. also my Trek say this on its seat stays.

Happy Cycling
George

I think you should stick to discussions about bicycles. Is it safe to assume that you are a student?

 

[Georgewerr]

I think you should stick to discussions about bicycles. Is it safe to assume that you are a student?

To many assumptions first I'm old now i'm a student, I'm 42 - Thanks for the compliment

George

 

[Industry_Hack]

To many assumptions first I'm old now i'm a student, I'm 42 - Thanks for the compliment

George

You should switch to Firefox.

 

[Georgewerr]

You should switch to Firefox.

Explain

 

[Industry_Hack]

Explain

It can't fix grammar, but it does have a spell check feature.