Blue Collar life's matter also .
Try finding a Millennial that is willing to do skilled trade labor ?
It's a dying breed .
Future Rat Rod Schwinn
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Try finding a Millennial that is willing to do skilled trade labor ?
It's a dying breed .
I think it would be awesome if america reinvented the simple durable bicycle. Not the cheapest (at least at first) and not all plastic and crappy china parts, (if we even see such stuff again).
Think Ford model T, Murray, Huffy and AMF bikes. Good old coaster brake, fine for most riders to start with.
That's what this bike will be, a shopping bike.
It does not need to be a boat anchor, but should be made of recycled material and able to be easily recycled as well.
Developing countries did not have to build out extensive landline telephone systems, but went to cell phones first.
We could cast wheels and frames from recycled aluminum cans, ect. Reduce number and complexity of component parts, and standardize specs maybe open source the design drawings.
What would result could re-industrialize America. A grass roots rebuild of capacity and skill building on a basement and garage workshop level. Over 100 years ago, bicycle production led to aircraft and automobile invention.
Think Ford model T, Murray, Huffy and AMF bikes. Good old coaster brake, fine for most riders to start with.
That's what this bike will be, a shopping bike.
It does not need to be a boat anchor, but should be made of recycled material and able to be easily recycled as well.
Developing countries did not have to build out extensive landline telephone systems, but went to cell phones first.
We could cast wheels and frames from recycled aluminum cans, ect. Reduce number and complexity of component parts, and standardize specs maybe open source the design drawings.
What would result could re-industrialize America. A grass roots rebuild of capacity and skill building on a basement and garage workshop level. Over 100 years ago, bicycle production led to aircraft and automobile invention.
MazdaFlyer
Like “RadioFlyer”
I think it would be awesome if america reinvented the simple durable bicycle. Not the cheapest (at least at first) and not all plastic and crappy china parts, (if we even see such stuff again).
Think Ford model T, Murray, Huffy and AMF bikes. Good old coaster brake, fine for most riders to start with.
That's what this bike will be, a shopping bike.
It does not need to be a boat anchor, but should be made of recycled material and able to be easily recycled as well.
Developing countries did not have to build out extensive landline telephone systems, but went to cell phones first.
We could cast wheels and frames from recycled aluminum cans, ect. Reduce number and complexity of component parts, and standardize specs maybe open source the design drawings.
What would result could re-industrialize America. A grass roots rebuild of capacity and skill building on a basement and garage workshop level. Over 100 years ago, bicycle production led to aircraft and automobile invention.
Good points. If you take a look at the history of Detroit Bikes they are trying to do what you speak of. They are about more than just the controversial “Repop” Schwinn.
My guess would be 3 guys to run the robot welding line, 3 guys to prep and box for shipping to Asia for assembly, and the rest is up to international shippers and Chinese teenagers.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
This is a great option for Canadian buyers.
https://curbsidecycle.com/blogs/blo...makes all of their,at a hand-selected factory.
Again, not cheap, and sometimes they skimp on the components, but it's a North American factory, getting the aluminum from a North American plant
"Devinci makes all of their bikes over $1000 (which is a lot) in Chicoutimi, Quebec - made with Canadian aluminum and Canadian hands. Everything else is made overseas at a hand-selected factory"
Just rode an aluminum Chameleon last weekend, they're really nice frames
https://curbsidecycle.com/blogs/blo...makes all of their,at a hand-selected factory.
Again, not cheap, and sometimes they skimp on the components, but it's a North American factory, getting the aluminum from a North American plant
"Devinci makes all of their bikes over $1000 (which is a lot) in Chicoutimi, Quebec - made with Canadian aluminum and Canadian hands. Everything else is made overseas at a hand-selected factory"
Just rode an aluminum Chameleon last weekend, they're really nice frames
Here's a couple of business articles I found. 1 to 3 years old tho. Most "hits" found were written by Detroit bikes themselves.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/phot...es-builds-rides-for-the-nation-s-urban-jungle
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes...y-of-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-a/#60e3613836af
https://www.marketingsupply.co/blog/detroit-bikes-growth-partner-spotlight/
Bloomberg July 15, 2016 ,"After buying a 50,000-square-foot factory on the West Side of Detroit, Zak Pashak began making bicycles in 2013. It was a risk, as most bike making had moved outside the U.S. beginning more than a generation ago. Yet Detroit Bikes’ contract with Motivate, the company that runs bike-sharing programs in 12 metro areas, including New York Citi Bike, has helped put Pashak’s company on pace to churn out 10,000 bikes this year. In doing so he’ll employ 50 people in a city with 10 percent unemployment, about double the national rate. Detroit Bikes also makes bicycles that are sold under its own label. The A-Type model, a utilitarian, matte-black frame, three speeds, and a rear rack with the Detroit Bikes logo, costs $700. A women’s version, the B-Type, comes in white and mint. The company plans to start selling a new design, the racing-oriented C-Type, later this summer. The A-Type and B-Type will soon get more gears and colors. "
Forbes, Jun 12, 2017 ,"Zak Pashak, 37, built a successful career in Canada running concert venues and a popular yearly music festival called Sled Island. But he grew bored with the business and after failing in a 2010 run for Calgary’s city council, he seized on the idea of promoting urban cycling. In 2011 he moved to Detroit, a city that had fascinated him as a child, and launched a company, Detroit Bikes, based on a contrarian idea. Though 99% of the bicycles sold in the U.S. are imported from Asia, he thought he could manufacture a superior commuter bike and market it to socially and environmentally conscious city riders. But Detroit Bikes has yet to turn a profit, posting a $150,000 loss on 2016 revenue of $3.5 million. In this interview, which has been edited and condensed, he describes the mistakes he made as he tried to realize his vision. "
marketingsupply.co June 12th, 2019 "Detroit Bikes started in 2011 when entrepreneur Zak Pashak saw a need for a high-quality, practical, and accessible bike made in the U.S. After surveying the bike market and noticing that it was dominated by poorly-made, foreign-manufactured products, Pashak moved to the Motor City to build his dream ride. Canada-born Pashak was naturally drawn to Detroit for its burgeoning entrepreneurship scene and rich manufacturing history—he saw it as the perfect place to open his manufacturing factory and start producing high-quality bikes built for life.
The Detroit Bikes Difference
Detroit Bikes is the only bike manufacturer in Detroit, and the only company operating a fully-functional, large-scale bike frame factory in the U.S. Considering that 99 percent of bikes sold in the U.S. are made overseas (and only come back to America for branding), Detroit Bikes is unlike any other manufacturer. The Detroit Bikes team is dedicated to making the bike buying and assembly experience as simple and accessible as possible. A Detroit Bike ships to your door 99 percent assembled, and comes equipped with an instructional assembly video to help you finish the one percent of assembly at home.
With the motto, “We believe that streets are best explored on two wheels,” Pashak wants to help transform Detroit into the motorless city. Detroit Bikes makes seven different types of commuter and utility bikes to ensure that there’s a style for every rider. If you’re a city-dweller looking for a bike built for exploring and commuting, for example, they have the A-Type, the B-type, and the Sparrow. If you’re looking for a trail-to-city ride, the Axel and Cortello bikes are made for you. Detroit Bikes also caters to Motor City enthusiasts with the Limited Edition line, which features a Detroit Lions bike, a Faygo bike, a Detroit City FC bike, and a Slow Roll bike. To that end, Detroit Bikes also offers custom branding and fleet sales—their factory can produce ten to 10,000 bikes per fleet. The Detroit Foundation Hotel, Detroit Mercy, and Big Rock Brewery all have custom Detroit Bikes fleets, providing their guests, students, and customers with a customized mode of transportation.
Inside the Detroit Bikes Factory
The 50,000-square-foot Detroit Bikes Factory is a bike lover’s paradise. Located in the heart of Detroit, it can produce up to 150 bikes per day, and assemble another 400. At the heart of Detroit Bikes’ lineup is the U.S. Chromoly bike line. These bikes are 100 percent produced at the Detroit factory and are a true representation of Detroit Bikes’ dedication to craftsmanship. These bikes are made from American chromoly steel, which is typically used for race car roll ages. By using a thin tubing of chromoly steel in the bike frame, the U.S. Chromoly bike is both lightweight and strong—which makes for a top-of-the-line riding experience. Complete assembly and wheel-building on the A-Type, B-Type, Axel, and Sparrow bikes is also done at the Detroit factory, plus original equipment manufacturing and high-volume bicycle assembly services."
I think this is a "hipster" kind of thing. I'm thinking more arts and crafts, homegrown enterprise.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/phot...es-builds-rides-for-the-nation-s-urban-jungle
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes...y-of-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-a/#60e3613836af
https://www.marketingsupply.co/blog/detroit-bikes-growth-partner-spotlight/
Bloomberg July 15, 2016 ,"After buying a 50,000-square-foot factory on the West Side of Detroit, Zak Pashak began making bicycles in 2013. It was a risk, as most bike making had moved outside the U.S. beginning more than a generation ago. Yet Detroit Bikes’ contract with Motivate, the company that runs bike-sharing programs in 12 metro areas, including New York Citi Bike, has helped put Pashak’s company on pace to churn out 10,000 bikes this year. In doing so he’ll employ 50 people in a city with 10 percent unemployment, about double the national rate. Detroit Bikes also makes bicycles that are sold under its own label. The A-Type model, a utilitarian, matte-black frame, three speeds, and a rear rack with the Detroit Bikes logo, costs $700. A women’s version, the B-Type, comes in white and mint. The company plans to start selling a new design, the racing-oriented C-Type, later this summer. The A-Type and B-Type will soon get more gears and colors. "
Forbes, Jun 12, 2017 ,"Zak Pashak, 37, built a successful career in Canada running concert venues and a popular yearly music festival called Sled Island. But he grew bored with the business and after failing in a 2010 run for Calgary’s city council, he seized on the idea of promoting urban cycling. In 2011 he moved to Detroit, a city that had fascinated him as a child, and launched a company, Detroit Bikes, based on a contrarian idea. Though 99% of the bicycles sold in the U.S. are imported from Asia, he thought he could manufacture a superior commuter bike and market it to socially and environmentally conscious city riders. But Detroit Bikes has yet to turn a profit, posting a $150,000 loss on 2016 revenue of $3.5 million. In this interview, which has been edited and condensed, he describes the mistakes he made as he tried to realize his vision. "
marketingsupply.co June 12th, 2019 "Detroit Bikes started in 2011 when entrepreneur Zak Pashak saw a need for a high-quality, practical, and accessible bike made in the U.S. After surveying the bike market and noticing that it was dominated by poorly-made, foreign-manufactured products, Pashak moved to the Motor City to build his dream ride. Canada-born Pashak was naturally drawn to Detroit for its burgeoning entrepreneurship scene and rich manufacturing history—he saw it as the perfect place to open his manufacturing factory and start producing high-quality bikes built for life.
The Detroit Bikes Difference
Detroit Bikes is the only bike manufacturer in Detroit, and the only company operating a fully-functional, large-scale bike frame factory in the U.S. Considering that 99 percent of bikes sold in the U.S. are made overseas (and only come back to America for branding), Detroit Bikes is unlike any other manufacturer. The Detroit Bikes team is dedicated to making the bike buying and assembly experience as simple and accessible as possible. A Detroit Bike ships to your door 99 percent assembled, and comes equipped with an instructional assembly video to help you finish the one percent of assembly at home.
With the motto, “We believe that streets are best explored on two wheels,” Pashak wants to help transform Detroit into the motorless city. Detroit Bikes makes seven different types of commuter and utility bikes to ensure that there’s a style for every rider. If you’re a city-dweller looking for a bike built for exploring and commuting, for example, they have the A-Type, the B-type, and the Sparrow. If you’re looking for a trail-to-city ride, the Axel and Cortello bikes are made for you. Detroit Bikes also caters to Motor City enthusiasts with the Limited Edition line, which features a Detroit Lions bike, a Faygo bike, a Detroit City FC bike, and a Slow Roll bike. To that end, Detroit Bikes also offers custom branding and fleet sales—their factory can produce ten to 10,000 bikes per fleet. The Detroit Foundation Hotel, Detroit Mercy, and Big Rock Brewery all have custom Detroit Bikes fleets, providing their guests, students, and customers with a customized mode of transportation.
Inside the Detroit Bikes Factory
The 50,000-square-foot Detroit Bikes Factory is a bike lover’s paradise. Located in the heart of Detroit, it can produce up to 150 bikes per day, and assemble another 400. At the heart of Detroit Bikes’ lineup is the U.S. Chromoly bike line. These bikes are 100 percent produced at the Detroit factory and are a true representation of Detroit Bikes’ dedication to craftsmanship. These bikes are made from American chromoly steel, which is typically used for race car roll ages. By using a thin tubing of chromoly steel in the bike frame, the U.S. Chromoly bike is both lightweight and strong—which makes for a top-of-the-line riding experience. Complete assembly and wheel-building on the A-Type, B-Type, Axel, and Sparrow bikes is also done at the Detroit factory, plus original equipment manufacturing and high-volume bicycle assembly services."
I think this is a "hipster" kind of thing. I'm thinking more arts and crafts, homegrown enterprise.
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
Kinda "meh" about the Detroit bikes linked above. The Schwinn frame has far better lines, to my eye
You're absolutely right. They matter immensely. But the pool of opportunity for "blue collar" work is shrinking and changing. And it's the lives that matter not the work they do.
I like the dream. But re-industrializing America is a step backwards.I think it would be awesome if america reinvented the simple durable bicycle. Not the cheapest (at least at first) and not all plastic and crappy china parts, (if we even see such stuff again).
Think Ford model T, Murray, Huffy and AMF bikes. Good old coaster brake, fine for most riders to start with.
That's what this bike will be, a shopping bike.
It does not need to be a boat anchor, but should be made of recycled material and able to be easily recycled as well.
Developing countries did not have to build out extensive landline telephone systems, but went to cell phones first.
We could cast wheels and frames from recycled aluminum cans, ect. Reduce number and complexity of component parts, and standardize specs maybe open source the design drawings.
What would result could re-industrialize America. A grass roots rebuild of capacity and skill building on a basement and garage workshop level. Over 100 years ago, bicycle production led to aircraft and automobile invention.
America already aced manufacturing, and taught the rest of the world how to do it.
Now places that can do it cheaper lead manufacturing.
But the US has moved on to digital technology, and leads the way. But others are catching up, software development jobs are already outsourced to India and other places. Just like the factories moved to China.
The way to stay ahead is to once again invent a new industry, out of nothing, and lead the way in it.
My guess is it will be something like consumer grade molecular 3d printing, and in that sense manufacturing will come back to the US. You'll be able to print out your bike components at home and attach them to your hand made in the USA frame.
Printed with pride in the USA.
Maybe this links up with Horsefarmer's the people's bicycle dream?
However, in a world where US scientists are trying to 3d print living tissue organs for transplant, a Chinese welder is not going to compete.
No work = No money = No food = No life .
MattiThundrrr
Rattus All Terrainus
Nope. Beautiful clean coal is the future of a great nation.
No education = No work = No money = No food = No life.
The answer is to ensure all people have access to the education and work opportunities that the future has. That's a much taller order than getting a car company to open a factory with 5000 jobs in exchange for letting them dump poison in the town well.
Where the energy comes from is a whole other problem to solve.Nope. Beautiful clean coal is the future of a great nation.
I've worked in QC, prototyping, process engineering in manufacturing, plus I've studied it in relation to cars all my life and production floor is garbage work we've outgrown and I'd gladly leave it to the Chinese or Vietnamese or whoever (with sympathy). Some blue collar jobs are great jobs and, at the end of the day, you can usually point to something you accomplished with satisfaction, but working on an assembly line is not one of those great jobs. Electrician, plumber, HVAC—those are 6-figure jobs around here, they pay you to learn, the demand exceeds supply, you can take it with you about anywhere, it can't be outsourced, the jobs will be necessary in all but a complete societal collapse, and the skills can translate to other realms.
Beyond that, I do agree that the gutting of quality in the chasing of ever-cheaper prices has done a lot of damage, not least of which to the environment with all the waste of disposable crap which can often be made much longer lived for just a little bit more cost that people are too cheap to pay when they prefer to go for bottom dollar junk rather than quality or to just go without. It's something I could go on about for too long, but I also want to say that quality is what I want to buy. I largely subscribe to: buy once, cry once (or make it yourself). I don't care where something is made so much as how it's made (or engineered and material specced), so a sticker of (dubious) origin isn't going to pull my heartstrings—I don't buy on patriotism, I buy on quality and if the quality is good, then I'll look at origin (and even then, we're all humans, so it's not so much the nationality of who is getting the money so much as the treatment of the workers in the country of origin). A product relying on patriotism, but lacking in quality or value strikes me as a lazy, cynical marketing gimmick for short term results and it's a big reason so much production has gone overseas (though it's a myth that we produce less today, it's just that the production is done by robots and machines run by far less people, not the many hands labor of old).
My first 6 cars were Japanese. The last 2 have been American. I was a diehard Subaru guy until the quality went way down hill along with the products becoming less appealing to me. The American cars have been excellent (and better built than the Mazda that I had after the Subarus, even though it shared the platform and many parts with the Fords)—Corolla reliable (of course, I chose a more reliable option than most and the unfortunate people who didn't got stiffed by a terrible transmission, but that's besides the point), yet much better to drive with better performance and mileage. I like that they were made in MI, but the reason I'd buy a third is because of the quality and the killer value for dollar (especially the Focus ST) . . . of course they stopped selling what I want.
Beyond that, I do agree that the gutting of quality in the chasing of ever-cheaper prices has done a lot of damage, not least of which to the environment with all the waste of disposable crap which can often be made much longer lived for just a little bit more cost that people are too cheap to pay when they prefer to go for bottom dollar junk rather than quality or to just go without. It's something I could go on about for too long, but I also want to say that quality is what I want to buy. I largely subscribe to: buy once, cry once (or make it yourself). I don't care where something is made so much as how it's made (or engineered and material specced), so a sticker of (dubious) origin isn't going to pull my heartstrings—I don't buy on patriotism, I buy on quality and if the quality is good, then I'll look at origin (and even then, we're all humans, so it's not so much the nationality of who is getting the money so much as the treatment of the workers in the country of origin). A product relying on patriotism, but lacking in quality or value strikes me as a lazy, cynical marketing gimmick for short term results and it's a big reason so much production has gone overseas (though it's a myth that we produce less today, it's just that the production is done by robots and machines run by far less people, not the many hands labor of old).
My first 6 cars were Japanese. The last 2 have been American. I was a diehard Subaru guy until the quality went way down hill along with the products becoming less appealing to me. The American cars have been excellent (and better built than the Mazda that I had after the Subarus, even though it shared the platform and many parts with the Fords)—Corolla reliable (of course, I chose a more reliable option than most and the unfortunate people who didn't got stiffed by a terrible transmission, but that's besides the point), yet much better to drive with better performance and mileage. I like that they were made in MI, but the reason I'd buy a third is because of the quality and the killer value for dollar (especially the Focus ST) . . . of course they stopped selling what I want.
Detroit Bikes = quality fabrication, just not boutique level
I've always been astounded by the marketing of bike marketing and design companies, like santa cruz. They sell bikes at boutique prices, yet are outsourced for fabrication on borrowed designs. Detroit Bikes' propaganda is leveled at the urban hipsters to acquire boutique pricing, but at least they don't outsource the fabrication to another country.
I've always been astounded by the marketing of bike marketing and design companies, like santa cruz. They sell bikes at boutique prices, yet are outsourced for fabrication on borrowed designs. Detroit Bikes' propaganda is leveled at the urban hipsters to acquire boutique pricing, but at least they don't outsource the fabrication to another country.
MazdaFlyer
Like “RadioFlyer”
MazdaFlyer
Like “RadioFlyer”
A cheaper version for those that might like the import version.
https://www.target.com/p/schwinn-collegiate-700c-28-34-hybrid-bicycle-red/-/A-79357175
https://www.target.com/p/schwinn-collegiate-700c-28-34-hybrid-bicycle-red/-/A-79357175
Amen brother!!!
MazdaFlyer
Like “RadioFlyer”
Frame built and bike assembled in Detroit.
Cool.
