Where are the Brit Bikes?

[dodgy]

I got told that my dolan is british built ,but i dont know so is it ?

Many of the dealers will tell you that if that's what you want to hear. My Dolan is from Taiwan.

 

[gavintc]

I would say - depends on how you describe British. I would guarantee that if you have a carbon Dolan, that the actual manufacture of the frame was in Taiwan, but the design and development was from a British team. So, if you are content to know that it was conceived in Britain then you can relax.

 

[Randochap]

Ahem - http://www.hopegb.com/

Ah, yes. Me bad! I should've remembered Hope ... but not too tuned to the MTB scene. Some of my MTB riding colleagues at the last shop I worked at used Hope brakes. I'll have to get their assessment.

 

[bonj2]

hope also make the Pro 3 - a road wheel/(or just hub - not sure if the rim is also hope).

 

[Randochap]

Word from my MTB colleagues is very positive on Hope gear. They're especially impressed with the new lightweight brake rotor that attaches w/ chainring bolts or something.

 

[snorri]

Why is the heavy, knobbly clad MTB the bike of choice for the vast majority? Is it just a triumph of marketing?

I think people believe a mountain bike is built for climbing mountains, so minimal effort will be required in order to carry them around the flat roads in their locality. There has also been a marketing triumph in the clothing that would be cyclists have been convinced is essential for a short run around town on a bike.

 

[oxford_guy]

It depends what you mean by "British" - for example my bike (a Hewitt Cheviot SE tourer) is on the surface is "British", though the frame is built in Taiwan, the derailleurs (and rear hub, cranks, chain, chainset and cassette) and brakes are Japanese (Shimano and Tektro respectively), the gear shifters/brake levers Italian (Campagnalo), as is the saddle (San Marco), the headset American (Cane Creek), the rack (Tubus), hub dynamo (schmidt), lights (Busch & Müller) and panniers (Vaude) are German...

Of course it was put together (with much care) in Britain by Paul Hewitt and the paint job was done here too, but the bike itself is "international" really.

 

[summerdays]

The idea of a beginner going to a frame builder I think is very unlikely. I would like to go down that route at some point but at this stage don't feel I have rode enough bikes to have fully developed an idea of what I want.

Beginners already feel like a kid in a sweetie shop ... so many to choose from. The place most beginners might see a bike in a shop is also going to be the supermarket, toy shop or motor store. If they impulse buy they end up with a (BSO) mountain bike as that is mostly what they stock - or a BMX type bike.

 

[Randochap]

The place most beginners might see a bike in a shop is also going to be the supermarket, toy shop or motor store. If they impulse buy they end up with a (BSO) mountain bike as that is mostly what they stock - or a BMX type bike.

If that's the case, then we may be closing in on the reason for the dearth of proper road bikes on UK roads.

There was a similar issue here for a couple of decades, when shops stocked mountain bikes to the exclusion of all other designs, but recently there has been an explosion of road bikes and hybrids, cruisers, "comfort" bikes, etc.

Any decent shop will now have a selection of all kinds, unless they've decided to specialize in one area.

There are still enough MTBs out there however (I mean, Canada is still one of the world capitals of mountain biking) only used on road, so we sell a lot of 26" slicks!

I didn't poke my head in too many bike stores in the UK in '07, but maybe you can report/concur here what most shops stock.

 

[mickle]

You'll find many more posts of 'customer disatisfaction' regarding the big name bikes on this forum than for Raleigh.

Essentially you're buying a few aluminium tubes welded together or a few carbon tubes glued together (monocoque excepted). There's minor differences in geometery for best fit for an individual rider.

All are computer designed and CNC manufactured to conform to stafety standards (BS EN 14764). Most frames carry at least 5 years warranty against defects (not abuse) some have lifetime warranties.

All the components are identical, Shimano, Truvative, SRAM, FSA, Campagnolo etc...

I'd rather have my 105 kitted Raleigh than a Sora/2200 Giant/Trek/Spesh.

'Decent Bike' is subjective, one bad experience with any manufacturer can put you off their products forever.

So far I've done over 500 miles on my U6 Pro since March and no problems to report.

Excuse me but that's utter bollocks, we have a large number of Raleighs finest and they are utter utter shoot. So shoot in fact that I'd rather scrap them than sell them to some poor unsuspecting sap who still thinks Raleigh are a decent brand. Honestly do you have a fricking clue? Have you ever actually parked a £x Raleigh next to its £x Giant to compare the spec? Giant, Trek, Spez et al are manufactured in Taiwan, easily the finest mass-produced bike producing nation on the planet. Raleighs are produced in whichever factory will spew them out at the lowest price; Indonesia, Singapore, wherever, and to hell with quality assurance. I know this to be a fact because it's my job to maintain the frickers. Abominations all, Sir Walter would be spinning in his grave.

 

[mickle]

Ant hits the nail on the head, and it isn't just the UK that suffers from this unpleasant side-effect of "globalization."

As for the fact that "British bikes" use the same components as all others so there isn't a true Brit bike; that's a bit disingenuous.

When I was drooling over the bright red Hetchins leaned against the bike shed at my high school in Wednesfield, in 1964, it sported a Campagnolo gruppo. (And, incedentally, I still buy Campagnolo -- so this supports the theory that excellence is a powerful branding tool).

My Canadian-built Marinoni was built by a French-Canadian welder at a company established by an ex-pat Italian. It has the aforementioned Italian components.

But this does add an interesting "component" to the discussion. Why shouldn't/couldn't the UK produce some good bicycle components that at least occupy a solid place in the niche market? Has it been so long since British manufacturing collapsed that there are no good machinists around?

I own several of the US brands of hubs, including Phil Wood and White Industries. These are absolutely beautiful! I also have Chris King headsets on 2 of my bikes. I own a pair of Phil hubs that I used for 20+ years. The new ones incl. cassette R hub that can be disassembled w/ 2 5mm allen wrenches.

The UK meanwhile hasn't to my knowledge built a derailleur since Benelux (originally a French-English collaboration) and Sturmy-Archer is in Taiwan.

Brooks, cast adrift when parent Sturmey-Archer collapsed, was gobbled up by Selle Royal.

Why is this? At the risk of being provocative, did the highly centralized/unionized (no, I'm not anti-union) factory culture of the UK discourage innovation and individual enterprise?

I'm imagining here one of those little derelict factory buildings springing to life as a high bling-factor producer of bicycle components. Put those on yer bike and ride it.

Lastly (for now) the problem in all constituencies is the cost of producing a bike for Everyman in today's market. "Stuck in the 50s" isn't an issue when it comes to this sort of machine. I have been pondering the question: How does one produce a practical bike today -- for, say, around £250-500?

Raleigh was indeed the British flagship. Too bad it sank.

Honestly who gives a sh!t? We're all happy to buy electronics, white goods, cuddly toys, motorbikes, cars etc from the far east. Why should we be precious about where we get our bikes from? The Taiwanese do a brilliant job producing bikes for us. Would I rather my hard earned went to Mrs Woo of Taiwan or Mr Bloggs of Nottingham? Mrs Woo actually, she needs it more and she works harder and produces a better product.

 

[col]

Excuse me but that's utter bollocks, we have a large number of Raleighs finest and they are utter utter shoot. So shoot in fact that I'd rather scrap them than sell them to some poor unsuspecting sap who still thinks Raleigh are a decent brand. Honestly do you have a fricking clue? Have you ever actually parked a £x Raleigh next to its £x Giant to compare the spec? Giant, Trek, Spez et al are manufactured in Taiwan, easily the finest mass-produced bike producing nation on the planet. Raleighs are produced in whichever factory will spew them out at the lowest price; Indonesia, Singapore, wherever, and to hell with quality assurance. I know this to be a fact because it's my job to maintain the frickers. Abominations all, Sir Walter would be spinning in his grave.

I dont doubt your knowledge in this area, but did find it disheartening for just a second, as Im very happy with my raleigh. Now I dont know if its just my expectations are not as high or that my largest outlay in the passed has been about £200, but my Royal is very comfortable, smooth in rolling and gear selection, and feels very right to me. Longevity is yet to be seen as Iv only done about 100 miles on it as yet, but it seems like it will pass that test too, as everything about it feels good.
The quality seems good to me also, but then Im not an expert, it just seems that way, with looks and feel. Im guessing that my feelings about it are relative, as it is the best bike I have had in all my years with bikes, and am very happy with it, it just seemed harsh and a shock to read your comments on Raliegh in general, and wonder if this is just for certain models, or most or are there exceptions?
I can understand different likes and dislikes, everyone has a different bias to something, but wonder what can be that bad in raleigh?

 

[mickle]

I would say - depends on how you describe British. I would guarantee that if you have a carbon Dolan, that the actual manufacture of the frame was in Taiwan, but the design and development was from a British team. So, if you are content to know that it was conceived in Britain then you can relax.

Not. Dolan carbon frames are neither conceived nor developed in the UK. The Taiwanese have done all the work and they should be acknowledged for doing so.

 

[gavintc]

Well that has exploded that myth. I always thought of Dolan as a good British bike. Thanks for your insider view.

 

[mickle]

I dont doubt your knowledge in this area, but did find it disheartening for just a second, as Im very happy with my raleigh. Now I dont know if its just my expectations are not as high or that my largest outlay in the passed has been about £200, but my Royal is very comfortable, smooth in rolling and gear selection, and feels very right to me. Longevity is yet to be seen as Iv only done about 100 miles on it as yet, but it seems like it will pass that test too, as everything about it feels good.
The quality seems good to me also, but then Im not an expert, it just seems that way, with looks and feel. Im guessing that my feelings about it are relative, as it is the best bike I have had in all my years with bikes, and am very happy with it, it just seemed harsh and a shock to read your comments on Raliegh in general, and wonder if this is just for certain models, or most or are there exceptions?
I can understand different likes and dislikes, everyone has a different bias to something, but wonder what can be that bad in raleigh?

To be fair they have improved their quality control this year but those who still hold Raleigh in high esteem are living in the dim and distant past. They have been living off their reputation for years. Some of their bikes are ok and their VFM has improved but they're so effing 'corporate' and arrogant that Ill never ever see them in a good light. What they did to Sturmey workers will never be forgiven.