Why is everything MADE IN CHINA?

[bakaneko]

Walmart bikes need a lot of parts replaced to build a reliable commuting motorized bike. If you take the pedals off and look at the bearings there will almost always be metal chips, paint chips and who knows what else in there as well as in the wheels. Sealed bearing hubs with good brand bearings should last a long time but then you have to buy or build separate wheels. The Walmart bike frames are often welded poorly or the geometry of the bike is off. Mag wheels seem like one of the best choices. You can put a threaded cassette on or a single speed for a cruiser. Plus you don’t have to tighten or replace bent spokes from a shifting sprocket adapter. It’s one of the best ways to mount the rear engine sprocket since it’s rock solid and can’t move. Both rag joints and aluminum adapters move.

Also, the rear rim brakes are useless after a while in terms of alignment and stopping power. If you are to buy a Walmart bike, make sure it has disc brakes in the rear and mandatory front disc brakes.

 

[JerboaJohn]

yeah, I think I had $250 in my $99 bike even before I thought about putting a motor on it

 

[The_Aleman]

(sighs)

I remember the first time I had quit this forum...back in 2008 there was some kind of wannabe anti-chinagirl revolution in here and some guys were talking about how buying Chinese stuff is ruining our country and screw the chinagirl. The Chinese even banned Chinagirl engines in China back then to reduce pollution in the face of the Olympics. The forum shills said "Buy GEBE" (only 4-stroke option besides Staton back then) or you're pretty much anti-American and "screw you and the junk you ride on". I can relate to a degree, I am the most anti-Hyundai and Kia guy you will ever meet (yeah Korean, but same principle). We have enough pieces of crap, from all makes, on the road without adding more warrantied terds to the mix. But poor people gonna save money however they can. Can't afford to pay attention to nationalistic sensibilities. Much of the time there is no valid option.

Well, the Chinese, both pinko and democratic (aka Taiwan), are more in touch with 2-wheeled transportation than we are in America. They are a country where at least 25% don't even have toilet paper, they have 4x the population we do in roughly the same amount of area. They are far more likely to ride 2-wheel than we are. It's sad, we who share a home with exalted 2-wheelers like Indian and Harley-Davidson, would end up 4th or 5th banana in sales that way, but when the customer is looking for cheap reliable transportation and not frivoulous toys, that's gonna happen. Also, we have like 1/8 the population of China and India combined. Well it's inevitable when you consider the cost to maintain an American brand in the face of cheap competition.

China and India can out-cheap just about anyone with the level of quality they can produce.

 

[Will'smotobikes19]

Ya I noticed in recent times there is pretty much no evidence of bikes with the GEBE kit. Their high price tag as well as not being known may contribute. All the media I could find was from 8-10 years ago. Talk about archaeology 10 years ago I was 10. There is a generation gap between old timers seeking reliability and their childhood dreams and millennials which just want something cheap to get around on. Some people want an old looking bike, others want a bike with all the best parts and some just buy a huffy and slap an eBay kit on and call it good. I was the one who bought that $80 huffy back in 2016. I’ve learned a lot since then.

 

[The_Aleman]

Price has always been GEBE's #1 obstacle. #2 is a completely uninteresting configuration. GEBE has always been a lot like old-school Toyotas: super-reliable, not much to look at, super-reliable, not fast, super-reliable but pretty expensive for the average type of person getting into these.

People who can afford GEBE will often buy/build something that's twice as fast nowadays. A 212 is cheaper than even a Huasheng, after all.
One could prolly build 2 212 bikes for the cost of a GEBE or GXH50 Q-Matic kit. Cheaper is not always right, but it often is.

 

[Frogslayer]

Environmental regulations, labor costs and taxes make it cost prohibitive to do anything in America. It's amazing any business succeeds at all. That's what the anti Trump anti American politicians want though. They want you to give them your money and let them spend because they honestly literally believe in their heads that they are smarter than us and they feel it is there duty. They want us cold so they can clothe us. They want us hungry so they can feed us. Well we aren't dogs and they aren't masters. An overnight sea level rise of 100 feet would do our country very well.

 

[The_Aleman]

I won't dip into the sewers that is politics, but I will say this: people who really want change need to show it.

Most just don't. They'll wave the flag but still shop at Walmart. Change is good until you have to open your wallet wider

Edit: and yeah, sometimes we're opening our wallets for the wrong reasons. Please don't get me started lol

 

[Deleted member 26224]

Everything is made in China because we have let them screw us over.

Trump tariffs are simply some much needed protectionism to prevent China from continuing to undercut us and eventually put so many of our industries out of business. Ie the piano industry.

 

[bakaneko]

I will say I believe in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, and no I did read the book but understand its novelty at the time and application to today's economy and national health. It is a beast of a book meant for a sleep aid. But, anyways, I think one of the core principles to Smith's vision is that countries should boost exports and resist imports. A country that cannot produce material things and accumulate wealth (precious metals or capital these days) is bound to be weakened. That said, I think the USA needs to find ways to manufacture productively and economically and Americans should tend to buy American goods wherever possible such that quality and economy isnt completely fooked. THAT BEING SAID, I think all countries should do this not just USA. China, EU, Russia, and small countries to do this or they are going to become a BANANA republic of China, USA, Russia, or EU. I want for example Uganda to have their own computers, cars, and basic consumer goods made in Uganda and not have Dell PCs, Toyota cars, or Procter and Gamble consumer goods. Is this protectionism? Probably but for luxury goods and items such that the quality or novelty difference is so great consumers should buy exports.

 

[Will'smotobikes19]

At the same time if every country had a self sufficient manufacturing industry pollution would skyrocket unless better techniques are used. And yes African countries need to be able to support themselves. South Africa is actually not that bad because of the British influence. Technically it doesn’t matter if a factory is polluting next door in America or thousands of miles away because it all goes into the atmosphere. Imagine if cell phones were never invented but say cars and motorcycles were there, no texting and driving. Fuel burning vehicles are a necessary evil but I believe some tech is completely unnecessary. I believe technology has made many isolated because it is a stimulating media with new information all the time. Videos and games are a time soaker too. Btw apple’s logo refers to the tale of Adam and Eve, that’s why there’s a bite taken from it.