Bothered?

[Deleted member 4366]

Wherever the bike is manufactured the importer should be open and honest,I have seen chinese manufactured product with 'designed in Italy' or Shanghai manufactured e-bikes with union jack logos,but 'KEEP IT QUIET!!!!!!!'
Dave
KudosCycles

Not quite as bad, but do you remember when Dixons and Currys used the brand names Saisho and Matsui for their own products which it seems were made in the UK - not by Japanese companies.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

FWIW we would not buy a bike with a Chinese frame, motor or battery.

Seems a strange attitude. I can't see any problems with generic Chinese bikes, when you can get all the spare cycle parts from your local Halfords and all the electrical parts are readily available from e-bay or direct from Chinese internet traders, or from Kudos or similar suppliers, which is much easier than getting a replacement 16 spoke wheel for a Kalkhoff or it seems a replacement battery from 50Cycles. Try and see how much luck you get sourcing a replacement controller for a Bionx. Everything has advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Scottyf]

Usually own brands are actually made by a different company and then re-badged.
Theres alot of brands that are actually the internatls of other makes like samsung etc... but then badged up and sold at a lower price. This way it doesn't affect the brand while offering a cheaper price point.

I used to do it when I traded for Next in Leicester and brought bikes and Gym equipment that where manufactured by Reebok and other large brands.

 

[flecc]

Not quite as bad, but do you remember when Dixons and Currys used the brand names Saisho and Matsui for their own products which it seems were made in the UK - not by Japanese companies.

Not Matsui which is Japanese, that's the name of the holding company that owns the former Matsushita. Matsushita in turn owned Panasonic but have now adopted the Panasonic name in place of Matsushita to cover the whole group which comprises many companies and brand names including Sanyo, National, Technics, Matsui et al. They have so many brand names it wouldn't surprise me if Saisho was one also.

So Matsui Holdings is still at the head of the whole caboodle and their major shareholder is the Dutch Philips company which owned 40% last I heard.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Are you sure about that Flecc? maybe theirs two Matsuis. I remember a program on the telly about what Dixons and Curry's did, and I just found this when I Wikied Matsui: "Matsui was introduced as a brand by Dixons in the 1980s, based within the UK, although products were also sold in the Nordic countries." saisho products were identical apart from the name. Dixons sold Saisho and Currys sold Matsui.

 

[overlander]

I believe the upper end ridgebacks are made in the uk, the frame certainly is. I really like the Ridgeback Panorama. If i sell enough stuff on e-bay then that will be my next bike.

 

[flecc]

Are you sure about that Flecc? maybe theirs two Matsuis. I remember a program on the telly about what Dixons and Curry's did, and I just found this when I Wikied Matsui: "Matsui was introduced as a brand by Dixons in the 1980s, based within the UK, although products were also sold in the Nordic countries." saisho products were identical apart from the name. Dixons sold Saisho and Currys sold Matsui.

Yes, absolutely certain about the Matsui Holdings company subject. As questionable some of Dixons (DSG) local practices are at times, I can't imagine they'd misuse the name of such a large company on whom they depended for some of their supplies. The Matsui named products were certainly low end, but that's how Matsushita operated, under many names to cover all quality levels. DSG being a big buyer, perhaps Matsushita were happy to agree to them using the low end name for other some products, but I can't see how British manufacture could compete on price.
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