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Author Topic: European Bike  (Read 3317 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
European Bike
« on: 30 September, 2023, 12:57:40 pm »

Is it possible to build a bike up, where all the components have been made in Europe (for which I am including UK, Norway, etc...)

Obviously the iron ore, for the steel, or the latex for the tyre rubber is probably sourced outside the EU. But of all of the named manufactured parts. Is it possible?

Ideally without it being super high end. So I know we can get a Rholoff hub, but what about cheaper driver trains?

I think the tubing is doable. Reynoulds still manufacture in Birmingham, and Columbus still make in Milan.

Tyres, Continental still manufacture some of their range in Germany.

But what about the rest? The drive train? rims?

J
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grams

Re: European Bike
« Reply #1 on: 30 September, 2023, 01:30:58 pm »
Mavic still has a rim/wheel factory in France:
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/mavic-factory
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zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: European Bike
« Reply #2 on: 30 September, 2023, 02:07:33 pm »
campag groupset might still be made in eu. look pedals.
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StuAff

  • Folding not boring
Re: European Bike
« Reply #3 on: 30 September, 2023, 02:23:28 pm »
Campagnolo only manufacture in Europe- the mothership in Vicenza, and two plants in Romania.
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tatanab

Re: European Bike
« Reply #4 on: 30 September, 2023, 02:32:08 pm »
Quote from: StuAff on 30 September, 2023, 02:23:28 pm
Campagnolo only manufacture in Europe- the mothership in Vicenza, and two plants in Romania.
They also rebadge some Tektro parts, or at least did.  Time trial brakes still have the R725 and other Tektro numbers  on the back.
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: European Bike
« Reply #5 on: 30 September, 2023, 03:32:30 pm »
Hope brakes, hubs, bearings.

If we count accessories: Carradice, Restrap, (loads of others), Exposure, B&M, (loads of others)...
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hubner

Re: European Bike
« Reply #6 on: 30 September, 2023, 03:49:07 pm »
It might be questionable whether you can build a bike with only UK parts, but I'm sure it's easy to build an European bike.
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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: European Bike
« Reply #7 on: 30 September, 2023, 03:53:54 pm »
Quote from: StuAff on 30 September, 2023, 02:23:28 pm
Campagnolo only manufacture in Europe- the mothership in Vicenza, and two plants in Romania.

Problem with campag is they only make high end road/gravel/race stuff.

In fact pretty much everything we've mentioned had been high end :(

J
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fruitcake

  • some kind of fruitcake
Re: European Bike
« Reply #8 on: 30 September, 2023, 04:00:19 pm »
I guess smaller factories and small batches means higher unit prices, relative to Taiwanese-made items. And so Campag _could_ launch a hybrid / utility bike range, but it may need to be sold for the same price as their road bike range.
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lissotriton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #9 on: 30 September, 2023, 05:13:22 pm »
Go singlespeed or fixed, plenty of brands making cogs etc. Though not sure about chains.
Some Gates belt drives are made in Europe (Dumfries).
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Andrew Br

Re: European Bike
« Reply #10 on: 30 September, 2023, 07:33:06 pm »
Quote from: quixoticgeek on 30 September, 2023, 03:53:54 pm
Quote from: StuAff on 30 September, 2023, 02:23:28 pm
Campagnolo only manufacture in Europe- the mothership in Vicenza, and two plants in Romania.

Problem with Campag is they only make high end road/gravel/race stuff.

In fact pretty much everything we've mentioned had been high end :(

J

Manufacturing in Europe, particularly Western Europe, is expensive.
Hence mainly "high end" components being produced here.

Do you have a specification and budget in mind for the bike or is it purely hypothetical ?*

*Not a "criticism", I'm genuinely curious.

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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: European Bike
« Reply #11 on: 30 September, 2023, 08:55:55 pm »
Quote from: Andrew Br on 30 September, 2023, 07:33:06 pm


Manufacturing in Europe, particularly Western Europe, is expensive.
Hence mainly "high end" component being produced here.

Do you have a specification and budget in mind for the bike or is it purely hypothetical ?*

*Not a "criticism", I'm genuinely curious.

At this stage purely hypothetical. Came about from a discussion with a friend.

J
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mzjo

Re: European Bike
« Reply #12 on: 30 September, 2023, 08:56:53 pm »
Where are Ryde rims made? And do Mavic still have a manufacturing facility in Romania or has that gone (and, if so, who to?)

There are no shortage of saddles from italian companies but I don't suppose there is a vast range actually manufactured in Europe. There are Berthoud, Idéale and Leppe but the first two are not really mid-range.
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Lightning Phil

Re: European Bike
« Reply #13 on: 30 September, 2023, 08:59:37 pm »
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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: European Bike
« Reply #14 on: 30 September, 2023, 08:59:51 pm »
Quote from: mzjo on 30 September, 2023, 08:56:53 pm
Where are Ryde rims made? And do Mavic still have a manufacturing facility in Romania or has that gone (and, if so, who to?)

There are no shortage of saddles from italian companies but I don't suppose there is a vast range actually manufactured in Europe. There are Berthoud, Idéale and Leppe but the first two are not really mid-range.

Do brooks not make theirs in the UK any more ?

J
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JonBuoy

Re: European Bike
« Reply #15 on: 30 September, 2023, 09:08:06 pm »
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Paul H

Re: European Bike
« Reply #16 on: 30 September, 2023, 09:48:21 pm »
Europe can't manufacture high volume stuff that sells on a global market. Even if it's only a bit more expensive to manufacture, that reduces sales, which affects production costs, which makes it more expensive, which reduces sales...
Most successful European manufacturers are high end, not because they're any better at it, but because they can compete at that volume.
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: European Bike
« Reply #17 on: 01 October, 2023, 01:54:06 pm »
Kross and Romet still make frames in Poland and some of their stuff is definitely budget end.
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LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: European Bike
« Reply #18 on: 01 October, 2023, 03:05:14 pm »
Much of the rubber for tyres is synthetic.
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #19 on: 19 November, 2023, 07:43:13 am »
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #20 on: 19 November, 2023, 07:52:10 am »
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #21 on: 19 November, 2023, 08:03:53 am »
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #22 on: 19 November, 2023, 08:18:46 am »
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #23 on: 19 November, 2023, 08:27:29 am »
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paton

Re: European Bike
« Reply #24 on: 19 November, 2023, 10:06:04 am »
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