[Carbonman]

How many bike brands and models does Martek in Taiwan OEM? I know they build the Argon 18 Gallium-S, and am pretty sure they build the rest of the carbon frames in the Argon 18 line. They also build the Kuhota carbon frames. Apparently Specialized use their services as well, but I'm not sure if it's their whole carbon line.
Who else has their carbon bikes come out of this factory?

 

[jmoryl]

I think it is Martec, BTW, and they own a substantial part of Specialized. Might be hard to generalize about what other brands they make, but I have seen Martec branded frames being sold in Europe.

 

[Guest]

BMC and Pinarello

 

[rogger]

Orbea.

 

[bwana]

So what is the relationship between Martec and Merida, which is the outfit that I have alway heard controlled Specialized?

 

[rogger]

So what is the relationship between Martec and Merida, which is the outfit that I have alway heard controlled Specialized?

None, it appears:

https://merida.custompublish.com/getfile.php/119187.678/CarbonPresentation.pdf

 

[Edgecrusher]

None, it appears:

https://merida.custompublish.com/getfile.php/119187.678/CarbonPresentation.pdf

Wow, Merida telling like it is! Excellent. Whoo Hoo!
Some big name brands aren't going to like it... tsk tsk tsk..

That pdf file is a great article.
I just love when the truth surfaces and there are
a lot of red faces....

I also love listening or watching the elitists try to explain away
that their bike isn't taiwan made, or how taiwan produced bikes are
not as good as so & so's Italian, Australian, or U.S. made frame...
blah blah blah...

 

[jmoryl]

So what is the relationship between Martec and Merida, which is the outfit that I have alway heard controlled Specialized?

Sorry, but there is none. My post above was due to a brainfart where I confused Martec and Merida....

 

[divve]

I also love listening or watching the elitists try to explain away
that their bike isn't taiwan made, or how taiwan produced bikes are
not as good as so & so's Italian, Australian, or U.S. made frame...
blah blah blah...

It's about how much you want to spend and how well your design is. You can make good stuff or crap anywhere. Even Martec in China will make crap for you if that's what you specify.

Instead of using country of origin, I think a better way of distinguishing manufacturers is mass production versus individually built frames. The latter allows for a level of care and attention to detail that's simply isn't available from a large producer.

 

[Edgecrusher]

It's about how much you want to spend and how well your design is. You can make good stuff or crap anywhere. Even Martec in China will make crap for you if that's what you specify.


Instead of using country of origin, I think a better way of distinguishing manufacturers is mass production versus individually built frames. The latter allows for a level of care and attention to detail that's simply isn't available from a large producer.

I'm not so sure about that though.
There are plenty of big name brands that are really overpriced.
So spending a lot of money won't always get you the best value or the best equipment.

This is true, not too many frames are custom built on an individual basis.
But the ones that are, I'm sure are of high quality. Also, I somewhat agree
with the small manufacturer v the large manufacturer. In the past, high volume,
mass production processes cut corners, and tended to be sloppy.
But high-tech facilities that utilize cad/cam design, and implementation
with computerized robotic/machinery has closed the gap on custom builds.

 

[divve]

I was more referring to a frame designer and how much development and production money he's prepared to invest in a given build. I think there's a minimum threshold for making a decent product and not everyone is adhering to it.

Sure, mass production doesn't necessarily equate to lower quality. From the standpoint of a consumer, it doesn't however allow for the option of specifying almost every single detail, starting with simple things such as paint, then, right down to matching a frame to your weight, riding preferences, and incorporating the dimensions of components such as headset and fork combinations.

 

[lampshade]

Wow, Merida telling like it is! Excellent. Whoo Hoo!
Some big name brands aren't going to like it... tsk tsk tsk..

That pdf file is a great article.
I just love when the truth surfaces and there are
a lot of red faces....

I also love listening or watching the elitists try to explain away
that their bike isn't taiwan made, or how taiwan produced bikes are
not as good as so & so's Italian, Australian, or U.S. made frame...
blah blah blah...

So lame. Lumping all taiwanese made frames together is like lumping all US made frames together. They vary tremendously in quality and design. Even within the same factory. Do you think if Trek made all of their bikes in one factory in Wisconsin, the lowest end MTB would recieve the same attention and quality of materials as the Madone Sl? Bottom line, Taiwan can make frames that are crap and frames that are excellent. So can the US and Italy.

 

[Edgecrusher]

So lame. Lumping all taiwanese made frames together is like lumping all US made frames together. They vary tremendously in quality and design. Even within the same factory. Do you think if Trek made all of their bikes in one factory in Wisconsin, the lowest end MTB would recieve the same attention and quality of materials as the Madone Sl? Bottom line, Taiwan can make frames that are crap and frames that are excellent. So can the US and Italy.

Ok, here is what is lame, your post is completely out of context.
It does not make sense in relation to my remarks at all.
You seem mad at the comments I made, yet apply them
to an (apparently) different argument.

No where did I equate Taiwan with crap or quality per se,
but rather the perception of the high-brows who scoff at the idea that their
5, 6, 7 or 10 thousand dollar bicycle may have been produced in an Asian factory.
Whether it was or not, just the fact you tell these elitists a bike produced in
Asia can be just as good or better, gets their briefs all waded up.

I myself believe that Taiwan can produce excellent
frames and bikes, as well as inferior frames and bikes.
It has nothing to do with the location, and all to do with
production methodologies, materials, skill, personel, machinery,
and QC, etc.

Please, before you go spouting off at me, you should comprehend exactly
what the statement I made was about. Thank you.

 

[lampshade]

Ok, here is what is lame, your post is completely out of context.
It does not make sense in relation to my remarks at all.
You seem mad at the comments I made, yet apply them
to an (apparently) different argument.

No where did I equate Taiwan with crap or quality per se,
but rather the perception of the high-brows who scoff at the idea that their
5, 6, 7 or 10 thousand dollar bicycle may have been produced in an Asian factory.
Whether it was or not, just the fact you tell these elitists a bike produced in
Asia can be just as good or better, gets their briefs all waded up.

I myself believe that Taiwan can produce excellent
frames and bikes, as well as inferior frames and bikes.
It has nothing to do with the location, and all to do with
production methodologies, materials, skill, personel, machinery,
and QC, etc.

Please, before you go spouting off at me, you should comprehend exactly
what the statement I made was about. Thank you.

True. I reread your post. No offense intended towards you, just addressing the common pratice of people referring to "country x" made frames rule and "country y" made frames suck.

 

[Edgecrusher]

True. I reread your post. No offense intended towards you, just addressing the common pratice of people referring to "country x" made frames rule and "country y" made frames suck.

Ok, I understand where you are coming from now.
I also agree with your assessment.
Thank you for clearing up the mis-understanding.

G

 

[WheresWaldo]

Ok, I understand where you are coming from now.
I also agree with your assessment.
Thank you for clearing up the mis-understanding.

G

I saw the vinocolo you have but would like to see a better picture. Could you take one directly from the side, and not the funny angles of your other two pictures.

Thanks

 

[collectorvelo]

would you prefer Taiwan or China?

as I has been reading, it seems most carbon-fiber frames are from Taiwan or China -- does anyone think it matters which?

Would you prefer Taiwan over China [other than for the polictics?]

and if the frames are made from the same carbon-fiber; and made in molds as it seems the case with Monquoe frames - does it matter where?

and does anyone see from this post a reason why Martec would be better or worse than Advanced as the frame builder? or vise versa? Or could there be basicly no difference

 

[bigrider]

Martec builds numerous models.

There one monocoque road frame has been badged by a number of companies.

Supergo sold it as a Scattante cfr, now Performance is selling them out after the supergo closedown. There are three or four others that sell the exact frame badged as their bike.

I have one and it rides real nice.