Couldn’t read beyond the paywall halfway down, but the economics make sense: if an OEM manufacturer has mastered their craft for producing a commodity (ie bicycle parts), the growth opportunity is to develop a brand, since that’s where the value-add is. Ideally, this goes hand-in-hand with quality assurance, parts and service availability, and dealer networks.
It’s a tall order, and unlike consumer electronics which can be easily warehoused and distributed (see Amazon), bicycles of every type (beyond the bike-shaped objects sold as toys from big-box stores) need regular upkeep. And that cannot feasibly be centralized: a brand must exist in each country or region that it establishes itself in. In the present tariff-ridden environment, this is even more difficult.
That said, if a Chinese bike manufacturer can attain a similar status as Anker for electronics, then this should be a net-positive for everyday bike riders. I use Anker as an example because they neither had the ability nor inclination to go all-in on proprietary standards (see Apple). Rather, Anker’s product line are high-quality versions of commodity electronics, including USB C phone and laptop chargers. But they also push the envelope with Gallium Nitride (GaN), which itself is still somewhat of a premium feature.
So I’m hoping Chinese bicycle manufacturers still keep true to established bicycle standards – eg normal ETRTO sizing for tires, compatible chains and chainrings, etc – since that also allows consumers to buy these components piece-meal. But if they can bring cost-effective innovations into the space, that too would be welcomed.
Couldn’t read beyond the paywall halfway down, but the economics make sense: if an OEM manufacturer has mastered their craft for producing a commodity (ie bicycle parts), the growth opportunity is to develop a brand, since that’s where the value-add is. Ideally, this goes hand-in-hand with quality assurance, parts and service availability, and dealer networks.
It’s a tall order, and unlike consumer electronics which can be easily warehoused and distributed (see Amazon), bicycles of every type (beyond the bike-shaped objects sold as toys from big-box stores) need regular upkeep. And that cannot feasibly be centralized: a brand must exist in each country or region that it establishes itself in. In the present tariff-ridden environment, this is even more difficult.
That said, if a Chinese bike manufacturer can attain a similar status as Anker for electronics, then this should be a net-positive for everyday bike riders. I use Anker as an example because they neither had the ability nor inclination to go all-in on proprietary standards (see Apple). Rather, Anker’s product line are high-quality versions of commodity electronics, including USB C phone and laptop chargers. But they also push the envelope with Gallium Nitride (GaN), which itself is still somewhat of a premium feature.
So I’m hoping Chinese bicycle manufacturers still keep true to established bicycle standards – eg normal ETRTO sizing for tires, compatible chains and chainrings, etc – since that also allows consumers to buy these components piece-meal. But if they can bring cost-effective innovations into the space, that too would be welcomed.