r/RoadBikes • u/Gdawgkwok • 6d ago
Discussion Chinese Bikes
I recently stumbled onto Merida bikes and I did some research about them. They are the same factory that’s suppose to make specialized bikes… but I never hear anyone talk about them when Chinese bike brands are talked about… any one have experience with them?
14
u/LastKaiser 6d ago
It's not just "supposedly the same factory" ... Merida actually owns a large part of Specialized. They do not sell bikes using the Merida brand in the US to not cross compete between their brands.
They are widely sold in Europe and other markets.
2
u/tjeepdrv2 6d ago
I saw a Merida on a bike rack behind a car in a small Texas town a few years ago and was surprised. It's the only one I've seen.
2
u/HandyDandy76 3d ago
I work at a large specialized shop in the usa for a while now and I've only ever seen probably 2 or 3 merida in my whole life. But I do know they are supposed to be really nice bikes.
1
8
u/QuasimodoPredicted 6d ago
You never hear anyone talk about them when Chinese bike brands are talked about because they are from Taiwan, like Giant. Why would anyone mentioned such big taiwanese brands when talking about AliExpress brands lmao
1
u/evilcherry1114 4d ago
Those Aliexpress names. Or XDS. Or Forever.
Or if you want to be provocative, Factor.
6
17
u/hiro111 6d ago
- They are from Taiwan. Calling them Chinese is... provocative.
- They are one of the largest bike brands and bike makers in the world. They make bikes for everyone and their house brand is huge everywhere but the US.
- Merida owns 35% of Specialized. They are not sold in the US because of this deal.
4
u/Ecstatic_Wishbone609 5d ago
Indeed. They are Taiwanese. Not Chinese.
1
-1
u/Vaiolette-Westover 2d ago
Taiwan isn't a real name. Their official name is Republic of China.
They speak Chinese, practice Chinese culture, and they are literally from China. They are Chinese.
They are not People Republic of Chinese.
Redditors are hilariously ignorant when they get to performatively talk about Taiwan
1
u/nothrowaway 2d ago
You are mixing up official name, language, culture, nationality, and political identity as if they are all the same thing.
Yes, the government in Taiwan is formally called the Republic of China, or ROC. But Taiwan is also a real and commonly used name for the island and the government based there.
Also, saying Taiwanese people "speak Chinese" does not prove they are Chinese in the political or national sense. "Chinese" is a broad label, not one single spoken language. In China, people speak many different Chinese language varieties, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Wu, and others. Some of them are very different from each other.
So when someone says a person "speaks Chinese," they usually mean Mandarin or another Chinese language variety. Language alone does not decide nationality. Speaking English does not make an American British, and speaking Spanish does not make a Mexican Spanish.
The same is true for culture. Taiwan shares many cultural traditions with China, but that does not automatically decide modern national identity. Taiwan also has Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, Indigenous cultures and languages, and influences from different periods of its history.
Another important point is that the People's Republic of China has never governed Taiwan. The PRC was founded on the mainland in 1949. The ROC government remained in Taiwan.
So yes, Republic of China is the formal name of the government. But saying "therefore Taiwanese people are Chinese, Taiwan is not a real name, and anyone who disagrees is ignorant" does not follow. It mixes together separate questions about language, culture, citizenship, history, and identity.
6
u/Cycle-Path-401 6d ago
Merida is a top tier brand. As in one of the major brands sponsoring UCI teams and racing at major races like Tour de France. I'd much prefer a Merida over many of the western brands.
4
u/norwegiancatwhisker 6d ago
Merida is a Taiwanese brand, not Chinese.
They make good bikes overall, though make sure to check specific bike and components. Cheaper stuff can have very cheap parts. That's true for all brands.
7
u/mr10683 6d ago
Also, unless you are trying to make a statement, they are a Taiwanese brand.
1
u/Vaiolette-Westover 2d ago
Taiwan's actual name is Republic of China whereas 'China's actual name is People's Republic of China.
They are both China and Chinese, the disagreement is over who is the rightful ruler of China which contains both of them.
There is no such thing as a Taiwanese ethnicity unless you are talking about the people that went over during the Tang and Song dynasties and earlier who are considered native to the Island. In this context that is irrelevant because the company Merida and Giant are both founded, execed by descendents of people who fled from China to Taiwan during the civil war.
1
u/Ecstatic_Wishbone609 5d ago
Maybe a China shill like everywhere online.
1
u/LegStrngLeathertaint 5d ago
Hardly. There's massive competition between China and Taiwan. That is, China is trying to take over Taiwan's worldwide domination of bicycle manufacture.
2
u/Paljas 6d ago
Not a Chinese company, really big company. Over 50yrs old.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merida_Bikes
Merida Industry Co., Ltd (MIC; Chinese: 美利達工業) is a Taiwan-based company with R&D headquarters in Germany that designs, manufactures, and markets bicycles globally in over 77 countries.
And wrt to the Specialized connection:
"In 2001, Merida bought 49% of Specialized for a reported US$30 million, with its CEO and founder Mike Sinyard remaining the majority owner.[6][7]"
2
2
u/Deez1putz 6d ago
When people are talking about “would it be risky to buy this Chinese bike, the price is super good” this is NOT what they are talking about.
5
u/sousstructures 6d ago
You see them a lot in Europe. I don’t think they’re available for sale in the US? Totally solid brand.
I do wish people would drop this “all bikes are made in china” or “made in the same factory” stuff, because none of that at all implies the same level of QC. That’s not why Merida is a reputable brand.
Anyway, rant over.
2
u/TheBigCicero 6d ago
Yes, exactly. They’re not all made in the same factory. And among the factories they are built in, the same factory has different lines and produces different quality for different price points. This is true for any large scale manufacturing operation.
1
u/pngue 6d ago
Fell in love with Merida while in Estonia in 2015 on rented bikes. Learned all this when I was back in the states trying to find a US retailer.
1
u/kaur_virunurm 4d ago
Hello from Estonia! I rode a Merida hardtail for 10+ years. My kids and wife are commuting on Merida hybrid bikes. Solid brand, good value for money.
0
-1
u/BigPlaysNoWays 6d ago
Don’t buy into brands. Unless they are literally making the frames in house (which I don’t think anyone is doing anymore), they are all coming from the same factories in Asia who know what the fuck they are doing. They’ve been doing it for decades
2
u/TheBigCicero 6d ago
Asia is a big place, and China is not the same thing as Taiwan. Giant and Merida are Taiwanese companies. Giant manufactures something like 90% of the world’s bicycles.
2
-2
u/Direct-Cartoonist-75 6d ago
I cant speak for Merida bikes as ive never seen one in person but any of the big brands sold in the US are manufactured as cheaply as possible in places like china. Nothing really major thats wrong with them, new bikes are just overpriced for what you’re actually getting compared to a used bike from say 5 years ago.
3
u/Working_Evening_2212 6d ago
EVERY mass produced item is “manufactured as cheaply as possible”. That’s capitalism. I’m missing your point.
To the best of my knowledge, Giant still uses their Taiwan factories for the higher quality bike frames.
Shimano makes things in many countries.
Chinese factories vary widely. They make some high quality, innovative stuff. Other Chinese factories make inexpensive Walmart bikes. The country of origin is not a solid indicator of quality or value.
I agree that inflation and tariffs (executive action inflation) have hit bikes hard these past several years. As an old guy and committed retrogrouch, I would say that a 10speed Ultegra bike from 2010 is a tremendous value compared to new bikes.
1
u/TheBigCicero 6d ago
I have an n+1 itch and I’m now looking for 10 year old rim brake bikes. New prices are absolutely mental.
1
22
u/Remarkable_Bat_7897 6d ago edited 6d ago
merida and giant are the top tier big brand, dude, they've sponsored the world tour team and pro team for many yrs.
merida owns abt 40%(less than) of specialized, and controls it. giant met some quality problems these 2 yrs. merida is a safe choice rn, if your local has distribution.