All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.

For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.

BIKE 11/2005
Reading time 0:45 minutes

Bicycle production in Germany

Interview: "Large-scale production is impossible in Germany!"

BIKE: Why are there only low-volume manufacturers in Germany?

Dirk Zedler: There are no high-quality smithies for aluminium frames in Germany. Those which are produced large-scale most of the time are made from steel and are of marginal quality. Also small manufacturers sometimes make products of varying quality. This will become a problem if they do not offer accomodating service.

BIKE: Being a large manufacturer I cannot avoid Taiwan?

Dirk Zedler: There you get large quantities. If you instruct the producers of the new construction properly, you’ll most of the time get solid work.

BIKE: But no individuality.

Dirk Zedler: You have to differentiate here. Also big, innovative manufacturers, like Scott and Specialized, have their stuff made in Taiwan. The idea behind the bikes, however, is born in the development departments in their home countries. The frame fit is indeed made in large-scale production, but they have an individual design. In contrast to this, the purely German manufacturers have to try to respond to their customers’ demands with small quantities.

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