I went back to the Giant factory and filmed MORE FOOTAGE as well as a really entertaining INTERVIEW with the CEO. Links in the video description, enjoy!
As an owner of a "Giant" cycle myself, I was really interested in this vid. The guys on the production line are astonishing, I hope they earn big money because they deserve it. Great upload, thank you.
Glad you like the video, thanks for the feedback. Make sure to check out the interview with the CEO I just uploaded, he says some really surprising things.
Been reading through the earlier comments made . Plenty of messages referring to why the Giant bikes are cheaper due to the cheap labour. I can't comment on what the workers earn, perhaps taiwanreporter might want to comment. I looked at the Giant's website and they take pride in explaining why their bikes are cheaper. They go so far as saying the frames are just as good or even better than other companies of whose frames are twice the price. The reason being is that Giant own the carbon fibre technology and patents and of course reserve the best technology for their own branded machines. (I didn't see any bowls of rice in the film clip, so my presumption is they get good competitive wages). Surprised the tyre and wheel assembler hasn't been head hunted by a top race team support crew!!!
Kenneth Morris: when I interviewed the Giant CEO Tony Lo, I also asked him about the wages: www.intaiwan.de/2012/12/02/giant-bike-factory/ 'Asked if his company pays all migrant workers Taiwan’s minumum wage (currently NT$18,780 / US$645 per month), or if they earn more, Lo said: “We pay according to the skill level. Some of them, we will give more than the minimum wage."' Lots of other relevant info in there as well.
Kenneth Morris They can say this because they build most of the other high end brands frames Colnago Bianchi Cipollini De Rosa Specialized Trek(except highend) etc...
Have a Giant Hybrid bike for 30 years and still ride it. May be a bit heavy by todays standards, but faithful and still does what I bought it to do and that is long slow rides of enjoyment.
Jeezus. I know sometimes I think I've had a boring day at work but these poor sods have it far worse. "What do you do?" "I spend all day putting QR skewers in. Just the rear ones of course." People as machines :-(
I really don't see them as being any different from any other worker that works in a production factory/facility... I work for Ford & it's the exact same thing. They look no different, it's an assembly line. Not jumping you, like some youtuber's, just saying:)
Kevin Boatman LOL. i actually wouldn't mind a job like that.. granted it would probably get boring.. but there are definitely worse jobs to be doing out there in the world.
I always wondered when building a bike is who packaged it. It’s a weird feeling of a disconnect knowing that a stranger from across the world packaged it for you so that you can assemble it. Thank you, guys.
And my job pays for me and my family to eat and have clothes and a house and education. I'm very grateful to have my job because I realise others aren't as fortunate as I am.
That's correct. Their mid-range bikes are mostly assembled in China. In another building of this compound in Taiwan they are producing the carbon frames, but sadly no filming ws allowed there...
Also I was on Giant bicycle's page on youtube and they have all these marketing videos of how great riding a giant bike is with footage of some of some cool US trails with "star" riders etc. but not a single video of how the majority of their bikes are manufactured.
100% Taiwanesa, e muitos acham que a giant é uma marca americana ou européia com fábrica no oriente, o que não é e nunca foi. A giant fabrica também quadros para várias marcas famosas da Europa e EUA..... ...isso sim que é bike!!
Good question. Maybe quality is only assured when you put it together using your own people? I am also sure they figured out a way to pack those bikes really tight into a container. Thanks for the feedback!
what would be the point of assembling the bicycle right now? surely it would be more cost effective to export the bicycle as parts e.g. two wheels, a frame and a chain, then putting the bicycle together right now and exporting it? ...unless these bikes are being sold at a factory outlet next to the factory? btw fantastic video!
If your frame bares the name of De Rosa Colnago Bianchi Specialized Cipollini Trek (mid-low end) Focus BH BMC Willier etc... its was made here. They are all Giant in every way besides the names! Think about that next time you're about to put down $3500 - $9000 on an "Italian" Frame. That being said my Madone 4 series is a great riding frame and I just ordered a custom painted De Rosa 888 for $500 and this frame retails for over $3995
Trek, Scott, Colnago, Bontrager components among others.. Aluminum.. Carbon.. etc.. Are made in this very factory.. Giant is well Giant.. They make everything.. Giant, Merida, Universal, Ideal, Fairly, Hodaka, Martec make most of the major brands.. The only US made Treks are the OCLV frames.. Even non OCLV carbon Treks are outsourced
Nope, it is far more cost effective to use the lower labor prices and the factory-floor assembly-line setup that is already in place. Also simplifies shipping greatly. Plus, once it's shipped, you would have to unpack & sort out the pieces, put it together using duplicated tools (& duplicated personnel), etc.
I'd love to see how the frames are made.. I ride a Giant Trance X bike and I've seen how a "Nikolai" frame is made (german brand, I'm from germany too) and I was really impressed.
Every kinds of wire must be pushed its tail into the frame of rectangular for a newly invented bike including e-bike triggered by push button of starting
The people commenting here about 'cheap labour', crappy working conditions etc. should get their facts straight. Taiwan is well developed, and has a GDP per capita that's higher than countries like the United Kingdom and Denmark.. Giant is a Taiwanese brand, and I'm guessing that only their top of the line quality bicycles get made in the factory shown here.
Holy crap, you're right! I'll have to read the wiki article. I always thought it was American. There's a giant Giant Brand Store (not a partner store, i.e. LBS) that just opened near me. Great video, btw, thanks.
0:29 As a Taiwanese, I'm very upset to see the workers of the GIANT company still in a sheet metal factory, even without air conditioning. (Taichung's hottest temperature is over 35℃ in recent years) In contrast, in 2019, Giant Group generated revenue of 2.2 billion (USD), net income of 15 million (USD).
really great bike but all those bikes are still not set up for performance and fun easy comfortable riding. I always have to mount extended stem and bars for upright no hands riding.
Funny that - my local Giant LBS will spec stem or bars if you order a new Giant through them. They'll do a proper bike fit for you as you order, so the stem, etc will be the correct length and bars the correct width. At no extra charge (except the bike fit).
Great video, though it's kind of a shame that we can't do more of this type of industrial manufacturing in North America ... but then we'd be paying double the price..
Asia has become, through practice, simply better at making things than the west. It's no longer just about price, but quality too. Many things we moan about being made out there are simply not possible any more over here.
I was a mechanic for a long time, I could tighten anything down perfect without fear because of doing it 10 hours, now after 8 year off, i dont have the same confident's and will use a hand tool to finish it.
Found a "Scott" today, it was basically a Giant in almost every way, apart from paint and stickers. Same running gear, everything. I knew they make the frames for other suppliers, but didn't realise the entire bike in some cases.
I went back to the Giant factory and filmed MORE FOOTAGE as well as a really entertaining INTERVIEW with the CEO. Links in the video description, enjoy!
i wish i could change tire tube as quick as that.
The guy put on the tube and tire faster than drinking a cup of water...
take note he also put those rim tape and he make it look easy .. took me 10mins just to install one
Haha, just saw this and thought the same thing! Lol... he put that tube and tire on fast!!!
me too
As an owner of a "Giant" cycle myself, I was really interested in this vid. The guys on the production line are astonishing, I hope they earn big money because they deserve it. Great upload, thank you.
Eric George they earn 5 $ / day. Think !!
Dutu Daroczi around 1000USD per month
Unfortunately, they don't :(
ALL money take company to itself
50 people sleep in one room and they all earn 10 cents a day
Maybe $200-$350 a month
I've gone through several Giant bikes and the assembly quality was really good like other Taiwan brands.
Notice the Treks moving along the conveyor at 0:33
good spot....they make specialized amongst others too.
These workers seem to be highly trained and really good at what they do, building great bikes.
2:40
Some say he knows the psi of every tyre just by looking at it
,,,All we know is, he's called the Stig's Taiwanese Cousin!
Glad you like the video, thanks for the feedback. Make sure to check out the interview with the CEO I just uploaded, he says some really surprising things.
is my giant glory 2017 is made in taiwan?
most of bikes from other brand also made by Giant,
just the tier end model that made in original brand's country..
that's what i got.
Holy shit. That guy put tubes and tires on that wheel in like 5 seconds. It took me 1/2 hour to do that on my wheel.
HAHAHA that guy is super fast, i need 30min to fix a puncture
lol me too
He didnt even use levers lol just hands hahaha DA FUQ!
izwabbit He used a machine to put the tire on.
good eye mate @florian trabauer
Been reading through the earlier comments made . Plenty of messages referring to why the Giant bikes are cheaper due to the cheap labour. I can't comment on what the workers earn, perhaps taiwanreporter might want to comment. I looked at the Giant's website and they take pride in explaining why their bikes are cheaper. They go so far as saying the frames are just as good or even better than other companies of whose frames are twice the price. The reason being is that Giant own the carbon fibre technology and patents and of course reserve the best technology for their own branded machines. (I didn't see any bowls of rice in the film clip, so my presumption is they get good competitive wages). Surprised the tyre and wheel assembler hasn't been head hunted by a top race team support crew!!!
Kenneth Morris: when I interviewed the Giant CEO Tony Lo, I also asked him about the wages: www.intaiwan.de/2012/12/02/giant-bike-factory/
'Asked if his company pays all migrant workers Taiwan’s minumum wage (currently NT$18,780 / US$645 per month), or if they earn more, Lo said: “We pay according to the skill level. Some of them, we will give more than the minimum wage."'
Lots of other relevant info in there as well.
Kenneth Morris They can say this because they build most of the other high end brands frames Colnago Bianchi Cipollini De Rosa Specialized Trek(except highend) etc...
I assuming you are not Asian. Most Asians know Taiwanese men are the cheapest in the word, don't ever work for Taiwanese is the advise.
+Leo I guess you are one of them, the Chinese, most hated by the Taiwanese
Is that the reason Taiwanese slave people? Because they have too much hate?
Have a Giant Hybrid bike for 30 years and still ride it. May be a bit heavy by todays standards, but faithful and still does what I bought it to do and that is long slow rides of enjoyment.
Taiwan is the best producer of bicycles in the world!
/Sweden
Sometimes we see how good these great bicycles are but we here in America never think about many hours spent energy are put into these bicycles
Laura Frost speak for yourself homie
They need factories like that in the usa
amazing to see multiple people working on the same bike at the same time..human version of a cnc machine...
Jeezus. I know sometimes I think I've had a boring day at work but these poor sods have it far worse.
"What do you do?" "I spend all day putting QR skewers in. Just the rear ones of course."
People as machines :-(
Courtesy of Henry Ford.
I really don't see them as being any different from any other worker that works in a production factory/facility... I work for Ford & it's the exact same thing. They look no different, it's an assembly line. Not jumping you, like some youtuber's, just saying:)
Kevin Boatman LOL. i actually wouldn't mind a job like that.. granted it would probably get boring.. but there are definitely worse jobs to be doing out there in the world.
Yeah, I feel the same when watching the video. Make feel good about my job, where I get bored but because I got nothing to do, lol.
chap666is
Very good and professional. You guys done a great job there! Ride Life, Ride Giant.
I always wondered when building a bike is who packaged it. It’s a weird feeling of a disconnect knowing that a stranger from across the world packaged it for you so that you can assemble it. Thank you, guys.
Hey Jing Pao what do you do for a living?
Put foam on seat stays, insert rear skewer. That my job.
And my job pays for me and my family to eat and have clothes and a house and education. I'm very grateful to have my job because I realise others aren't as fortunate as I am.
Everyone's favorite bike manufacturer' GOD BLESS ALL OF THE HANDS THAT MAKE OUR RIDE
Hows quality?
Which country this brand originally from🤔🤔🤔
That's correct. Their mid-range bikes are mostly assembled in China. In another building of this compound in Taiwan they are producing the carbon frames, but sadly no filming ws allowed there...
yea I don't see anything being made, just assembled
I think their wheels are made by DT swiss.
See how frames are made at ua-cam.com/video/7fkJl5tPjCs/v-deo.html
you wont see any of this in the U.S period lol
Look up BCA BIKES
Man that dude doing the tubes and tires is who you want with you on every ride!
how can i buy giant bike from factory? pleasee...
Come to Taiwan and get in touch with them?
but Giant has also one factory (no top end bikes) in China, hasn't it?
Very Impressed with GIANT, they should receive more credit around the world.
Also I was on Giant bicycle's page on youtube and they have all these marketing videos of how great riding a giant bike is with footage of some of some cool US trails with "star" riders etc. but not a single video of how the majority of their bikes are manufactured.
I have a Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt and the frame was manufactured in Taiwan.
100% Taiwanesa, e muitos acham que a giant é uma marca americana ou européia com fábrica no oriente, o que não é e nunca foi.
A giant fabrica também quadros para várias marcas famosas da Europa e EUA.....
...isso sim que é bike!!
in Australian dollars what's the average wage of one of the workers.
Giant "Subway 2" 2012-genial folding bike👍Why not produced???👈🤔
thanks from France
Good question. Maybe quality is only assured when you put it together using your own people? I am also sure they figured out a way to pack those bikes really tight into a container. Thanks for the feedback!
It's amazing how massive the export of manufacturing from Europe and America to China has become. Even Giant's top end bikes are assembled there.
China?
what would be the point of assembling the bicycle right now?
surely it would be more cost effective to export the bicycle as parts e.g. two wheels, a frame and a chain, then putting the bicycle together right now and exporting it?
...unless these bikes are being sold at a factory outlet next to the factory?
btw fantastic video!
this is great footage, how did you get access into the factory and film?
Is this Ligit???
good day sir.. how can i apply for a job @ GIANT bikes, I'm ex-taiwan employee
as you can see here, bikes made in taiwan aren't any worse than bikes made in america. if anything, they're better.
Kd o protetor auricular????
This was really helpful for my school project.
I wonder what the build cost is....I bet the margins are huge for giant
it cost them $200 a bike to build and make.
Mt early days of.college.life.really connected to giant bikes.had 3 of them overall and so good were they
Damn, that rim tape, tube & tire job was quick!!
If your frame bares the name of De Rosa Colnago Bianchi Specialized Cipollini Trek (mid-low end) Focus BH BMC Willier etc... its was made here. They are all Giant in every way besides the names! Think about that next time you're about to put down $3500 - $9000 on an "Italian" Frame. That being said my Madone 4 series is a great riding frame and I just ordered a custom painted De Rosa 888 for $500 and this frame retails for over $3995
The 007 Theory so you paied 500 rather than 3995 ? how
***** Sent you a message
Thank you. We visited the factory with a group of journalists.
Trek, Scott, Colnago, Bontrager components among others.. Aluminum.. Carbon.. etc.. Are made in this very factory.. Giant is well Giant.. They make everything.. Giant, Merida, Universal, Ideal, Fairly, Hodaka, Martec make most of the major brands.. The only US made Treks are the OCLV frames.. Even non OCLV carbon Treks are outsourced
Nope, it is far more cost effective to use the lower labor prices and the factory-floor assembly-line setup that is already in place. Also simplifies shipping greatly. Plus, once it's shipped, you would have to unpack & sort out the pieces, put it together using duplicated tools (& duplicated personnel), etc.
People pay al lot of money for giant bikes I wonder how much there monthly wages are, and how much it cost to produce each bike?
They at least get Taiwan's minumum wage. Read the text behind the link in the video description for more info.
Tengo una gian aluxx 6061 y ya una década es durisima para enduro
You nomber frommm? Im im work in taiwan canghua
I'd love to see how the frames are made.. I ride a Giant Trance X bike and I've seen how a "Nikolai" frame is made (german brand, I'm from germany too) and I was really impressed.
Any taiwanese city with many bicycle accesories suppliers? Greatings. Glad if you can reply.
社名の通り大きな工場だ。
40数年前、今は無きBRIDGESTONEの日本工場を訪ねた事があるが、こんなに大きくなかった。
wow Great report ...I am a startup making ebikes in India
Good to know, thank you!
They do make some of the best bikes sold on the planet.
Thomas L my ass
I'm a p big giant fanboy too, dollar for dollar the TCR is hard to beat.
I still prefer specialized. But I am a big giant fan, trek’s frames are also made by Giant
Right, but they also have factories in China.
Every kinds of wire must be pushed its tail into the frame of rectangular for a newly invented bike including e-bike triggered by push button of starting
Minimum wage in Taiwan is US$3.71. I added a link to more info in the video description.
By now, the minimum wage in Taiwan has been raised to US$5/hour.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_Taiwan
I would love to spend all day making bikes
not there !
they dont actually need to assmble all because at last the constumer still have to tune everything
Be good if you could move around and learn all parts of the process.
Thanks for the video. Very interesting wish it was longer.
The people commenting here about 'cheap labour', crappy working conditions etc. should get their facts straight. Taiwan is well developed, and has a GDP per capita that's higher than countries like the United Kingdom and Denmark.. Giant is a Taiwanese brand, and I'm guessing that only their top of the line quality bicycles get made in the factory shown here.
Holy crap, you're right! I'll have to read the wiki article. I always thought it was American. There's a giant Giant Brand Store (not a partner store, i.e. LBS) that just opened near me. Great video, btw, thanks.
0:29 As a Taiwanese, I'm very upset to see the workers of the GIANT company still in a sheet metal factory, even without air conditioning. (Taichung's hottest temperature is over 35℃ in recent years)
In contrast, in 2019, Giant Group generated revenue of 2.2 billion (USD), net income of 15 million (USD).
wish I could change a tyre that quick
If those factory were in USA people be complaining and on their phones like always that’s why they are better in other countries
Wow giant it's a very comfortable bike when you ride it I love it 🤩🤩
3:01 - Holy shit...did that dude just seat a brand new tire on a rim in 1 second flat?! What the fuck?!
Every kinds of wire must be pushed its tail into frame of rectangular for newly invented bike
i also have giant cycle 2010 modle
really great bike but all those bikes are still not set up for performance and fun easy comfortable riding. I always have to mount extended stem and bars for upright no hands riding.
Funny that - my local Giant LBS will spec stem or bars if you order a new Giant through them. They'll do a proper bike fit for you as you order, so the stem, etc will be the correct length and bars the correct width. At no extra charge (except the bike fit).
sieht sehr gut aus
das sehe ich auch so. Da gibt es sogar in Deutschland weniger gute Fabriken.
was hoping for some frame building video, but other then that cool stuff
Great video, though it's kind of a shame that we can't do more of this type of industrial manufacturing in North America ... but then we'd be paying double the price..
Pretty interesting video. I appreciated.
Asia has become, through practice, simply better at making things than the west. It's no longer just about price, but quality too. Many things we moan about being made out there are simply not possible any more over here.
Where's the wheel truing dept? Oh, they ain't got one.
see any Glorys get assembled?
Sorry to break the news to you, but Giant is and always has been a Taiwanese company.
I have folding bike Giant fd-806 2014👍
The workers must all be giants because those bikes look normal sized.
i think they manufacture giant, trek and merida in that factory.
I wish I wl have giant bike ! Bcs my fren alrdy used it for cycling ! Top
I was surprised they used air tools to tighten bolts. I would be afraid of over torque.
tubesockets120v they get to the requires torque then cut out.
I was a mechanic for a long time, I could tighten anything down perfect without fear because of doing it 10 hours, now after 8 year off, i dont have the same confident's and will use a hand tool to finish it.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
you are wrong. a casual glance at frame design shows it
Check out EVEN MORE footage from inside the GIANT factory here: ua-cam.com/video/L-dDP_fXUoE/v-deo.html
taiwanreporter can you give me address
Found a "Scott" today, it was basically a Giant in almost every way, apart from paint and stickers. Same running gear, everything. I knew they make the frames for other suppliers, but didn't realise the entire bike in some cases.
They sure look happy!
Amazing 🤩
I have a giant revel MT
If you mean the video, then Thank You!
i want to see more :)
Did you check out my other videos about Giant?