How Giant Bicycles in Taiwan Became a Bicycle Giant

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  • Опубліковано 22 чер 2021
  • I regularly make use of YouBike here in Taipei. It is a simple, easy-to-use bike share that makes biking around Taipei as convenient as the MRT. I use it regularly to get to places while enjoying the outdoors.
    YouBike would not work half as well as it does if the bikes sucked. And luckily they do not. These bikes were provided by Giant, Taiwan's biggest bicycle brand.
    I do not know much about the bicycle industry, so Giant's success and name recognition came as a surprise to me. It is pretty cool that in the midst of a bunch of semiconductor and electronics companies, one of Taiwan's most well-known brands makes bicycles of all things.
    In this video, I want to profile Taichung-based Giant Bicycle. Their beginnings, rise to prominence, and how they managed to make it from being a white label manufacturer to a global brand of their own.
    Links:
    - The Asianometry Newsletter: asianometry.com
    - Patreon: / asianometry
    Dedicated to L for teaching me how to ride a bike.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 262

  • @Asianometry
    @Asianometry  3 роки тому +22

    Have you guys used YouBike before?
    Watch other company profiles here: ua-cam.com/play/PLKtxx9TnH76Qod2z94xcDNV95_ItzIM-S.html

    • @Evolition180
      @Evolition180 2 роки тому

      I love Ubike! Now Giant is providing bikes for the new Ubike second generation 👍. You have good videos. How about a video on one of Taiwans scooter companies 😀

    • @harrickvharrick3957
      @harrickvharrick3957 2 роки тому

      What is 'the' MRT? Don't expect people from around the world to know what the abbreviation for a local transportation company means..

  • @escargotomy
    @escargotomy 3 роки тому +65

    Interesting story to be sure. In 1992 I purchased a Giant Innova Hybrid bike for $350 at the recommendation of the bike shop owner who had recently become a dealer for them. He said they were offering the best value to quality he'd ever seen and that was good enough for me. 29 years later, I am still pedaling the same Giant bike that has given me 3 decades of recreation, transportation and fitness. Literally tens of thousands miles. Easily the best $350 I have ever spent.

    • @ronjon7942
      @ronjon7942 Рік тому +2

      Yep, same (almost). Until it was recently stolen, I had fully intended my new 2006 Rincon to be my last , and I’m looking hard for that exact chassis (w a bent center bar). Meanwhile, I grabbed up a Warp, my first rear-suspension bike; I’m pretty happy w it, but I do miss that darn Rincon. I’m glad my bike guy is a Giant dealer.

    • @HolahkuTaigiTWFormosanDiplomat
      @HolahkuTaigiTWFormosanDiplomat 9 місяців тому

      0.0

  • @johnhaggerty6009
    @johnhaggerty6009 3 роки тому +106

    Giant replaced my motor under warranty when the warranty had expired 8 months because of the Covid 19 lockdown, I was truly grateful to them for doing so on my Quick E + electric bicycle. I thought I would let people know how they stand behind there products. I really enjoyed the video. Thanks.

    • @reinerfranke5436
      @reinerfranke5436 3 роки тому

      Giant is unique that they rebrand a yamaha motor. Interesting how that works out. No other do motor rebranding.

    • @nomad-pq4yw8iy7v
      @nomad-pq4yw8iy7v 3 роки тому +2

      Giant is a pretty solid company they stand behind there bikes that means a lot to to a rider like me THANKS GIANT!

  • @jinngeechia9715
    @jinngeechia9715 3 роки тому +112

    Giant revolutionized road bicycles with the TCR or Total Compact Road. To those into bicycle history, the TCR defined what is viewed as the truly modern road bicycle in the last 20 oe 30 years. A departure from the straight top tube of the vintage bicycles. It was smaller, more nimble, more aerodynamic due to its compact shape and made other manufacturers follow. It also made sport cycling even more accessible to everyone because the horizontal top tube bicycle dictated custom made sizes which can number to 22 different frames. Giant with the TCR is able to make it in 3 or 4 sizes from XS to XL. Costs went down as a result with a maximum of 4 frames to fit nearly everyone.

    • @iMadrid11
      @iMadrid11 3 роки тому +8

      It’s a shame Giant won’t have a single bike represented in this years 2021 Tour de France. With Team CCC going bankrupt in 2020 with sponsors pulling out support due to the pandemic.
      It’s back to drawing again for Giant’s marketing team. They need to find a World Grand Tour level team to partner with as an equipment sponsor to showcase the TCR. Otherwise their brand value would fall in the sports road racing category.

    • @jinngeechia9715
      @jinngeechia9715 3 роки тому +2

      @@iMadrid11 Yeah this is sad. The first win was with Tom Dumoulin on a TCR in the 2017 Giro d'Italia.

    • @capmidnite
      @capmidnite 3 роки тому +3

      Not sure if the TCR was a "more aerodynamic" design. If you look at a bike straight on, a sloping top tube doesn't make it more aero. As you said, I think the TCR makes it easier for manufacturers to make more universal sizes (S,M,L) instead of 22 different frames. So-called innovations in the bike industry recently have been to make things easier or simpler for the manufacturer (cartridge bearings, PressFit bottom brackets, etc).

    • @iMadrid11
      @iMadrid11 3 роки тому +5

      @@capmidnite Easier to manufacture means lower production costs equals to higher profits. Just like the recent hookless rims the bike industry is trying to peddle. They figured out a way to produce rims at a lower cost by eliminating the hook bead. While asking you to pay a lot more money for so called new technology.

    • @womplestilskin
      @womplestilskin 3 роки тому +1

      @@capmidnite it's less aero for sure, all the new aero bikes are not compact frames.

  • @alexbroere2669
    @alexbroere2669 2 роки тому +8

    As a youngster I lived in Taiwan for a few years and my parents got me (of course) a Giant bike. 14 years later we parted because I became too big for the bike but now I still have a Giant bike in my garage. Love the brand! Amazing how many great companies come from Taiwan.

  • @vaughanjones4149
    @vaughanjones4149 3 роки тому +9

    Bought my first carbon road bike from Giant and had defect in head tube after a year and my local bike shop had to scrap it and claim my life time warranty from Giant- they couldn’t replace my frame as they didn’t have any XL sizes left, so they offered me my size XL at Christmas or a size L within 2 weeks or $1000 for the cost of the frame! I went with the size L, so at the end of the day in the middle of a pandemic Giant stood by there word and for that I’m relived and grateful.

  • @xelseartheonlyone1267
    @xelseartheonlyone1267 3 роки тому +10

    I managed to buy a serious bike for the first time in my life. Is a Giant road bike. I love it. It is the most amazing thing i ever had.
    Worth every cent!

  • @hikikomicklori9290
    @hikikomicklori9290 2 роки тому +3

    I own two GIANT bikes and I LOVE them. They will always have my business and I cannot recommend them enough.

  • @TruGamer128
    @TruGamer128 3 роки тому +7

    Giant makes great bikes. I just bought one and it's the best bike I've ever owned.
    I'm truly happy for their success and in my humble opinion is hard earned and well deserved.

  • @frankhuicts
    @frankhuicts 2 роки тому +4

    My son forwarded one of your videos regarding TSMC water issue with their new Arizona fab, in response to my question to him months ago, before he went for his training in Tainan. He will eventually return to Arizona for that new fab. I agree marketing your own well-made videos is tough and you only reached me by chance. I'm an individual investor and your videos help be to quickly update my knowledge about certain companies and industries. People view your "dry, aka not-for-entertainment" subjects for a reason. It will be interesting to know what others get from it.

  • @ph11p3540
    @ph11p3540 2 роки тому +5

    I used to deliver Giant bike frames from Vancouver to a container depot in Surry BC where the Bikes would be shipped off to Raleigh Bikes in Ontario. When I looked at Raleigh and Giant bikes being sold in the same store I used to chuckle about it knowing they were practically the same bikes. Fortunately they were all priced the same feature for feature. Both really good bike brands in Canada.

    • @KenGold666
      @KenGold666 10 місяців тому

      I'm watching from Burnaby , BC

  • @georginaprice1530
    @georginaprice1530 3 роки тому +4

    This Canadian has a Giant electric bike, really happy with quality and service. I've also done a road bike tour in Taiwan, great country for cycling, super friendly people, supportive, safe, great biking culture. Thank you.

    • @tonychen1062
      @tonychen1062 3 роки тому +1

      Taiwan will welcome you to pay visit to us again😉

    • @alexchen5616
      @alexchen5616 3 роки тому +1

      Well come to Taiwan again

  • @MattSwain1
    @MattSwain1 3 роки тому +4

    I’ve bought 4 Giant bikes of different types over the course of about the last 12 years and think they’re great, they seem to keep hitting the sweet spot of good quality for sensible money. Interesting to learn about their background

  • @1BCamden
    @1BCamden 2 роки тому +1

    I have only ever purchased GIANT, and as I have over the years continued to upgrade, I truly miss those models that I have sold on to friends, and good homes at a fraction of the original price tag.
    Thank you GIANT, your move into composites was a water shed moment for my MTB indulgence, but I have never looked back.

  • @sogcezar
    @sogcezar 3 роки тому +3

    As an avid bicycle rider and proponent of such, I really appreciated your video and analysis of this Giant company that Giant became.
    I wish you all the success and hopefully you will become a giant within this media.
    Take care brother!

  • @Incomudro1963
    @Incomudro1963 3 роки тому +4

    At the end of this past winter, I decided to replace my department store Schwinn bicycle with a genuine road bike.
    Much online research often lead me to Giant.
    I narrowed my picks down to Trek Domane, Scott Speedster, and Giant Contend.
    Ultimately, and largely due to availability - I purchased a Giant Contend a two hour drive from my home.
    I'm very happy with the bike.

  • @PedanticNo1
    @PedanticNo1 3 роки тому +75

    My second bike, a Giant, was stolen after one year as a young child.
    I now associate Giant with sadness and pain.

    • @dickybirdcch
      @dickybirdcch 3 роки тому +7

      I had my first Specialized Mountain Bike stolen from outside a Chinese takeaway in London, I also still feel the pain.

    • @jinngeechia9715
      @jinngeechia9715 3 роки тому +7

      If there are any thing that can be called scum, it is a bicycle thief. A lot of people think it is not a huge loss if a bicycle is stolen compared to an automobile but it is. It can even be a heirloom hand-me-down that gives it a huge sentimental value.

    • @rorychivers8769
      @rorychivers8769 3 роки тому +6

      @@jinngeechia9715 My older brother had his Saracen bike stolen from him by someone who pretended to be a good friend
      He would strip the entire bike down to pieces and polish every part after every single ride.
      It took him ten years before he got another bike, and only because it was gifted to him.
      Bike thieves are the worst kind of scum on this earth.

    • @DrewskiTheLegend
      @DrewskiTheLegend 3 роки тому

      @@rorychivers8769 that sucks about his bike being stolen, but as a pro bike mechanic myself, stripping the whole bike down after every ride is pretty weird/unnecessary/stupid. Bet he didn’t have a torque wrench either so add dangerous to the list.

    • @charleschavarria7523
      @charleschavarria7523 3 роки тому +2

      I had my Schwinn Apple Krate stolen in 1968: what kind of God makes a world where monsters thrive…

  • @robbchastain3036
    @robbchastain3036 3 роки тому +7

    Thanks for your presentation, the business side of cycling is fascinating. And there's a book titled No Hands, the Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, written by two journalists in Chicago. And it tells the story of Schwinn and Giant, which was pretty much the final chapter of Schwinn as a bike builder in Chicago for nearly a century.

  • @jb_au
    @jb_au 3 роки тому +7

    I thank you for yet another high-quality coverage of a Taiwanese industry and I certainly hope the USA comes out in full support of Taiwan as an independent, self-governing and democratic nation, I have certainly enjoyed my time in Taiwan. Regards, John from Australia

  • @tysonm2525
    @tysonm2525 2 роки тому +2

    I just found this channel and I love it!!! I also love my Giant MTB and Taiwan 🇹🇼!

  • @jinngeechia9715
    @jinngeechia9715 3 роки тому +7

    Remember these two names. Giant and Merida. Both are Taiwanese bicycle companies. You will be hard pressed to find Merida in North America because it is not available there. I don't know if it is an agreement between Merida or Specialized because Merida owns almost 40% of Specialized. The bicycle scene is becoming more like the automobile industry. Giant is akin to VWAG or Volkswagen Auto Group. They make frames not just for themselves but other big brands also. They are not in the liberty to say who they are making the frames for. But in the end, if you can see past the big brand names like Trek, Cannondale, etc. Buying a Giant or Merida bicycle makes you very clever because you didn't pay for the "badge". ;)

    • @iMadrid11
      @iMadrid11 3 роки тому +2

      Specialized does have a special agreement with Merida. Which prohibits Merida from selling their bikes in North America.

    • @PhiyackYuh
      @PhiyackYuh 3 роки тому

      Are you saying that a high end giant carbon frame is the same as any high end carbon like specialzed aethos or trek emonda? Im curious. I’ve always wanted giant as its value for money in paper but i wonder if they are quality bikes and re-sellable? Any insights would be great. Thanks

    • @iMadrid11
      @iMadrid11 3 роки тому

      @@PhiyackYuh They are similar in quality but not exactly the same. Giant, Specialized and Trek design their own original carbon frame molds designs and have their own specific way of laying down sheets of fibers.
      Cheap no name Chinese carbon uses an Open Mold Design. They are cheaper because the can cut corners by using lower grade carbon fiber and cheap resins.
      There are some bike brands that use existing Open Mold Designs. They can be made into high quality carbon frames. If you don’t skimp out on the quality of build materials and labor.

    • @veryinterestingpersonaliti8321
      @veryinterestingpersonaliti8321 2 роки тому +1

      @@PhiyackYuh Giant made Trek.

    • @janeblogs324
      @janeblogs324 Рік тому +1

      We get merida in Ausfalia. I own 2 meridas now only because they lose all their value after 1 year. Merida is like the Hyundai of bicycles, good quality, reliable but worth nothing 2nd hand and often sold to a 3rd,4th,5th buyer in a few years.
      They charge $1000 new and after 1 year everyone realises how basic they are and sell them 2nd hand. No one wants to be seen on a merida so they sell stupidly cheap, 1/3 to 1/4 of retail.
      I would never buy a new merida, total waste of money when a brand name is cheaper with the identical shimano components

  • @normantong3475
    @normantong3475 3 роки тому +3

    I owned a Giant TCR 2 composite carbon road bike with Shimano 105 components in 2012.. Giant manufactured good quality bike that is to say it is bang for the buck things.
    it still served me well in fact I enjoyed riding my Giant TCR instead of my Italian bike
    These days Giant is making better bike with the latest technology and material that surpass the European and American brand

  • @martinangelomooney1010
    @martinangelomooney1010 3 роки тому +2

    I'm a proud Giant user.

  • @firebld
    @firebld 3 роки тому +3

    Bought Giant X1 mountain bike. After 15 years, its still running strong. The bike stand but the biker getting old. Recently change latest greatest bike group set, change brake etc. Now it run like new. Giant bike stand for quality, second to none.

  • @qlum
    @qlum 3 роки тому +24

    Ah, did not know Giant was Taiwanese, it is still pretty much the only non-dutch company to have any market share in the Dutch market for city / utility bicycles.
    I must add here that they still manufacture them in the Netherlands.

    • @oceanheadted
      @oceanheadted Рік тому

      Yes, I thought it was an American brand!

    • @Obelisk57
      @Obelisk57 10 місяців тому

      Is the management there Taiwanese or Dutch.

  • @terencetan5478
    @terencetan5478 3 роки тому +2

    love to see u talk about taiwan’s economy and its companies in general, such as asus, Chimei, which didn’t get International attention or branding.

  • @wtfyman
    @wtfyman 3 роки тому +8

    It's a bit of a niche Taiwanese company, but I like Meanwell. Excellent quality power supplies at a reasonable price. Taiwanese electronics companies are generally excellent

    • @microwave311
      @microwave311 3 роки тому +3

      It is not a niche company, it's the gold standard for several large industries

    • @EthanCGamer
      @EthanCGamer 2 роки тому

      @@microwave311 This is true, the arcade industry uses many mean well power supplies. If I need to replace a PSU in a game, I always try to get the mean well version of it. Never had one explode on me yet, unlike the no-name brands.

  • @cal7447
    @cal7447 2 роки тому +1

    The way you tied Giant's story to your channel's development was very interesting!

  • @daledude66
    @daledude66 3 роки тому +26

    Wow, I literally bought a Giant bike a few hours ago

    • @lionpolis
      @lionpolis 3 роки тому

      do it

    • @daledude66
      @daledude66 3 роки тому +1

      @@blahaj___ Contend AR. Been trying to get one for over a year!

  • @j887276
    @j887276 Рік тому +1

    In the 90's everyone I knew had or wanted a chrome Giant or Royce Union. As an adult I have a Giant road bike.

  • @julientyt
    @julientyt 3 роки тому +9

    Taiwanese watching this video ended up knowing more about Schwinn, what a nice surprise.

  • @ajgoetsch
    @ajgoetsch 3 роки тому +2

    I thoroughly enjoyed this analysis. The informative content, with your presentation and style, make for very engaging viewing. I look forward to seeing others. Thanks!

  • @djnavari
    @djnavari 2 роки тому

    Fantastic high quality videos as always!

  • @IsraelMagalit
    @IsraelMagalit 3 роки тому +2

    Great info. I've new-found respect for Giant now.

  • @Edward135i
    @Edward135i Рік тому +2

    I had no idea that Giant was taiwanese, I always thought they where American. Shows that their American marketing strategy worked very well.

  • @shadowchaser19816
    @shadowchaser19816 3 роки тому +2

    Excellent choice of topics. Good research. Great reporting !

  • @floydblandston108
    @floydblandston108 3 роки тому +2

    Yup, that's how I remember it. From 1970- 1990, as the overall market for bikes in the USA split into different types (BMX, Road, Mountain, kids), our own manufacturers were slow to respond, not wanting to lose the efficiencies of scale and a captive market, and went abroad to fill niche markets. Europe for road, Japan for Mountain, and Taiwan for BMX and childrens bikes. By the time they began to feel threatened, their old 'mass market' was gone, their WW2 era machinery and techniques were junk, and Asian makers had shown the ability to produce quality goods for less than re-investment would have been worth. 'Giant' didn't strictly *win* our market, it was handed to them.

  • @bernieleinz5110
    @bernieleinz5110 3 роки тому +1

    Well done! Absolutely love my Giant Defy!

  • @saltyp123
    @saltyp123 3 роки тому +28

    Bicycle industry insider fact:
    Trek and Giant are made in the same factory

    • @madmonkeycycling9098
      @madmonkeycycling9098 3 роки тому +2

      Some Treks are made by quest composites, not owned by Giant.

    • @saltyp123
      @saltyp123 3 роки тому +1

      @@madmonkeycycling9098 I just looked that up...I wonder if we can get a frame direct with some bitcoin...haha

    • @naim8877
      @naim8877 3 роки тому

      N Scott

    • @graham2954
      @graham2954 3 роки тому +2

      I thought Merida were made by Giant too. I worked in Taichung years ago and used to pass on my way to work

    • @saltyp123
      @saltyp123 3 роки тому

      @@graham2954 they probably are...

  • @barryyoung3861
    @barryyoung3861 3 роки тому +2

    Congratulations on creating a very believable channel with fascinating, factual information professionally presented in an honest, interesting manner.thank you.

  • @gierhardtsloan8502
    @gierhardtsloan8502 3 роки тому +67

    Bet you felt pretty clever with that title deer.

  • @cra_55
    @cra_55 Рік тому

    Giant today really is a Giant. Some brands specialize in cheap affordable bikes for the masses, while others specialize in premium bikes for hobbyists and athletes. Giant is the only brand I can think of that excel on both ends of the price range.

  • @Nono-hk3is
    @Nono-hk3is Рік тому +1

    We have two used Giants... They resell at high-ish prices, but are absolutely worth it if long life is what you are looking for.

  • @NeutralGenericUser
    @NeutralGenericUser 3 роки тому

    Really informative. Thanks! I love my Giant bike!

  • @herosstratos
    @herosstratos 2 роки тому +1

    Germany was one of the largest aluminum producers and manufacturers of aluminum products until the 1950s.
    The production of cheap aluminum products in Germany was then given up and Taiwan filled this gap in the market.
    The technologies for the production and processing of aluminum were then further developed in such a way that Taiwan became the producer of the best quality aluminum products for the consumer market.
    As a result, Taiwan was able to achieve a dominant position in the production of top quality aluminum bicycle frames. Taiwan also has the dominant position in the corresponding successor technology for the production of carbon fibers and carbon fiber products such as carbon fiber frames.

  • @UntiltedName
    @UntiltedName 8 місяців тому

    I always raced Cannondales and later Litespeed bikes in the early 00s. Cross country only (and some mild cyclocross). I never considered Giant as a bike in my price point, but they were not all that rare in the semi-pro and pro XC racing scene. I also recall Giant bikes generally being rated well in the magazines back then. But there was something about the brand itself that didn't quite catch my eye. Cannondale was doing quirky stuff, and was what my nearest bike shop had. Litespeed was marketed as *the* titanium bike back then, which I moved over to. The other brands like Trek, Giant, Gary Fisher, Specialized, etc just didn't grab my attention.
    I still ride my racing Litespeed from 2005. With upgrades as needed. Something about newer bikes annoy me and I can't put my finger on it. But you certainly have to spend a whole hell of a lot more money now to get a good amount of bike, compared to the price/performance ratio back then.

  • @woolfel
    @woolfel 3 роки тому +4

    Giant is the only major bike brand that has it's own carbon fiber weave machine. I own several nice road bikes and one of them is Giant. In terms of value, Giant TCR is a better deal than Specialized, Pinarello, Trek and other european brands. In the US, only the high end bikes are manufactured 100% in the US. The mid and low end carbon bikes are made by giant. But really a 10K Trek isn't actually better than a 3K carbon bike, you're just paying 1000.00 to reduce the weight by 1lb.

    • @iMadrid11
      @iMadrid11 3 роки тому +6

      Trek no longer builds bikes in America. The Trek Wisconsin plant closed down production in 2017. Specialized is 40% owned by Merida. Merida has a special agreement with Specialized that prohibits the sale of Merida bikes in North America.

    • @woolfel
      @woolfel 3 роки тому +2

      @@iMadrid11 I haven't kept up. that means more than half the high end carbon frames are made in Taiwan or China.

  • @Williamchan87
    @Williamchan87 3 роки тому +8

    Giant is the largest bike manufacture in the world, and Merida another Taiwan bike company is second largest bike manufacture in the world

    • @budiprasodjo8815
      @budiprasodjo8815 3 роки тому

      Merida also owned wholly or majority stake at specialized

    • @TougeGrandTour
      @TougeGrandTour 3 роки тому

      Kinesis is one of the largest too. Even though they don’t make a lot of products in their own brand name.

    • @TougeGrandTour
      @TougeGrandTour 3 роки тому +1

      @@budiprasodjo8815 Merida paid $30M for a 49% stake in Specialized back in 2001. Rest of the 51% stake is still owned by Mike Sinyard.

    • @Williamchan87
      @Williamchan87 Рік тому

      @@TougeGrandTour ya, i think Mike now might regret it, however without Merida Specialized wouldnt be as big, probably alot smaller of a company, the manufacturing and retailing side, and probably cheaper unit cost.

  • @richwaight
    @richwaight 3 роки тому

    Super interesting video! :) Thanks for posting :)

  • @Seriousasaninfarc
    @Seriousasaninfarc 3 роки тому +10

    Taichung is such a pretty city. Also the supposed birthplace of bubble tea.

    • @lucky5609
      @lucky5609 3 роки тому

      Nice!!

    • @kidShibuya
      @kidShibuya 3 роки тому

      Now I know who to blame for putting spongy garbage into nice tea...

    • @swearbear23
      @swearbear23 3 роки тому

      @@kidShibuya if it tastes spongy something has gone really wrong.

    • @veryinterestingpersonaliti8321
      @veryinterestingpersonaliti8321 2 роки тому

      Not really. Its from Tainan City!!

  • @VarkaTheDragon
    @VarkaTheDragon 3 роки тому +5

    Branding is hard. It starts with figuring out what you're about, and building a persona that reflects those values. The rest seems to just build from there (through hard work and relevance to those core values, of course).

  • @microcolonel
    @microcolonel 3 роки тому

    I bought a Giant bicycle the other day, excellent value thanks to Giant, Tektro, and Shimano. Bicycles are also a lot cheaper at retail here in Wyoming than they were back in Ontario.
    I always wanted disc brakes, and Tektro is making that a thing for everyone.

    • @TougeGrandTour
      @TougeGrandTour 3 роки тому +1

      Tektro is another Taiwanese company.

  • @sammylove7751
    @sammylove7751 3 роки тому +5

    I love your voice and all the details you bring about Asia..😍 And especially technology and sometimes biodiversity...😍

  • @AlexandruJalea
    @AlexandruJalea 3 роки тому +2

    Smug face coming up with the title. Love it!

  • @excitableboy7031
    @excitableboy7031 3 роки тому +12

    Giant's taiwanese? Never knew that. I own one too, they make good bikes

    • @mlai2546
      @mlai2546 3 роки тому +3

      I think they also make bikes for Trek, Scott, Colnago. I believe Liv is also Giant, but branded for women.

    • @DQridesbikes
      @DQridesbikes 3 роки тому +1

      90% of bikes and bike parts are designed here and made in Taiwan

    • @PhiyackYuh
      @PhiyackYuh 3 роки тому

      @@DQridesbikes can you give botique bicycle brands apart from trek, specialized, giant, merida? Are they good quality or hit and miss?

    • @dionisiuskusuma1462
      @dionisiuskusuma1462 3 роки тому

      @@PhiyackYuh what do you mean by boutique brands? Trek, Specialized, Giant and Merida are not by any means a boutique brand. Boutique brands would be something like Moots, Sarto, Tommasini, Ciocc, Bastion Cycles to name a few

  • @harrickvharrick3957
    @harrickvharrick3957 2 роки тому

    As a Dutchman and thus in a country where plenty of bikes are made, Giant is among the best. Especially be cause they more or less standard have frames that are made from aluminium or another alloy and as a result light weight, and be cause everything mounted on it sits well in place, won't come off quickly, and works well together. I have only one gripe: for a country that is flat, it is hopeless of you as your only option have a "mountain-bike steer", that is mounted of a horizontal extension that sets it (like) a totally undesirable 10 centimeters forward in horizontal direction, that fucks up the way you sit on the bike, strains your neck (largely making it impossible to look forward and see incoming traffic coming) and makes the whole biking experience worthless. IF YOU ARE NOT (GONNA RIDE) IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOUR DON'T WANT A MOUNTAIN BIKE STEER! Jees, don't those guys EVER try their own product? How come they didn't figure that out in nearly FIFTY YEARS?

  • @osanaisamyth5591
    @osanaisamyth5591 3 роки тому +7

    interesting how Taiwan has been there competing from the beginning and there isn't too much exposure about it

  • @josesbox9555
    @josesbox9555 3 роки тому +2

    Giant builds some great bikes.

  • @patricklew3041
    @patricklew3041 3 роки тому +4

    Excellent video and very informative. Yes, Giant is the world's largest bike manufacturer and I do have a cyclocross made by Giant. Keep up the good work.

  • @giutubospatubo1546
    @giutubospatubo1546 3 роки тому +4

    I love Giant and have used their bikes for years. Great quality at great price. Unfortunately, with the bike boom, they have become a lot more expensive, so I´m afraid they are going to loose the quality/price ratio that made them so successful. My next bike might not be Giant if this trend continues, since bike prices have become ridiculous due to ridiculous profit margins from manufacturers.

  • @diegoespinosa45
    @diegoespinosa45 Рік тому

    You should make more videos about bicycle manufacturing in Taiwan!

  • @chidambaranathans1975
    @chidambaranathans1975 3 роки тому +2

    I got into India's 14th best technical institution and have chosen electronics and communication engineering your semiconductor videos induced intrest in me . Thank you.

  • @froggy0162
    @froggy0162 3 роки тому +4

    In Australia Giant have a great reputation for customer support. Occasionally a particular model has had cracking problems and Giant always swiftly warranty the frame with no fuss.
    But that’s rare and most of their models are just great. I’ve had several and still have two - a high end carbon fibre mountain bike and a carbon fibre road bike. Both are a joy to ride.
    Should be noted though that Giant did engage in some dodgy business practices by essentially stealing a suspension design for mountain bikes…

    • @sepg5084
      @sepg5084 3 роки тому +2

      Unfortunately, stealing is basic with business unless it is patented ans the patent is worth enforcing. Apple and Microsoft "stole" a lot of innovative designs from Xerox, look at where they are now.

    • @1BCamden
      @1BCamden 2 роки тому

      My son failed a frame at the headstock, GIANT supplied a new replacement at absolutely no cost.

  • @platin2148
    @platin2148 3 роки тому +2

    I really like the market insights one get from this channel. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
    My company also does supply bikes in Europe sadly the main brand got split of because of a mistake in the early days of the company the main brand is now split in two one that makes motorcycles and the other one that makes bicycles with the same brand and now the go into the market again with two brands and it seems like they bikes are all already sold out till 2023 ..

  • @lossantoscity3249
    @lossantoscity3249 3 роки тому +18

    One more Fact 99% of Top quality Bikes are made in Taiwan. Even the $10,000 USD Trek and Specialized are made in Taiwan! HAHA

    • @krunoslavloncar9171
      @krunoslavloncar9171 3 роки тому +3

      Trek is made in Giant factory , that is fact . Specialized is made by Merida .

    • @LongLIN-ol6es
      @LongLIN-ol6es 3 роки тому +2

      @@krunoslavloncar9171 Merida is also a taiwanese brand.

    • @krunoslavloncar9171
      @krunoslavloncar9171 3 роки тому +1

      @@LongLIN-ol6es I know

    • @agunlogisteam
      @agunlogisteam 3 роки тому +1

      Not just frames. SRAM got their factory on Taiwan too.

    • @lossantoscity3249
      @lossantoscity3249 3 роки тому +1

      @@agunlogisteam Even Fox Shocks that cost $1500 is just next to DNM shocks, Which i believe uses the same CNC machines, The main difference is just the R&D. LOL
      That's why a $100 DNM shocks can compete to a $500 Shocks. LOL

  • @racerx8410712
    @racerx8410712 3 роки тому +1

    Great vid! Now if someone could make a video about how some of the people from Giant went on to form Kinesis which in turn makes not only most if not all the bikes for Bikes Direct as well as bikes for other big brand names.

  • @capmidnite
    @capmidnite 2 роки тому +1

    I'm confused. The Plaza Accord which resulted in the JPY appreciating was mid-1980s while the bike boom was early to mid 1970s.

  • @chatoz
    @chatoz Рік тому

    Thanks for the history lesson.

  • @pinkipromise
    @pinkipromise 3 роки тому +4

    wow taiwan has many global companies

  • @taiwanisacountry
    @taiwanisacountry 3 роки тому +2

    Great video thanks man.
    And you have no idea how happy my bro is for hearing you saying aluminium correctly. xD Americans really are butchering that word. The same with Wolfram.(Tungsten) what are they, Norwegians. :D
    I am Danish. Thanks a lot man.

    • @SwarleySwablu
      @SwarleySwablu 3 роки тому

      I noticed how he said aluminium instead of aluminum.

  • @hlim431
    @hlim431 3 роки тому +1

    Excellent video!!! But as a bike geek I wanted even more bike footage... how many brands do they supply etc and how many UCI teams & if that helped them rise!

  • @1pasupaty
    @1pasupaty 3 роки тому +1

    You can never have any problem with giant bicycles. My college went thru cycling giant bicycles

  • @dickieblench5001
    @dickieblench5001 Рік тому

    A great lesson in product versus marketing. Marketing is King (no pun intended) as long as the product is sufficient. Giant always had great products but lacked marketing ability in foreign markets. Now they have caught up and have both aces marketing and product. Specialized are No 1 for marketing but struggled to match Giants product. Me? I'll take my TCR anyday

  • @sarcasmo57
    @sarcasmo57 3 роки тому +1

    I had a Giant bike in the 90s, it was nice.

  • @cra_55
    @cra_55 Рік тому

    Taiwan as a whole is a titan in the bicycle industry

    • @Obelisk57
      @Obelisk57 10 місяців тому

      ...and yachts, of all things.

  • @chinmayprakash7726
    @chinmayprakash7726 3 роки тому +2

    Your videos are damn interesting.

  • @ryanexx5250
    @ryanexx5250 3 роки тому +8

    I had to re read that tile a couple times lol

  • @yogeshnaik9276
    @yogeshnaik9276 3 роки тому

    Very right, technical science of making bike n brand very important

  • @lugsborro
    @lugsborro 3 роки тому +1

    Started loving cycling in my mid 50's, got me a Liv mtb, tomorrow, am picking up my Liv RB, my very first RB.. love the brand!! 🚵‍♀️🚵‍♀️🚵‍♀️

  • @capmidnite
    @capmidnite 2 роки тому

    I think what should also be mentioned is how Giant and the Taiwanese bike industry in general has achieved massive economies of scale with modern automated factories that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Giant still manufactures for companies such as Trek. It is a virtuous cycle, where economies of scale leads to lower production costs, which leads to more brand-name bike companies realizing it's cheaper to sub-contract Giant to manufacture their mid-level bikes and slap their label on it.

  • @justinchong1136
    @justinchong1136 Рік тому

    Can you do a profile video on Shimano? Great content btw. Big fan.

  • @sinoroman
    @sinoroman 3 роки тому +3

    There is subtle buzzing noise in the background, can you hear it? Or is it just me?

    • @anywhereroam9698
      @anywhereroam9698 3 роки тому

      You are right. I can only just hear it though.

  • @yangyeshuai3686
    @yangyeshuai3686 3 роки тому +5

    Wow I didnt know that chromoly frames only started in the 1980s

  • @MrKotBonifacy
    @MrKotBonifacy 2 роки тому +1

    9:57 - "This steel alloy [CroMoly] is very strong and resistant to corrosion" - well, it IS strong (and elastic and resistant to fatigue - also, easy to repair) but its corrosion resistance is not it's strongest point. In fact, it is rather susceptible to it, as any bike mechanic can attest.

  • @cliffwoodbury5319
    @cliffwoodbury5319 3 роки тому +2

    i know 1 person that a GIANT - He is a GIANT - biggest bike i have ever seen!!!!

  • @donaldhawkins5209
    @donaldhawkins5209 2 роки тому

    Just wanted to say your English is so good I thought you were a native speaker

  • @davidtam28
    @davidtam28 3 роки тому +2

    Would you like to add Shimano (group set maker) to your future topics?

  • @murdercom998
    @murdercom998 3 роки тому

    Love my giant mountain bike great company :)

  • @jimbo4203
    @jimbo4203 3 роки тому +1

    Been trying to buy another giant e bike all year, the shop near me just couldn't get any in . Sadly because of this the shop has now closed . So i got a Specialized turbo sl

  • @solstar4778
    @solstar4778 3 роки тому

    I have one a Nutra ! Lots of maintenance compared to my one Schwann Mirada, and Jamis bicycles!

  • @SwarleySwablu
    @SwarleySwablu 3 роки тому

    The photograph used in 11:38 was taken from Damshui station!

  • @NallePu83
    @NallePu83 3 роки тому +1

    Giant is the biggest bike brand in the world

  • @JesseMgala
    @JesseMgala 3 роки тому +1

    I remember in the mid-90's, Taiwan made products were synanymous to crappy products. But now I buy everything but Chinese made. I have a 2009 Giant Defy3 by the way, bought used in 2012, enough for a hobby rider like me.

  • @timfreeman2603
    @timfreeman2603 3 роки тому +1

    No mention of LIV?
    I worked in a bike shop when Giant launched in Australia. They (Taiwan) had a good reputation then.

    • @PhiyackYuh
      @PhiyackYuh 3 роки тому +1

      Does giant still have good reputation up to date?

  • @Erik-rp1hi
    @Erik-rp1hi 3 роки тому +1

    Hodaka import a cheap off road dirt bike into the US in the 70's. Chrome gas tank. Cheap and pretty good starter bike.

    • @clean1566
      @clean1566 3 роки тому

      It was a very good bike for price. A good friend of mine had a Hodaka 90, and it really was as good as any Yamaha or Suzuki at the time.

  • @bezalelthecreative8503
    @bezalelthecreative8503 3 роки тому

    so that explains why i own an imported Giant Bicycle that is only made for Taiwan market (Propel SL Disc 2021), which you won't see on any international website/reviewers

  • @nblake101
    @nblake101 3 роки тому

    Getting a Giant bike atm is difficult in Australia.

  • @Quarky_
    @Quarky_ 3 роки тому

    All the moves are like a chess match!

  • @andrewegan7011
    @andrewegan7011 3 роки тому

    No mention of Raleigh where they learnt production skills.

  • @Erik-rp1hi
    @Erik-rp1hi 3 роки тому

    Your channel has good facts. I don't check but seems true. Your English is US made. You must have live there for some time.
    What market are you going after? US, Western with English? Are your videos dubbed in Taiwanese also?

    • @Coz131
      @Coz131 3 роки тому

      Does it matter? English is English no matter how you sound as long as you don't use local slangs.

    • @Erik-rp1hi
      @Erik-rp1hi 3 роки тому

      @@Coz131 I was meaning the culture you are surrounded in. The space that influences you.