Re: build location: Bikefanclub.com

Funny we are having this discussion on the day the new VeloNews issue came out. If you can pick up an issue of VeloNews' Buyers Guide, do it; it contains an article written about Calfee Design and is titled "Factory Tour: Calfee" on page 70 and 71.

In actuality its not really "a tour", but an article about how he makes the frames by hand in California. It details why he refuses to build frames in Asia when soo many other companies are doing that these days.

-snip-

"I've thought about it - we'd make a hell of a lot more money if we made our bikes [in Asia]. They are good bikes but [the production] is hard to control. Maybe I'm a control freak, bt I like to know really precisely what is going on. I have a very low tolerance for craftsmanship issues. I wouldn't be able to guarantee that if I made my bikes over there."

Regarding the Bamboo bikes in particular it says:

"These days, Calfee Designs pumps out around 100 bike frames a year, made with industrial-grade smoked bamboo he imports from South Asia."

Sounds like the boxes are imported bamboo to me! Anyway pick up the rag, its a pretty nice little read, especially for Calfee fans like myself. :P

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