Re: [CR]Now:Where did all the French Component Manufacturers Go Was:Lovin g old

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

In-Reply-To: <A5E72E8AE73AD311954A009027887CFF60DCA3@SLSERVER>
References:
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 19:22:02 -0400
To: Grant McLean <Grant.McLean@SportingLife.ca>, "'chuckschmidt@earthlink.net'" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>, "Classic Rendezvous Mail List (E-mail)" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Sheldon Brown" <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Now:Where did all the French Component Manufacturers Go Was:Lovin g old


Grant McLean å écrit:
>Chuck, et tout le gang....
>
>
>Sedisport was bought by Sachs of Germany, wasn't Sedis French?

Oui, bien sûr! Sachs also gobbled up Huret and, I believe, Atom/Maillard/Normandy.

The French were complacent in the '70s and '80s, content to keep making the same stuff. The innovative Japanese came along and stole their lunch.

I sold a lot of French bikes back in the mid-'70s bike boom, and the quality was generally rather poor. I always had the impression that the French kept the good stuff for the home market, and sent the rejects and seconds to the U.S. on the theory that Americans wouldn't know the difference.

The resulting bad reputation hurt a lot, but the coup de grace was the unfavorable exchange rate between the franc and the buck.

These days there is very nice stuff being made in France, but the exchange rate still makes it pretty expensive.

Sheldon "Francophile" Brown Newtonville, Massachusetts +------------------------------------+ | France, France...if not for you, | | the world would be alone! | | --Victor Hugo | +------------------------------------+
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