Re: [CR]OT: Asian production of modern famous makes....

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

Date: Sun, 09 Feb 2003 21:23:33 -0700
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]OT: Asian production of modern famous makes....
References: <20030209.230338.-203769.74.richardsachs@juno.com> <a05100301ba6cd21bffda@[192.168.1.102]>


Dan Borden wrote:
>
> e-R writes:
>
> >none of these guys/firms ever said
> >they DIDN'T get their work from other sources; it's
> >the consumer's perception that all work is done in-house.
>
> Whoah there. Its the consumer's perception because all the promo
> material written by the PR people on the web sites and in the
> brochures makes it sound like the bikes were built by the marque's
> craftsmen in Milano, or where ever. I know, its up to the consumer to
> do his/her homework properly and caveat emptor, but the above
> perception you refer to is willfully created to fool the naive among
> us. It is deception by omission. Just look at the "Designed in the
> USA" flag decal on lots of Taiwanese-built bikes and then the tiny,
> easy to miss Made in Taiwan sticker place less prominently. Not
> misrepresentation in a court of law maybe, but certainly meant to
> mislead. You do not see 'Designed by Masi and built proudly in
> Taiwan'.

You just jogged my memory: I did a pretty big graphics job for Bridgestone in Japan years ago when mountain bikes were trendy and hot. It was a Bridgestone mt. bike called "Mt. Kayak"; I designed the paint scheme and the decals and it sported a sticker that said "Designed in the U.S.A by Chuck Schmidt" or some such thing. I think the Bridgestone catalog showed a picture of me sitting at my then new Mac Quad 840 AV computer (remember those?).

Hard to believe, huh? I had a hard time believing it myself!!! Too funny!!!

Chuck "self important" Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California

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