China Bashing

Charliefox

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2015
324
89
80
Culloden Moor Inverness
I am interested what fellow ebikers think about the trend towards China Bashing since the recent announcement about Huawei. Who knows what may spring from this and will it affect eBikes?
Granted there are plenty of non Chinese manufacturers but how much of their input comes from China?
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,993
Basildon
My granddad's last words to me before he died at 99 years old, were, "Come over here my son. Never trust a Chinaman". They're not as sinister as they seem. When he was younger, he used to tell legthy stories about his adventures in China. they had all sorts of twists and turns, but the moral at the end was always the same. Over the years, as his memory went, the stories got shorter and shorter, but the ending was always the same, until all that was left was the ending.

Those words have haunted me ever since, and I've often wondered why they were so important to him, or whether there was anything more spiritual in them.

Whatever happens, the likes of you and me can't do much about it. Follow the last order and do what seems right at the time.
 
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PP100

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 28, 2020
252
149
So much tech is made in China as well. It could get difficult in other areas. eg: Phones, computers and more .Sanctions, import taxes , tariffs imposed from either side. Tit for tat.
China human rights violations are really disturbing but we are too dependent on them for our basic tech like phones. And like other regimes, we need to separate the Govt from the people.
 

RossG

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 12, 2019
1,628
1,646
My granddad's last words to me before he died at 99 years old, were, "Come over here my son. Never trust a Chinaman". They're not as sinister as they seem. When he was younger, he used to tell legthy stories about his adventures in China. they had all sorts of twists and turns, but the moral at the end was always the same. Over the years, as his memory went, the stories got shorter and shorter, but the ending was always the same, until all that was left was the ending.

Those words have haunted me ever since, and I've often wondered why they were so important to him, or whether there was anything more spiritual in them.

Whatever happens, the likes of you and me can't do much about it, Follow the last order and do what seems right at the time.
Nice story vfr ... thanks for sharing it.
 

sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,814
2,745
Winchester
There's already China bashing on ebikes in a huge anti-competitive tariff on bikes assembled in China. This might get worse.

I don't know how serious the possible security issues with Huawei are, but I think a the major issue is that the US doesn't like the fact that it is way behind technically in a significant technology area. The US makes a fuss about this because Trump thinks it will help him in the election, and UK sucks up to the US because of the need for trade deals to counterbalance the disastrous effects of Brexit.
 

oyster

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2017
10,422
14,609
West West Wales
sjpt I have noticed some disastrous effects of Covid but haven`t from Brexit so far .
I have noticed problems with certain medicines. Some supply issues.

We are seeing EU countries refusing to accept UK prescriptions (which were fine until now).
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,993
Basildon
The Chinese have stolen a lot of technology over the years. Think about those Wing Lights indicator things. The guys must have spent years developing them and getting the funding to put them into production. Finally announced in the market at £29.99. A few weeks later, the Chinese have made an exact replica and have them on sale for $3. Can you imagine how thos guys must have felt?


That has gone on for decades with just about every product. They even copied Rover cars and called them Roewe.

Every time they do that, it steals jobs and livelihoods from one place and recreates them in China. Trump has tried to put an end to it, as far as USA is concerned, which, obviously, takes him out of favour with the Chinese. In that case, it wouldn't make sense letting someone that might bear a grudge take over critical infrastructure.

Who knows where it'll go? I can remember getting promoted at Marconi to play a role in a 100 million contract from Oman. Three weeks later, Britain cut off diplomatic relationships and banned all trade, leaving me with a very boring job.

In the end, everything sorts itself out. As soon as China gets shut off, there'll be new supplies from India or anywhere else.
 
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sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,814
2,745
Winchester
They even copied Rover cars and called them Roewe.
My favourite was a jacket with the logo font very carefully copied: 'North Fake'.

Yes, they are good (and not too scrupulous) at copying; but they are good at creating as well which is often underestimated.
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
People have bought Bosch bikes thinking they are made in Germany!!!!
 

RossG

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 12, 2019
1,628
1,646
The Chinese have stolen a lot of technology over the years. Think about those Wing Lights indicator things. The guys must have spent years developing them and getting the funding to put them into production. Finally announced in the market at £29.99. A few weeks later, the Chinese have made an exact replica and have them on sale for $3. Can you imagine how thos guys must have felt?


That has gone on for decades with just about every product. They even copied Rover cars and called them Roewe.

Every time they do that, it steals jobs and livelihoods from one place and recreates them in China. Trump has tried to put an end to it, as far as USA is concerned, which, obviously, takes him out of favour with the Chinese. In that case, it wouldn't make sense letting someone that might bear a grudge take over critical infrastructure.

Who knows where it'll go? I can remember getting promoted at Marconi to play a role in a 100 million contract from Oman. Three weeks later, Britain cut off diplomatic relationships and banned all trade, leaving me with a very boring job.

In the end, everything sorts itself out. As soon as China gets shut off, there'll be new supplies from India or anywhere else.
Funny thing I had those years ago on a cheap folder I used to own. They came from the USA but I'll bet they were made in China.
I had the worlds first flashing LED rear light designed and built by myself way back in the sixties, it's a long story I'll tell all one day.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,213
16,815
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
whoever controls the production, controls the technology.
It's as simple as that.
Maybe we should invest in developing 5G here.
 

oyster

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2017
10,422
14,609
West West Wales
whoever controls the production, controls the technology.
It's as simple as that.
Maybe we should invest in developing 5G here.
Agreed. Even if we kick Huawei out of our internet systems entirely, we will be beholden to others. Ericsson, Nokia, whoever else comes along.

Funny how the government seems so keen to have Chinese technology for e-scooters...
 

MarcusT

Pedelecer
May 5, 2019
83
39
NE Italy
Anybody who believes they can exist without Chinese manufacturing is living in a bubble. Almost all tech is produced there and a good part of everyday items are made in China. If you get rid of Chinese made products in your life you will have a very spartan house
 

Brittas

Pedelecer
Jun 27, 2020
48
17
All my bike-related purchases seem to be made in China. My Light set was £21. Metal,2000+ lumens (apparently) it is amazing how they can be made and shipped for that. You imagine they will not last years but at that price who cares.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
Anybody who believes they can exist without Chinese manufacturing is living in a bubble. Almost all tech is produced there and a good part of everyday items are made in China. If you get rid of Chinese made products in your life you will have a very spartan house
Indeed, everything from a button to the sewing needle used to attach it.
.
 

Andy-Mat

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 26, 2018
2,214
562
78
Anybody who believes they can exist without Chinese manufacturing is living in a bubble. Almost all tech is produced there and a good part of everyday items are made in China. If you get rid of Chinese made products in your life you will have a very spartan house...........
........and a very empty wallet, when trying to get things made and to buy things from elsewhere! Plus the lead time would be years!

Andy