Re: [CR]Why is there no German threading?

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

References: <OFE24C6211.931F9FAB-ON852572C8.0047E7BB-852572C8.0049FD5E@gm.com>
To: marcus.e.helman@gm.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Why is there no German threading?
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:55:12 -0400
In-Reply-To:
From: <loudeeter@aol.com>


I've got 62 listings for framebuilders from Germany in the Used Bike Buyers Guide. That's lower than British Isles, Italy, and France, but still a sizeable number. I don't know how many would classify as collectible from our CR list standpoint, but some of the ones I've seen have been very nice bikes. I'm sure my listing has only scratched the surface as well. Regarding how an "industry" develops, I suspect it has something to do with employment availability elsewhere as much as anything. Germany's economy during the 60s-80s was booming and that was just the Western side as we in the west know very little about what was happening in the east during that timeframe. I spent six years in Germany (Bavaria) in the 70s and 80s and found cycling to be a very big deal--both for the locals as well as racing. The local bike shops carried German made bikes, but most of the high end models were from Italy. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL

-----Original Message----- From: marcus.e.helman@gm.com To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 9:28 AM Subject: [CR]Why is there no German threading?

I know it can be hard to explain why something does not exist, but I was suddenly struck by the lack of a German presence in our hobby. The CR website lists bicycle manufacturers by country, and the differences are startling

The Britsh Isles: 88 Italy: 53 France: 33 Germany: 6

Germany industrialized around the same time as the rest of Western Europe. Why didn't Germany develop a bicycle industry like England, France and Italy? One might argue that after WWII and the partition into East and West, West Germany concentrated on other industrial products e.g. cars, and appliances, Yet England, France and Italy all produced cars, appliances, AND bicycles after the war. [insert joke about relative quality of German, British, French and Italian cars and appliances] So what gives?

Best regards,
Marcus Helman
Huntington Woods, MI