Comments by "capmidnite" (@capmidnite) on "How Giant Bicycles in Taiwan Became a Bicycle Giant" video.

  1. Not sure if the TCR was a "more aerodynamic" design. If you look at a bike straight on, a sloping top tube doesn't make it more aero. As you said, I think the TCR makes it easier for manufacturers to make more universal sizes (S,M,L) instead of 22 different frames. So-called innovations in the bike industry recently have been to make things easier or simpler for the manufacturer (cartridge bearings, PressFit bottom brackets, etc).
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  2. I'm confused. The Plaza Accord which resulted in the JPY appreciating was mid-1980s while the bike boom was early to mid 1970s.
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  3. I think what should also be mentioned is how Giant and the Taiwanese bike industry in general has achieved massive economies of scale with modern automated factories that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Giant still manufactures for companies such as Trek. It is a virtuous cycle, where economies of scale leads to lower production costs, which leads to more brand-name bike companies realizing it's cheaper to sub-contract Giant to manufacture their mid-level bikes and slap their label on it.
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