By the time the Kamlers saw the Taiwan currency upshift and resulting cost increases signaling another change, they were ready. “We rented 30,000 square feet in a building in West Orange, N.J., formerly owned by Thomas Edison, next to the museum. The company built both road and mountain bike frames in steel and titanium and were the early builders of Greg LeMond road and mountain titanium frames, before LeMond production went to Litespeed and later Trek Bicycle Corporation. The company employed master-welders Ivo Vinklarek and Don Herr, however welding on later frames was outsourced with some quality problems which contributed to the demise of the brand. Pat Clark was part owner of the famous Denver Spoke bicycle shop, and also owned a group of bicycle shops known as Premier Cycles across the greater Denver area.
“The prices there were just so low it made no economic sense to continue, so in 1991 we stopped production, sold off the equipment, shut the doors,” Kamler recalls. “We were never, ever going to manufacture again in the U.S. That was 23 years ago, our very final decision.”And then along came… Walmart. What Kamler is doing in bicycle manufacturing exactly parallels what transplant automotive producers engineered in the 70s and 80s. Kent Bicycles made headlines with its plans to produce 500,000 bikes annually in its new South Carolina factory in Manning.
Kent’s history spans a century in the bicycle industry, including over fifty-seven years since the 1958 founding of Kent on Kent Street in Parsippany, N.J. We survived because my father was bookkeeper and shipping clerk,” Kamlin says. Kamler, for example, had the kind of government assist getting started that suppliers in other states envy. “I had expressed to the people in the South Carolina Commerce Department that we couldn’t find a building with natural gas,” he recalls.
Make sure you use your machine properly and maintain it regularly. The best thing for you to do is to go directly to the manufacturer’s website. A tool is set up to find a bike as easily as possible, in a store near you or, if the service is available, directly in your mailbox (if there is enough space of course). Overall, the prices correspond to the very low end of the market. Following Walmart’s commitment to revalue American production, in 2014 Kent Bicycles decided to pivot part of its production to South Carolina. “The bicycle business is high volume with a small profit margin.
The warranty period for Kent bikes is typically one year for parts and six months for labor. If you are a casual or recreational rider who is looking for a basic bike that is affordable, durable, and easy to use, a Kent bike may be a good choice for you. However, if you require more advanced or specialized features, or if you are a serious or competitive rider, you may want to consider other bike brands that are more tailored to your needs. That being said, Kent bikes may not be the best choice for more experienced or serious riders who require more advanced features or specialized components.
Your bike frame & fork are protected under our Lifetime Warranty policy. Bicycle labeling has a storied history in the U.S., with bikes being called “Made in USA” while assembled with Asia-sourced components. Or frames imported from China and painted in the U.S. being labeled “Made in USA.” Kamler was unsure if the South Carolina-assembled bikes would qualify for the new label but applied anyway. Maybe I am feeling it because I have driven the comfiest professional bikes.
Production began in the fall of 2014; at full capacity in 2016, Kent expects to have added 175 jobs in assembly and parts production. These retailers may offer different models, colors, and sizes of Kent bikes, as well as accessories and replacement parts. Prices may also vary depending on the retailer and the specific model of Kent bike you are interested in. Kent bikes are built around affordability, so you can get a bike even for less then $100. Instead of high-performance, Kent provides high convenience.
But if I weren’t nervous about what we’re doing, there would be no point in doing it.” Ironically, twenty years ago, at the height of the outsourcing craze, Kent’s current building was occupied by MTD, an Ohio-based kent bicycles riding-lawn-mower operation that consolidated back to Ohio, shuttering the Manning plant and losing 800 workers. MTD also owned the Columbia Bicycle Company of Westfield, Mass., shuttered about 30 years ago.
Most of the fixes required during my travel had to be fixed by myself. Both s and their parts/accessories are widely available throughout the USA. Aside from big chain shops, many online retailers and bike shops also carry parts. So repairing and maintaining Kent bikes are really straightforward. Copyright © 2018 Cycletherapybikeshop – All Rights Reserved. The model number can be found on the lower portion of the seat tube just above the crank on a black and silver decal.
“But Dad had always wanted to manufacture bikes,” Kamler recalls. “I protested, ‘I don’t know anything about manufacturing bicycles!‘ so he arranged for me to visit three bicycle assembly factories in Japan.” Kamler, a student of the Chinese economy and factory life, has insights into the quick-and-easy way to open a new factory. “In the beginning, when a new factory opened in China, [its] management would go to another existing bicycle plant, overpay and steal 100 workers from the other factory,” he says. “That made for ease of entry.” he said. “But at this start-up, we don’t have that luxury—even aside from the morality of it—because there has been no mass production of bikes in the U.S. since Huffy shuttered its Ohio and California factories.” “We do business with most of the majors, but Walmart sells half the bikes sold in this country, Kamler explains.