Message from discussion Typical decent Al Bicycle diamond frame costs $8 to make in Taiwan

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Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 10:00:15 -0800
From: SMS <scharf.ste...@geemail.com>
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Subject: Re: Typical decent Al Bicycle diamond frame costs $8 to make in Taiwan
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Sheldon Brown wrote:
> Luke wrote:
> 
>> This from Sheldon Brown's Bentride Podcast (@ 8:50). No wonder
>> manufacturing is a declining sector in North America! This can't be the
>> total cost of production (stock and labor); does the figure apply to
>> labor cost only?
>>
>> The mp3 file is available for d/l at Sheldon's website
>> (http://sheldonbrown.com/podcasts/).
>>
> Actually I think the labor cost is insignificant...I'm pretty sure these 
> frames are built by robots...

I recall one bicycle shop owner claiming that AL frames were actually 
welded by hand, while steel frames were welded robotically. I don't 
believe that this is the case though.