An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Dreams of Henry Ford: Can the Chinese afford to buy the bikes they are building?



It's probably a moot question...

How much does a Chinese factory worker get paid to build a bicycle?

According to an article in today's International Times Herald, a typical wage is about $1.40 per bicycle. A fast factory worker installing seats in folding bikes can bring home about $260 in a month.

That's actually after significant increases -- many Chinese bike factories have grown as much as 30 percent in the last year.

Given that China, previously one of the world's great markets for bikes, is currently in the ass-backward position of going car-crazy, where are all those Chinese bikes going? The correct answer: Everywhere else.

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