Essay - Manufacturing Process of a Bicycle Manufacturing Process of the Bicycle...

Manufacturing Process of a Bicycle

M*****nufacturing Process of the Bicycle

Introduction

***** the past few decades, emerging new technologies have threatened the existence of the traditional bicycle. However, even with such threats, the bicycle has survived and has even grown in numbers, sales and use. Many poorer countries whose citizens do not have widespread access to cars or buses utilize the ***** for travel, work ***** entertainment. In richer countries such as the United States, the bicycle still maintains its common popularity; *****re are 85 million bicycle riders in the ***** States alone. According ***** statistics rele*****ed by ***** U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service and U.S. Department ***** State (2001), bicycle sales of $850 million in 1999 amounted to 1.5 percent of total retail sales. Recent statistics ********** that consumer spending in the bicycle *****dustry has ***** to over one billion U.S. dollars, and of this amount, approximately 60 percent (a total of more than $600 million) was spent on 1,445,000 new bicycles, which sold at an average price of $ 425 (U.S. & ***** Commercial Service and U.S. Department of State, 2001). The remaining $491 million ***** spent on second-hand bikes, accessories (***** percent), maintenance (10 percent) and purc*****es of rain and cycling garments (15 *****).

The use of the bicycle has increased steadily throughout the world. Research indicates that spending in the ***** industry has ***** by 27 percent since 1995 (U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service and U.S. ***** ***** *****, 2001). In 2000, sales of bicycles peaked at an all-time high ***** 1,517,000 un*****, or an increase of five percent over 1999. In addition, ***** sales continue to grow, and department st*****es and mail order companies report 10% ********** ***** ***** past few years. Sales were valued at ***** than $ 650 million in ********** 50 percent of sales were of city bikes, while 29 percent of bicycles sold were leisure/hobby bicycles (U.S. & ***** Commercial ***** and U.S. Department of State, 2001). Marketing reports indicate that the average prices for bikes are as follows: City bikes - $484; Tour/Mountain ***** - $645; and Children's bikes - $190. Even with inflation and increasing costs, the bicycle is app*****ntly available to *****s everywhere at a reasonable cost. Thus, the st*****istics presented above indicate that the bicycle industry appears to be a viable industry despite of the competition presented by technology. This paper will discuss ***** manufacturing process of the bicycle, taking into account the history of ***** bicycle and the manner in ***** this process developed. It will examine the present impact ***** ***** manufacturing process and will conclude with a projection of the future usage of the *****.

History of ***** *****

Although there have *****en historical disagreements as to the exact identity of the first manufactured bicycle, a review of the liter*****ture credits Baron von Drais ***** inventing a walking machine that would help him get around the royal gardens faster in 1817. This first model of ***** bicycle consisted of two same*****size ********** wheels, the