Look, I can understand why people denigrate anything made in China.....much of it is indeed substandard. However I think that you're also overlooking the point that (rightly or wrongly) a high proportion of items we use in our day to day lives eminate from China. Why I get so annoyed with this often repeated footpeg debate is the blind faith shown that because the expensive pegs are sold with American or European branding and packaging that the item simply must be made in the country of origin of the company name on the box. My big problem is that because almost all of them are made in China, the huge price mark up is seen by many as a justification that they're buying top shelf quality. If you believe that I've got a big grey bridge parked down in Sydney I can pass on for a good price.
I really don't care what people use on their bikes, some folks are 'do it yourself guys' on a limited budget, while others have no worries paying others to build their bikes, money for the big bling bits being no object. That's cool too, we're all achieving the same result in the end. What I've strived to do is to show cheaper alternatives to the mainstream ways of doing things....it's almost an obsession. That's the psychology behind my DT1 fetish, to show that one can build a bike almost as cool as the high bling 490 Maicos or Rickman Metisses of the world for an affordable price if you're half smart. That's also why I offer up the Chinese alternative to mainstream parts as an option but it really pisses me off when punters automatically reject alternatives because of their Chinese origin without even looking into it.
Are any of you aware that nearly all alloy car wheels, whether they be aftermarket or OEM are made in China these days? That nearly all aftermarket inlet manifolds, alloy heads and cast pistons sold in big name US packaging are made in China these days. Yep, that good old Edelbrock manifold on your Chevy blingmobile came out of Shenzhen, China. That Mikuni carby in the shiny new package you bought from a respected retailer may also have originated in China. The Japanese motorcycle and car manufacturers are also out sourcing more and more of their manufacturing processes to China but they're not going to advertise it. So, when something like the stainless steel footpegs I'm talking about are openly advertised as Chinese you all go into hissy fits of disgust, smug in the knowledge that your good 'ol American DG (or pick any othe name brand) pegs are the good stuff. They are good but they're no different to the better quality Chinese pitbike product. How can you tell the difference between the good ones and the shit I hear you ask?
That's the big question here. The cast iron pegs that TFR posted on page one are classic examples of the lowest peg on the pole, I'm sorry TFR but those pegs are dangerous shit. I had a pair on my Boyd and Stellings TM400 that fell off the stand in my garage...the only damage to the bike being a footpeg snapped off at the pivot! They're now removed and a lesson was learned...damn, at that stage I could have been president of the anti Chinese club. What changed me was admiring the pegs on a racers bike at CD7 and his telling me they were $40 forged stainless steel made for Chinese mini's off eBay. He sent me the eBay link, I bought a set and promptly cut them in half to check out the steel they were made from. Yes they are forged and yes they are staino so I then bought three sets and today they're on my bikes ready for this seasons races. To end this I'm even prepared to buy another pair, fit them to an old RT1 frame I've got down at the farm and do the Ted inspired 8lb sledge hammer destructo test. If they break I'll be honest enough to photograph the operation and report it here.....I'm not afraid of admitting I'm wrong, especially when safety is concerned.
