Looking for a bicycle distributer

Quoted message said:

I work for a nonprofit charity that is looking to purchase as many bikes
as possible for children this holiday season. We are trying to find a line
to a manufacture in China or other inexpensive bicycle manufacturer that
we could purchase 1000+ bike around September, October 2006. Any and all
suggestions would be amazing, we are trying to get as many bikes as we can
this Christmas to give to kids.

Thanks,

Derek
http://www.turningwheelsforkids.org/

If you're more interested in pricing & quantity rather than quality, I'd
check into the brands distributed by department stores (such as WalMart,
ToysRUs etc). Pacific Cycles might be one possibility (they own the Schwinn
& Mongoose brand names, among others). They're located in Madison, WI.
There's also Dynacraft, the company that's facing the big lawsuit for
quick-release issues, and might be looking desperately for something to gain
some favorable publicity. They're located in Marin County. Sorry I don't
have better details, but that should get you looking in the right places.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Derek said:

Hey Guys,

I work for a nonprofit charity that is looking to purchase as many bikes as
possible for children this holiday season. We are trying to find a line to a
manufacture in China or other inexpensive bicycle manufacturer that we could
purchase 1000+ bike around September, October 2006. Any and all suggestions
would be amazing, we are trying to get as many bikes as we can this
Christmas to give to kids.

Thanks,

Derek
http://www.turningwheelsforkids.org/

Try contacting Phoenix, "http://www.phoenix-bicycle.com/" Not sure how
many bicycles make up a container, or what the minimum quantities are.

You might want to send someone from your organization to Taipei Cycle
'06 on March 8th-11th. It's the biggest bicycle show in the world, and
it's very different than Interbike, as the Taipei show has more booths
from actual Asian manufacturers, with factories, than from resellers and
distributors. See
"http://www.taipeitradeshows.com.tw/cycle/news20051220.htm" If you want
to contact manufacturers, this is the best place to do it.

Since you're looking at an expenditure of at least $30,000, and it may
continue year after year, it may be best to meet a manufacturer in
person, and the Taipei show is the best place to do it, even though
you'll probably spend a couple of thousand dollars to go.

For low-end bicycles, I don't know how much you can expect to save over
simply buying department store bicycles which are bought in very large
volumes. The $50 bicycle that Target pays $25 for, may cost you $40
each, F.O.B., which is essentially no savings at all once you pay
shipping. OTOH, it's hard to buy 1000 bicycles at Target!

Derek said:

I work for a nonprofit charity that is looking to purchase as many bikes as
possible for children this holiday season. We are trying to find a line to a
manufacture in China or other inexpensive bicycle manufacturer that we could
purchase 1000+ bike around September, October 2006. Any and all suggestions
would be amazing, we are trying to get as many bikes as we can this
Christmas to give to kids.

Locally we had an Elves and More start up for '05. (The organizers are
not cyclists but they welcomed some bike club enthusiasm!) The bikes
were Huffys and I guess there's some sort of special deal for E&M; all
the model names are along the lines of "President" or "Prodigy." As I
understand it, a donation of $40 bought a bike. I am fairly certain
that no one traveled to Taiwan to broker this deal.

Here in Grand Rapids MI we had "only" 400 bikes, but in Houston
(founding town) they do 20,000, and the eponymous website has wonderful
photos of the rolling stock assembled and lined up in a borrowed
warehouse. Written up in Buycycling for Dec 03 as well.

You might want to check in with E&M as they've been doing this for
several years, and seem to have the process nailed down well. The local
police went through records to find a distribution area (it just dawned
on me that if every kid in a 'hood got a new bike, there'd be less
worry about theft) and for a first year things went really well
(despite one assembler not understanding why this veteran wrench would
be wearing sugical latex).

HTH

--Karen D.

Quoted message said:

http://www.turningwheelsforkids.org/

I said:

Locally we had an Elves and More start up for '05. ...
Here in Grand Rapids MI we had "only" 400 bikes....

Read all about it:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y26031E5C

HTH

--Karen D.