AEGIS Bikes: Made in the USA Still Matters

I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike ...

With more people trying to leave less of a carbon footprint, the rising price of gas, our desire to not be dependent on foreign oil, and the fact biking is a great sport and offers terrific health benefits, bikes are more popular than ever. That's why I decided to feature a US bicycle company. During my research I found a few companies that assembled bikes in the US but were owned by other countries. This gives workers jobs but it doesn't keep the money in the US. (For example, Murray bikes are assembled in the US but the company is in Great Britain.) Most bikes are made in China/Taiwan.

One company that proudly declared Made in USA on its website and really stood out was AEGIS handmade carbon fiber bikes. The motto that caught my eye: At AEGIS we believe Made in the USA still matters.

AEGIS bikes aren't cheap, but they are top-notch, and made by a company in Van Buren, Maine, who employ skilled and dedicated craftspeople. The company has been making carbon fiber bicycles since 1986 and are the oldest carbon frame maker in the country.

While most of the AEGIS bike models are made for competitive triathletes, a few of the bikes can be adapted to everyday fun and fitness. Because these bikes are built to last, it could be the last bike you ever buy. Their slogan: Built to Last as Long as You

What makes an AEGIS better than a Foreign-made Bike?
While the company's patented technique is being duplicated by many traditional "metal" U.S. and international frame builders in Taiwanese and Chinese factories, these companies are using less and less carbon and creating bikes that ride like aluminum.

Pete, the owner of AEGIS, says if you're going to spend the money on a carbon bike, buy one that's going to give you the best ride and the ability to turn your pedal strokes into forward motion.

"Our frames are still made in the USA, in Maine, and that will never change," Pete adds.

Read the complete story of AEGIS and find out where to buy a bike at www.aegisbicycles.com

SAS Shoes - American-made since 1976

Thanks to American-made SAS shoes, my friend Katy is enjoying a 'comfortable' vacation in Montreal!

In the 1970s, shoe manufacturers were leaving the United States in droves and many of those who stayed were cutting corners to compete with cheaper imports.

For passionate shoemakers Terry Armstrong and Lew Hayden this fact was unacceptable. They refused to compromise on quality, so in 1976 they quit their jobs in the shoe industry and started SAS Handcrafted Comfort Shoes.

They crafted every shoe by hand, with attention to detail and the best materials available. They wanted to make shoes so comfortable the wearer wouldn’t want to take them off.

More than 30 years later, SAS shoes and handbags are still made by skilled American hands in San Antonio, Texas, and the name still stands for quality craftsmanship and comfort.

To see all the products available and find out where to buy them, visit www.sasshoes.com.

The Homer Laughlin China Co. Since 1871

Durable and beautiful pottery made in the U.S.A. for more than 130 years!

The Homer Laughlin China Co. is the largest pottery maker in America. Though it was originally founded in 1871 in Ohio, it currently employs more than 1,100 U.S. workers in its 37-acre facility in Newell, WV.

While the company has struggled throughout the years to compete with imported dinnerware that was made by cheaper labor overseas, they have managed to make the necessary changes to keep their company and jobs in the U.S. (Why can't more American companies make that effort?)

In 2011, HLC will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its famous and colorful Fiesta Dinnerware.

You can buy HLC products at Macy's, Dillard's, Kohl's, on Amazon and direct from the company at http://www.fiestafactorydirect.com.

For more about the company, visit: http://hlchina.com/