snipped:
>"Is the word 'misrepresentation' too harsh?"

misrepresentation?!??
subcontracting has a long, firmly rooted history in
the bicycle making business. regarding outsource-ing,
what is the difference if a milanese frame shop gets their
work done in milan, umbria, or taiwan? who is the loser
in this hypothetical? none of these guys/firms ever said
they DIDN'T get their work from other sources; it's
the consumer's perception that all work is done in-house.
i'd venture a guess that if you asked any of these firms
where their goods came from, they would tell you the truth.
they might not say which factory does their work, but that
information isn't really important, as long as the products
are made to spec.
e-RICHIE