Great thought, but there has to be a larger market. I approached Schiffer publications about ten years ago with teh idea of a coffee table book on the subject of lightweight racers and they wouldn't buy it. Actually, they thought the "market" (as small as it were) wouldn't buy it. In essence they require a first-printing of 10,000 copies and their conclusion was that they wouldn't sell. So, we are now sort of relegated to van der Plas publications style of book, and they limit photographs down to such a small margin that the whole idea loses it's appeal. In fact, for an article I wrote in teh recently published "Bikelore" book I wanted to include around 8 detailed photographs of the Holdsworth-Campy team, showing various events and cycles. that was edited down to one lousy team photo, that was scanned from a color xerox.
On the other hand, there are folks out there who have deep enough pockets to fund ventures like these themselves. Remember the Prior Dodge collection. Not many lightweights, but quite extensive. incidentially, I noticed that Major Taylor's Ivor Johnson has fastback stays, as does another cycle in that book around circa 1905 (name escapes me). Jim Dicke could probably do a book if he was approached the right way.
Bottom line is that the neither the energy level nor the profit is there, so thanks for Classic Rendezvous and Dale's page, which we frequently refer to.
Ken Denny Boston
>From: Monkeyman <monkey37@bluemarble.net>
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Books of bikes
>Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 11:37:21 -0700
>
>Beyond being a bike nut I'm also a book nut and I've been thinking about
>books that would help for this list. I was looking through the "Evolution
>of the Bicycle" books volume 1 and 2 and can't think of a reason whay we
>can't do that. If you're not familiar with the books they are books put
>out by L-W Book Sales, who are publishers of "collecters" books, and they
>have 200 pages of pictures of bicycles (six bikes per page), old ads, and
>other information that balloon tire collectors want. Yes the book contains
>mostly "crusier" style bikes. Why can't WE do the same?
>
>The format of the book is personal pictures submitted to the editor and
>published with owner credits. Some of the pictures suck but many are great.
>I've used the book to help restore a Rollfast Heavy Duty 8 years ago, and
>still look through it for ideas. Think if Duane, Ken/Donald, Hilary, Dale,
>or Harvey could just say, "look at page 115 of Volume 7 to see the Masi I'm
>talking about." Wouldn't that be nice? Some people will say, "That's what
>my Photopoint site is for." That's fine and all, but I think a printed
>version would be even better. I'm willing to do what it takes to see this
>happens, but I don't have the bikes or parts for the pictures, nor the
>background in the publishing industry. Is anyone else interested in this
>project?
>
>enjoy,
>Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
>
>
>Brandon and Mitzi's-- "Wurld uv Wunder"
>http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~capybara/
>
>Monkeyman's on going bicycle part garage sale
>http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~mkirklan/salepage/garage.html
>
>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>Nobody can do everything,
>but if everybody did something
>everything would get done.
> -Gil Scott Heron-
>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!