Bill,
I'll try to cover all questions outstanding in one shot here. The source of my observations are based on the sort of gatherings I have been attending within the past year or so. That would mean both vintage rides between L.A. and San Diego, and vintage events on both coasts. Each event is better than it was the previous year, the level of knowledge expands at each event through personal exchanges, clinics, and swaps and shows. I'm not saying that the mainframe of the bike industry will change direction or take note of us; it won't. What I am saying is that people who have an interest in any other kind of bike are going to cross into an additional interest in a certain (small) percentage. My guess is that most of the influx will come from somehow comming into contact with the existing groups. I know this to be true of at least my area in SoCal. The only note I think the mainstream bike industry may take of the trends I mention will probably be in the form of looking to use the concept of "retro=quality" in some perverse way. Needless to say, the only people who will be actually doing it are the small cottage industry framebuilders. Everything is relative. The demand for vintage bikes could easily outrun the supply of actual examples if things got too big, since there is a finite number of them. On the other hand, a handmade lugged steel frame can be built by anyone who can justify the return that could be realized by selling them. The one thing the bike industry has done for us small fish is establish high prices for state of the art bikes. Handmade frames are just as pricey, but are actually a far greater value. A quality piece is also guarenteed to hold more of it's value over time due to it's rarity and character in addition to delivering pleasure as intended by riding it in the first place. I think more people are beginning to reason this way.
To address the question about investment cast lugs; my dividing line isn't actually investment lugs themselves. The introduction of IC lugs (about late 1975) signaled the end of framebuilding "the traditional" way and fostered the concept of making frames as quickly and as profitably as possible. Before long, chainstay bridges were dissappearing and brake bridges were cast or machined in one piece and every bit of handwork was eliminated. Carosel brazing stations and computer alignment tables sprung up in every large frame producers' workshops. The soul of the handmade frame had been killed insofar as a frame you could buy off the shelf. So what I mean by my statement is that the methods were abandoned my most companies and only small builders were doing it my hand. One can use IC lugs and still shape and file them nicely and I don't object to that as long as the rest of the frame doesn't follow suit with plug-in dropouts and crappy fittings all over it. We have established that the material the lugs are made with don't matter; it's how you work with them that counts. I personally still prefer pressed steel lugs, but how the frame is made is what matters.
There is another advantage to maintaining a one person shop. I had an opportunity recently to experience this unexpected benifit first hand. Apparently my generous distribution of information related to painting bikes got the attention of someone who was concerned about my compliance with APCD standards in San Diego County. An unannounced visit from an officer from the compliance division visited me in responce to a written complaint that I was spraying "illegal paint materials". I showed him everything I use (Imron and DP-40), my spray gun, records of paint purchases, etc. and he left saying that he would be back in touch. Yesterday afternoon I recieved the call from the APCD officer informing me that I'm perfectly legal in every respect. As a matter of fact I'm exempt from a permit from two directions. One, I spray less than 20 gals. per year (last year I didn't even reach 5 gals.) and two, I'm exempt from statute 67.20 completely because I'm a manufacturer as opposed to a metal parts refinisher like a bike painting operation would be. These agencies don't allow disclosure of the complainer even though it was made in writing; but whoever it was can rest easy now because I am allowed to use Imron and yes, Sam, I not only can buy DP-40 but am allowed to use it. I have persisted at being a one person operation for several reasons, but this unexpected benifit might be the most important. I hope my future genorous offering of information are met with a bit more respect than this last exchange.
There will be more regarding the Renniassance as I have more time to write. The movement is small relativly speaking and the "industry" will not be involved. I'm pretty sure the only people aside from consumers who will benifit from this trend will be small intimate companies who can deal direct with the customer and provide exceptional products with honesty and integrity. I think that means most of us.
Brian Baylis
Practicing the self control of a Saint in La Mesa, CA
>
> In a message dated 1/23/2002 8:24:37 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
>
> > have had this growing feeling in recent months that the general
> > appreciation for vintage handmade (and production) frames and current
> > devotees of "traditional" framebuilding (meaning the way frames were
> > built before the advent of investment cast lugs) is on the rise
>
> Brian,
>
> Why do you discount the use of investment cast lugs -- using then does what
> to make them less than traditional, the other lugs as I understand it, please
> educate me if I am wrong, are the same lug only made from metal by rolling
> and welding etc.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bill Barnard
>
> >From really sunny but frost bitten Castro Valley CA