Re: [CR]Fiorelli track bike on eBay

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

From: <PBridge130@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 17:31:19 EST
Subject: Re: [CR]Fiorelli track bike on eBay
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


~~~"People have asked quite a bit lately about how to tell quality workmanship from questionable. In my eyes this frame is of questionable workmanship and it only took me 3-4 seconds to come to that conclusion. "How?" you say, simple look at the dropouts. When I see dropouts that haven't seen a file and are put in without any modification that says to me that they didn't spend too much time on the rest of the bike either. I'm not saying it's a poorly constructed frame, but personally I question the attention put into the build. ciao, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives"~~~

With all due respect, I must object. I think it's commonly known that European bikes of the 50's, 60's, and probably '70's and even later, tended to have finish qualities that were sometimes crude. I've always assumed that the Brits started putting greater detail into frame finishes, and then American builders took frame aesthetics to its high point.

It's logical that the American market was able to support high-end boutique builders who were turning out frames with high finish detail -- Americans had the discretionary funds to spend on expensive toys, and start-up American builders bought equipment that made prestigious Italian ateliers look like smithies. (Perhaps more American boutique builders would have survived, if they'd had lower expectations, and lower overhead -- I don't know.)

My first Colnago was pinned and cold-set. My memory is that many American builders of the '70's laughed at such a crude building technique, but that bike was one of three I've ever ridden that were pure magic (an SL Pinarello and an SL Eddy were the others). Euros had less discretionary income to pour into finish detail, and besides, I think it's fair to say that they were more concerned about the ride than the zoot factor.

Additionally, I don't think we have any idea where this particular bike might have fit into the builder's price scale, or maybe it was an overnight rush job for a special event.

I found the comments uncalled-for.

$.02 worth,

Peter Bridge
Denver, CO