In my previous posting regarding Toei and other Japanese builders vs. Singer and Herse, I didn't mean to slander these builders. I also wasn't bashing or worshipping any countries frame builders. My perspective is that of a frame builder and that's how I view most bikes. I think the Singer's and Herse's were more interested in the bike as a whole package and didn't sweat some of the finer details. Toei and his colleagues have taken the approach of many American builders and not only conceptualized the whole bike but agonized over the little things. I'd like to think of myself as having that approach to frame building so I can relate to it and respect it. This isn't to take away anything from the aforementioned French builders. I think they were innovators and free thinkers just not refiners. The same is probably true of the Italians. Of course, these are sweeping generalizations but there is a degree of accuracy. I think many American and many Japanese (virtually unknown in this country) builders take the approach of sweating the littlest details to further refine their product. To some this imparts more "emotion" or whatever intangible you chose and to some it imparts less. I guess it just depends what side of the fence one falls on.
Curt Goodrich
Minneapolis, MN