Chuck et al,
Lug lining is something that should be done selectivly. Many bikes do not look right with lug lining. Some bikes beg for it. If the lining is flawless and perfect, it is not there as a distraction or to hide poor craftsmanship; it is there to aid in harmonizing the other colors and/or help distinguish various parts of the frame from one another. I am very careful deciding wheather to line something or not and also which colors to use. Sometimes just a little striping in one color is correct, sometimes as many as three different colors are neccessary. It is difficult to explain how that works; but if you don't really notice that there are three different colors of striping, you're on the right track.
There are plenty of bikes with crappy striping and a few where the stripes really add something to the end results; the trick is knowing when and where to do it and makeing sure the craftsmanship is of the same high standards as the frame and the rest of the paint job. A Masi with pinstriped lugs doesn't cut it (except for the early Specials with Chromed Nervex Pro lugs) and a Hetchins in one color and no striping is kind of anti climatic, in my opinion. The key is always quality.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Never say always, except sometimes.
Gary Chottiner wrote:
>
> My '72 chrome P15, which is 'almost' NOS, does not have the red lug
> outlining, although I noticed that the P13 that Dale shows on the CR site
> does have it. I agree that lug outlining looks attractive and not only on
> these all-chrome bikes. A significant reason for my enjoyment of lugged
> frames is the visual aspect - and a solid color over everything diminishes
> the effect. (Anyone on this list care to disagree?)
Yes, I guess I have to disagree with you. Lug outlining is only used to make up for the lack of really pristine craftsmanship in my opinion.
Picture of the chrome Paramount:
http://twistcomm.com/
Steve Barner pointed out, "He (the pinstriper) doesn't just highlight the lugs to accent them, he redraws them as they would be IF they were perfectly formed..." (my emphasis)
The lug outlining is an unwanted distraction. A solid color over everything FORCES you to examine the lug shorline and lug thining.
I have two great examples of solid colored bikes that exhibit lug perfection. A mid-70s Peter Johnson with Prugnat lugs and a mid-70s Wizard (Baylis/Howard) with Nervex lugs, both painted solid green.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
.