Re: [CR]ahh-LECHSS sohn-ZJAYY art?

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

To: dirk.feeken@sap.com
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 13:33:25 -0500
Subject: Re: [CR]ahh-LECHSS sohn-ZJAYY art?
From: "Richard M Sachs" <richardsachs@juno.com>
cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

snipped: "...have not only filed lugs, but lugs that are built up from scratch. "

i was there last summer and spent 2 hours in the store. the lugs are all made by nikko. and someone - i forgot who began this thread - was right: the handwork is pretty pedestrian. as a framebuilder, i would say the the concept of the assembled bicycle is far more advanced than the level of torch and metalwork. this is just my observation from being shown subassemblies and unpainted frames. the moho in that shop was immeasureable. if i had the benjamins, i would have caved. the zoot factor equals the bling-blingness. that's the important ratio. e-RICHIEĀ® Richard Sachs Cycles No.9, North Main Street Chester, CT 06412 USA Tel. 860.526.2059 site: http://www.richardsachs.com pics: http://photos.yahoo.com/bobbesrs rants: http://richardsachs.blogspot.com/

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 19:19:09 +0100 "Feeken, Dirk" <dirk.feeken@sap.com> writes: you're right Singers don't have perfect finish or paint. But you have to be careful when comparing bikes with Alex Singer labels. In the shop you also find cheap(?) commuter bikes and even kids bikes that get the same Singer decals as the high end randonneurs. Such a race Singer with common lugs is not that different from any other european race bike and has probably not been built by Ernest Csuka. Olivier Csuka himself rides a pale yellow carbon(!) bike with Singer decals. The real Randonneurs have not only filed lugs, but lugs that are built up from scratch. Anyway, the "art" lies in the overall construction of the Randonneurs which are built to suit their riders needs perfectly without any compromise. It's a completely different type of art than the "stunning finish" attempt of many american frame makers. (I like both).
   Dirk