The attentively made and attractive bike is "better" if you enjoy looking at it as well as riding it. Personally, I am very aware of what all goes into the making of a quality handmade thing, and it tends to be much much more than the laymen public can imagine. A maker adhering to a certain high level standard in the current age, is not a easy row to hoe. Look at the trouble Brian is going through to maintain his. Generally, the thought of owning such gives me a greater degree of satisfaction, and a feeling of some connection to the maker, as opposed to the purely utilitarian item made mostly with the profit incentive in mind. Chances are also that the craftsman/artist enjoyed the process more than the guy standing at his machine work station (no offense). From my experience, a lot of the folks who have no interest in the "classics", and focus their attention on the new innovations that admitedly may have their merits and reveal improvement in specific and limited capacities, these people often don't have much artistic perceptivity. More exposure to the beautiful as well, will often change their priorities.
Brian writes:
> I can dig the Zen thing; but mountain top cave framebuilding is out!
Brian would look cute with a shaved head, but the number of priests who burn incense in the caves is few and far in-between. These days many drive big fancy cars equipped with TVs and the latest navigation devices (can't be late for a funeral). The priest friend who drops in on me is often on his way home from testing out his latest high tech skis, or has been out doing laps that his membership at the hot spring pool club allows. Enlightenment has taken on new meanings it appears, or old ones have been forgotten.
Dennis Young Hotaka, Japan
> If I am building bikes for people to move around in China and the needs are
> for it to be sturdy, reliable and cheap does my finished product have less
> merit than my next example
>
> If I am a pro racer and I am trying to win for the sake of my career then I
> want the lightest most functional bike that I or my team can afford. Is this
> bike less worthy than a hand made work of art.
>
> If I am an old guy who doesn't ride much anymore who can pay almost any price
> for the bike of my dreams and I contract a hand made bike to my and the
> builders specifications is this bike better then the bikes above?????
>
> Just a thought; I like bikes because they are fun they were fun when I had
> my first department store bike with training wheels as a child, they were fun
> when I had a Schwinn Krate they were fun when I got a 10 speed, they are all
> fun (they all give you that smile to go ridding down the road with) I like
> bikes because they make me feel fast and free
>
> Sam DiBartolomeo
> Riverside CA