Recently a respected listmember made reference to "recycled beer cans". My racing gang in the late 70's called Alans "beercans". "You riding your Colnago or your beercan today?" A bunch of us owned them. I discovered that I generally could ride a local steep-ish climb in one cog larger a gear on my own beercan -- the improved "Record" model -- than I could on my Traut or my Colnago -- it just plain climbed better, at least for me. On the other hand, I didn't like the way the fork behaved on fast descents, and I sold the bike after only one season. After all, I wasn't a hill climber, even at a lean 170.
A couple years back, I bought an early gold Alan. My intention was to build it, and to hang it on the wall as a sort of semi-abstract piece, clean, un-decalled, monochromatic. Sort of a representation of the abstract idea of "bicycle". I thought it would be handsome with OR10's and a drilled gold chainring that I've had in my chainring bin since 1977. Plus, I knew that various under-funded eastern European racers had kicked serious butt riding similar frames in the mid-70's, and this bike would be an homage to those unsung warriors of the peloton. Universal brakes, basic stuff. A Stronglight 93 might not have been out of place. Basic stuff. Hmmmn, maybe the gold chainring should stay in the bin.
Anyway, the beer can comment has been rattling around in my head, and I've been reflecting on it when not otherwise occupied. Brings up fundamental questions about aesthetics for me. Is a Legnano Roma "art"? Hetchins? A Bugatti Atlantic? My handsomely made, and visually-pleasing 50's-era waffle iron? I sure thought that early 60's Formula One cars were stunningly beautiful, and they certainly are examples of "form follows function", reductio ad formositas. Is a custom, special-lugged Columbine "art", or do the stuck-on stars and swirls and gew-gaws actually betray the elegantly spare idea of "bicycle"?
So, beer cans. Alans. Later, Vitus. New materials, new construction methods. Cheaper. Simpler? Manufactured, rather than built. Regardless, they were good tools, with serious design behind them, and I'd argue that function was well served, based on my own experience. As for beauty, well, I guess it's in the eye of the beercan holder. Of course, I do have to admit that I draw a lines of my own, just as the listmember who made the beercan comment seemed to be doing. I'd have a tough time owning a welded, fat-tube alu bike, probably wouldn't do it..... hmmmn, except maybe an Empella cross bike ...... I guess I have no real standards. I admit it, I'm nothing more than a ho for fast bikes.
I had some good days on that Record.
Cheers,
Peter Bridge
DenCO