Don't worry too much about "losing another one" at Singer yet, but...
There are basically two people at work at Alex Singer. Ernest Csuka, the father, is about 78 years old and loves making the traditional cyclotouring bikes. He'll make a racing bike if asked, but he doesn't see the point for a real rider who does not race - his "cyclosportif" and "randonneur" bikes offer the same performance with added benefits of fenders, a handlebar bag and lights. When he was young, Ernest was a very strong rider. He won several stages in the amateur "Tour de France Cyclotouriste" in the 1950s. But his spirit is in the cyclotouring mode - of enjoying cycling for the sake of cycling.
Olivier Csuka is Ernest's son. He is not a cyclotourist, but a racer, and he feels that some modern parts - while not necessarily offering performance benefits - need to be incorporated to keep the machines "up to date." As always, a generational change means that things change at Alex Singer.
In the upcoming issue of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly, a friend of Alex Singer and rider on the team in the 1950s explains it like this:
It started with Alex Singer. He was a believer in progress, and proudly proclaimed that his bikes had won the prize for the "most modern bike." He invented superlight brakes, front derailleurs and many other parts. His early bikes were known to be superlight.
Ernest Csuka began to take over in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He is more conservative. The bikes haven't evolved much since then. Ernest feels that the specs are close to perfect. Rather than search for the ultimate in light weight, he is concerned about the ride, stability and other aspects. His bikes still are light, but not at the edge.
The bikes truly reflect the sould of their constructeurs. If Alex Singer still were alive, maybe Alex Singers would have gone full carbon long ago? If Olivier takes over some day (and that is a big if, because there isn't much money in it), the bikes will reflect his soul instead of Ernest's.
For now, Ernest continues to spec and make the bikes, but for how long?
Another issue is that lugs, fork crowns and other parts are running out. They had another supply of Reynolds metric tubing made - I believe they even got it in 531 - but these other parts are harder to make on a small scale. Add to that that components for the classic machines are getting scarce, and you know that Alex Singers are changing slowly, but inexorably. I think Olivier realizes this and feels that in order to remain viable, Singers need to be spec'd with currently available parts, rather than scouring swap meets for Maxi-Car hubs and similar parts. (I'd go the other route and have parts made. Of course, this would increase the price quite a bit.) So it is true that with every year that passes, Singers will be less "like they used to be."
For now, I wonder what would happen if you went into the shop and tried to order a bike with a carbon fork. Maybe if Ernest is at the post office, or has a good day, the order will be accepted. Otherwise, he'll say: "Ah, we don't make bikes any longer. We only repair our old customers' bikes these days."
As many U.S. builders are finding out as well, it is hard to be in a tiny minority when it comes to the bike industry. 40 years ago, all the things you needed for a good steel frame were easy to get - you just called up the wholesaler. And if you didn't like the quality of a tubing batch, you got together with a few other builders, maybe got one of the big makers like Peugeot, Motobecane or Raleigh on your side, and complained. Today, hardly anybody would listen to a few guys who make a few hundred frames a year between them! Quality suffers when the makers' heart isn't in it, and I have heard more than a few current builders complain about the shoddy quality of present-day frame tubing...
Jan Heine, Seattle Editor/Publisher Vintage Bicycle Quarterly c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles 140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C Seattle WA 98122 http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com
>Doug Smith wrote:
>
>> I pose the question is'nt this subject somewhat off topic time
>>line. Are
>>the rules been broken again.
>>Any feed back?>>
>>
>>Doug:
>>I think the point here was the shock of the break with tradition and
>>"Look, we lose another one" feeling. It all starts with a vintagesque
>>sentiment so is sort of acceptable if we don't get bogged down....
>>Cheers
>>Dale
>
>
> Well since I started the thread with the message from the
>ibob list, I did mean it as "look what an keeper of the flame is
>doing". Of course thinking about it, it makes sense since Singer
>and Berthoud also make racing and randonneur bicycles besides their
>"constructor" styles.
>
>
>Roy "this rain is bogging me down" Drinkwater
>Lititz, PA