In a message dated 12/3/2005 4:50:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Nick writes:
Seems the idea is to celebrate the craft and skill required to produce the item rather than the method.
Wouldn't any appreciation of the craft and skill have to include some working knowledge of method? While it is quite possible appreciate the beauty of a bicycle with no formal knowledge whatever, I would think that appreciating the art and craft of framebuilding and the skills required to practice it would be difficult to impossible without some knowledge of materials, construction techniques, structural design, history, etc.
Don't be fooled by Nick's genteel southern gentleman demeanor... I know for a fact he lies nothing better than to start a good argument.
Bob Hovey
Columbus, GA