Don, I'm confused... are you saying the eBay Chris Chance is a Masterpiece now (previously it was just the best bike ever), or are you explaining what a Masterpiece is to us clueless guys?
Chuck "don't know what's Art, but I know what I like" Schmidt South Pasadena, CA
Don Wilson wrote:
> Dale,
> There has to be a first time I respectfully disagree
> with you and this is it. Masterpieces are not measured
> in linear, discretely quantifiable terms of how much
> work went into them. If they were, then every
> mastercraftsman would just do more work than the last
> guy and grab the honor of masterpiece. Masterpieces
> are, for lack of a better word, binary phenomena. They
> happen, or they don't. The Mona Lisa is not the best
> crafted or composed painting of the Florentine
> renaissance by far. Leonardo did at least one that I
> think was far better in every estimable way but one:
> the Mona Lisa is a masterpiece and Leonardo's other
> paintings are masterful paintings. Frankly, the arts
> and crafts are full of masterpieces that weren't the
> best crafted of their time. They just work magically
> well in a way that is absolutely frustrating to other
> craftsmen and artists (often subsequentely even to the
> one who made the masterpiece) out there spilling their
> guts out in execution wondering why their piece does
> not make the final lyrical leap into greatness.
>
> Don Wilson
> Los Olivos, CA USA
> --- oroboyz@aol.com wrote:
>
>> To answer your question of "Best bike ever?"
>>
>> No, a very nice bike, but far from that in my
>> humble opinion...
>>
>> Don, have you watched that Discovery channel show
>> about that family who make choppers? Their business
>> is Orange County Choppers? It is stupid in many ways
>> but a good illustration of this bike versus other
>> fine bikes.
>>
>> This family take parts (frame,tank, engine, lights,
>> etc) assemble them very nicely, then tack on a few
>> parts they make and add a (intentionally) compelling
>> "theme". Paint & gee gaws get tacked on that reflect
>> the theme, (a mini ladder gizmo for Fire Station
>> theme, etc.)
>>
>> Contrast these guys to the other MC builders who
>> make their own frame, tank (Ala Jesse James) and
>> components... I forget the names of the other guys
>> (don't watch this stuff much) but there is a guy
>> over in Winston Salem who makes bikes from the
>> ground up that are frankly amazing... I am no
>> chopper fan but it doesn't take too much of a
>> stretch to admire some of these guys craftsmanship
>> and effort to make unique and personal "statements"
>> in their motorcycles...
>>
>> When you look back at the first family, despite all
>> their press and celebrity, you realize they build
>> motorcycles that are well received but are rather
>> superficial when compared to the "real" ground up
>> motorbike builders...
>>
>> This is sort of the case for this Chris Chance
>> bike...
>> Yes, very tasty and cool in paint color, nice
>> add-on emblems and competently assembled, but when
>> compared to a Sachs or Baylis or Bruce Gordon or
>> Weigle or Peter Johnson or Chris Kvale and others,
>> well, it is just a nice assembly using minimally
>> modified Henry James lugs, in a relatively boring
>> and stock looking format. The tacked on bits are
>> most of what make it unique. The other builders I
>> listed make frames that are so original, involve so
>> much hand work and achieve their own unique look &
>> style.... you just can't add on a water jet cut
>> emblem and get to where they are.
>>
>> Actually I have seen Chris Chance frames that are
>> more artfully made and closer to the halcyon
>> heights, just no brazed on trinkets save his nice
>> head badge...
>>
>> Dale Brown
>> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: dcwilson3@yahoo.com
>> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>> Sent: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 3:09 AM
>> Subject: [CR]Ebay Chris Chance...best bike ever?
>>
>> This Chris Chance would have to be in the running
>> were
>> a competition held. It IS the most beautifully
>> elegant
>> bike I have ever seen. This man took minimalist
>> elegance to another level with this bike. The paint
>> scheme is brilliant and so is the construction. I
>> even
>> like the stars and I'm not normally a fan of such
>> details.
>> 120074566094
>>
>> Below I have copied the seller's summary. It needs
>> to
>> be in the archives. I hope someone on CR gets this
>> piece of rolling art. It makes me proud to be an
>> American just looking at the pictures.
>>
>> Don Wilson
>> Los Olivos, CA USA
>>
>> "The Bicycle Exchange was New England's leading
>> seller
>> of high-end cycles, components, and sundries for
>> over
>> 50 years, and launched many careers of competitive
>> amateur and professional cyclists. Ben Olken, the
>> founder, was considered the Godfather of the
>> regional
>> trade.
>>
>> This track cycle was hand built by framebuilder
>> Chris
>> Chance as a special gift to Ben Olken, to
>> commemorate
>> 50 years in the business (1934-1984). It is built of
>> Columbus SL tubing, custom detailed HJ lugset and
>> crown. 55 cm center to center seat tube and top
>> tube.
>> Finished in metallic amethyst with black enamel rear
>> triangle, fork blades, and headtube. It is a rare
>> and
>> stunning example of Chris Chance's work. As many
>> know,
>> Chris Chance was a graduate of the Witcomb school of
>> framebuilding, and launched his business in the mid
>> 70's, initially concentrating on high-end racing
>> cycles, before launching the FatChance line of
>> mountain bikes, SlimChance production racing cycles,
>> and finally selling out his business to retire in
>> Vermont.
>>
>> Complete cycle is NOS, and has never seen a road or
>> track surface. Best track bike at Lars Anderson.
>> Details includes stainless steel badge
>> embellishments,
>> such as the headbadge, BiEx 1934-1984 commemorative
>> badge on the seat tube, "Ben" badge on left side of
>> top tube, "star" fork crown badges - all
>> jewelry-like
>> in detail. The bike is absolutely stunning, with
>> many
>> custom tuned component touches. Show, concours
>> condition, completely original, unadulterated.
>> Component group includes:
>>
>> * Campagnolo Record HS/BB
>> * Campagnlo Record crankset, 170mm, with milled
>> crankarms, milled spiders, Star chainring cutouts
>> * Campagnolo SR seatpost
>> * Campagnolo SF 28/28 Pista hubs, DT spokes,
>> Vittoria Pista CX tubulars
>> * Campagnolo SL Pista pedals with ICS clips,
>> Cinelli straps
>> * Cinelli Unicanitor black suede pista saddle
>> * Nisi Pista Speciale "For Professional Use
>> Only"
>> rims, black anodized
>> * Cinelli Pista handlebars (old logo) with
>> milled
>> old logo 1A stem, Benotto Tape/plugs
>>
>> D.C. Wilson dcwilson3@yahoo.com
>>
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> D.C. Wilson dcwilson3@yahoo.com
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