[CR]re: nahbs gripes

(Example: Production Builders)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:10:21 -0500
From: <chuckdds@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]re: nahbs gripes

I have to agree that NAHBS is no different from any "custom" show. There were plenty of builders there(including myself) that will only show what they do on a day-to-day basis, and many who come with that one-off special. What you have to realize is that the one off special has to be taken for more than what it is on the surface. These bikes are built to gain attention, they take incredible skill to produce, and in the end they are an advertisement of what the builder is capable of. Last year when Dave Bohm brought his incredible tandem- it was something that would probably never be built again, and something that would cost a cliet $50k or more! What it was intended to do was show the incredble craftsmanship that Dave is capable of. Then a client would say "hey, I want something special and Dave can do it for me". The same with any builder that is at NAHBS- you want to show your best. Some builders build fancy bikes, some build beautiful clean bikes, some build utilitarian bikes. There will always be people out there with the money to spend on a special bicycle. Naked cycles took a chance this year with very artistic interpretation of an early grass racer with many city features. It was and is a piece of art. He built it and put a tremendous amount of effort into it to bring it to life. What did it get him?? The awards and he sold the bike to Lance Armstong!?Do you think from a business perspective he did the right thing? Your damn right he did! His reputation has now been pushed way up the latter and I'll bet he will have a multy year waiting list very, very soon.? Congrats to him!!!!

Chuck Schlesinger
Sadilah Handmade Framesets
San Diego, CA
http://www.sadilah.com