I might suggest that another category to open on the CR list would be "outrageously low priced" stuff. I just picked up a Bruce Gordon Chinook off Ebay, one that didn't meet reserve. The seller took my offer, well below his reserve.
Though I know little about judging the quality of bikes (yeah, that sounds like one of my freshmen: "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."), this Chinook is well made, simple design with some nice elegant touches: for example, little cut-outs on the inside points of the fork crown that are painted. In fact, I find the more I play around this bike--trying to build it up--there's more little touches to be discovered. And his racks appear indestructible and fit perfectly on the bike.
I wrote to him about the bike, and he was polite and informative about it. That might qualify for "BG was polite to me."
Cheers.
Tom
>DTSHIFTER@aol.com writes:
>
><<
> No, I've never met him, but I've seen two or three of those old lugged
> frames, and they are pretty nice (did HE really built them?)
>
> >>
>We ordered a few of the old BG frames for customers back about 1977 and they
>were top shelf, even front-of-the-peloton, pieces.
>We still have one that came back on trade aftyer the rider quit, and it's
>still quite an attention getter (from 10 feet you might never no it was ever
>built up)
>We have a 'Chinook' hanging in the ceiling with some radical decorator paint
>scheme on it that was never builtThis is lugged and appears to be post '82
>for sure.
>
>'Character' is a good description, but I remember a more mainstream BG in
the
>70's when we were selling his masterpieces at Georgetown Cycle Sport in DC .
>
>Other than any cult-like connection, I personally have never seen anything
>special in the newer ones and I gotta say the same thing about some of these
>newer C-Itoh derivatives (Rivendell)
>I have a term I made up for some of these newer (and even some newer
>Brifgestones- third derivative of Itoh, Kabuki being the second)
>
>It's called 'on purpose' and involves what i also refer to as 'politics' of
>shoosing a bike these days
>
>'My uncle had Chevies and wore a Timex and had good luck'
>'We rode Schwinns growing up and loved 'em'
>
>"So do you carry Schwinns?"
>Of couse I haven't worked in a Schwinn shop since 1971, but can say honestly
>that I might have more 'domestic' Schwinns than any Schwinn shop, so i
always
>answer the question 'Yes!"
>
>If there were a Schwinn today (I haven't kept up, are they around?) it might
>bear a name resemblance only to the oldies we had
>Not that it, like a Chevy (I own a few) or timex is a less-than-adequate
>product these days, but not because your uncle had one - as it's not the
same
>car or watch.
>Today's Chevy could be a Geo or Kia from Korea (and I'm not an Amerophile in
>what I buy - I'm for a united and peaceful Universe)
>
>Today's Masi copuld even be Asian, and that itself doesn't make it a poor
>product (well, OK, who bought one??)
>
>So , back to the 'on purpose'
>Not that those new Rivendells are terrible or anything, as Dale and even my
>College Park shop guys have a small following and sold some, but my take is
>that they are something like 'created collectibles'
>They ride well, and offer a classy alternative to the tiggy or miggy things
>flooding the marketplace. (Those I simply just can't get used to for some
>reason.)
>
>I'm not totally traditional.
>I have been seen racing a Calfee (Carbonframes) tandem and some nice early
>examples of AluMaster Gary Klein's frames and find them superb in many ways.
>
>Wow, looking at my timex, I see I have to open the shop and try to sell some
>Taiwan Treks to earn a little American money today.
>
>Larry 'BG was indifferent to me' Black
>
>_______________________________________________
>
Tom Hayes
18585 Munn Road
Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023
hayes@jcu.edu