[CR]Now: Veneration of classicists (LONG)

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

From: <Sid_Smith@baxter.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 11:24:19 -0600
Subject: [CR]Now: Veneration of classicists (LONG)

With Dale's forbearance -

Nath (and Sam)-

You have touched on something close to a number of our hearts. Although most people can "do" most things, we all do them at varying levels of competence. Most of us choose to do what we are most competent at. Many people can look at something done by a competent artisan and say "I can do that". But can you? Really?

I am a scientist and engineer by training. I design medical products for a livelihood. At home, I just finished laying a bluestone floor in a random Ashlar pattern. A'la Martha Stewart, I hand selected the stones from a stone supply (none of this Home Depot stuff). I dressed all the stones with a diamond saw and dry placed them. When I was happy with the placement and coloration, then I set them. Not counting selecting the stones, it took over 60 hours to do a space just under 100 sq feet, and it's not the first stonework I've done. As a stonemason, my work is at least passable, but I can much better support myself as an engineer. I do nice work by sheer force of will, but I have to wonder whether or not I'm "competent".

Were I to build a bike, I suspect my tastes would run to something "racy". So I might try to imitate the geometry of a track bike, or a criterium bike. But I don't know enough about the tradeoffs in wheelbase, trail, rake, and head and seat tube angles. I suspect I could do a passable brazing job with a bit of practice, certainly nowhere near Brian, Richie, or Dale's standards (although I do enjoy sweating copper). But, let's say that to be safe I pick a geometry that is well established, perhaps imitating a Merckx century geometry, not too racy, rather conservative. And lets say I do a passable job of silver brazing. Will I have a bike that rides like a Merckx? If I did, I'd chalk it up to the Merckx geometry being forgiving and me being rather lucky. That's cause there are so many imponderables that I'm oblivious to, and most of the imponderables do have a consequence of one sort or another.

I see this in my work. I've been a designer for over 20 years. People think design is easy. Good design certainly looks easy. On the other hand, Scott Hamilton makes a back flip look spontaneous. Ease of execution, and grace are hallmarks of elegance. But others have made my case better than I.

"Most imitators are drawn to the inimitable." Marie von Eber-Eschenbach

"Design is easy. All you do is stare at the screen until drops of blood form on your forehead." Marty Neumier, paraphrasing Gene Fowler

"There are numerous [design] rules. The most important is: Do not ever do it the way someone else does." Kurt Schwitters

"Design requires esthetics, inspiration, and guts. To me, nothing is more vibrant than having the power to do something, but not having the experience of knowing what's right and what's wrong." Tibor Kalman

Good luck to Sam on his assignment.

Sid Smith
Lake Forest, IL