In a message dated 11/7/2001 7:06:53 AM Eastern Standard Time, 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?)
No, I don't have one of his "I was insulted by Bruce Gordon" pins!!! >> 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