David B. wrote <Try not to pigeon hole the Murphy brothers based on just a few frames. The ones <everyone equates with Columbine are just a small sample of what they do. I think <they have only made 4 or 5 of the super fancy ones. The rest are relatively normal <frames with just a frill here and there and are reasonably priced when you consider <the work involved and what other stuff costs nowadays. Really, in my humble <opinion, making basic frames becomes extremely boring in short order. Every <once in a while you got to bust out and express yourself. I know something is <really good when half the people hate it and the other half love it. That's all that <Columbine is trying to do.
Actually most of the frames John Murphy builds are the Ultras! He builds about eight to twelve a year! He has expressed to me that he would like to do some less fancy frames but he is "pigeon holed".
On an added item, brother Rich does not build under the Columbine name any more. He will repair and repaint older Columbines, but about ten years ago they split.
Jules who owns 4 Columbines and talks and rides with John weekly Meihofer Ft Collins, CO