On Thursday, 20, 2002, at 09:58AM, goodrichbikes <goodrichbikes@netzero.net> wrote:
>There's nothing magical about achieving the "perfect" fender line. All that
>has to happen is that the brake and chainstay bridges are equidistant from
>the axle.
DING DING DING. . . . WE HAVE A WINNER.
Curt is totally correct on this, though there is a bit more to getting it "just right." As someone who spend their formative years in Seattle installing a lot of fenders I can say any really good mechanic can make fenders look factory on just about any bike. This is not to say that people actually install fenders correctly. I don't do it "correctly" on my own bikes here since they're only on for a month or two. If, like Jan, I was still living in Seattle the story would be different. One of the other major factors is fenders that are the right size to compliment the frame. Also the correct curve, length of stays, and size of monting bolts and washers.
>I'm not saying all of this because I think that the constructeur idea is bogus
>just that it's a little too romanticized. The Singer and Herse bikes were
>amazing but there's plenty of framebuilders that can make a randonneur bike.
>It's just whether someone is willing to pay for it.
I think at this point we're getting beyond the original question. Name me one framebuilder that makes their own parts beyond racks and stems, outside of Japan. I know quite a few that can but no one does and that's the point. I don't think people who are willing to drop $2500+ on one of your frame and forks and another $300+ for racks and $100 for fenders from riv is going to have much of a problem spending the money for a constructeur bike if it was available. If someone made a Herse-style "constructeur" bike with a variety of cottage industry parts makers "custom period parts" and sold them for $5000-$6000 that would be a deal compared to getting a real Herse. You most likely would be selling them the Japanese collectors and a few dot.com kids but how many would you have to sell. enjoy, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives Santa Barbara, Calif.