Re: [CR]Re: Brand Loyalty

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

To: langston@interaccess.com
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Brand Loyalty
From: "Richard M Sachs" <richardsachs@juno.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 19:41:10 -0400

snipped: Herb Langston <langston@interaccess.com> writes: When did Motobecane stop being a Motobecane? In the early 1980s, when they were machine-made and mass-produced in Taiwan (using poor technology) and no longer hand-made by artisans who loved their work. That was the end of their era. Herb Langston

not to switch gears here... but i think, (I THINK), that this assumption is the root of all the disagreement and differing opinions. there are folks with way more experience with this than me, but i firmly believe it is a misconception to state that the factory made bicycles that are the mainstays of the CR timeline, 'are (were) hand-made by artisans who loved their work.' i wish that were the case. i wanted it to be the case when i was choosing role models. but after 5 trips to italy and many years of trying to keep my antennae up, i believe the opposite to be true. yes-there are exceptions. and even those who come/came to work out of necessity rather than passion build/built some excellant bicycles. by and large, all these bicycles are made in what would be better thought of as industrial rather than artisanal environments. e-RICHIE Richard Sachs Cycles No.9, North Main Street Chester, CT 06412 USA http://www.richardsachs.com Tel. 860.526.2059