[CR]Returning from the Dead; VR II, Pt. 5

(Example: Production Builders)

From: "Brian Baylis" <rocklube@adnc.com>
To: classic rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Returning from the Dead; VR II, Pt. 5
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 20:40:52 -0800

Pleasant Halloween everyone,

I've been remiss on my writing duties. I apologoze for dragging out this torture, but my friend Chuck likes me to see these reports to the end. Time has been short for me. I opened my email today to 318 messages. I haven't been able to keep up with much of the goings on. I would like to comment on one topic; which I will address once I finish this off. In the meantime, the capper to Velo Rendezvous 2002. Again I must remind everyone that the purpose of these reports is to encourage those who have not yet been able to attend one of these magical events to get off their dead behind and plan for the next one. I have committed to Le Cirque 2003 in Greensboro knowing that our English brothers and many others are committed to attending; including framebuilder Peter Weigle from what I have heard. I think one could safely assume that an extremely wide variety of participants will converge this comming year. I plan on riding while there this time; which I realized was part of the special fun of these events. Riding with a group like we had here in CA recently was most certainly extraordinary. I'm looking forward to sucking some wheels on the East coast with a "new" gang. Anyone have a small Schwinn Varsity with Campag. NR parts on it I can ride??

Backtracking to the moment of our (meaning Pergolizzi and myself) arrival from San Diego at Chucks' place to leave off the trike in Chucks garage; the first instant upon exiting the car John wants to try out the trike. It has made the trip toestrapped to the roofrack of my car. John is at the toestraps and has all of them undone before I can even stretch my legs from the drive. We hoist her down and verify that there is suffecient air in the sew up tires. Affirmative. I survey the landscape. Looks harmless enough, nice wide flat LA street with very little traffic. What could possibly go wrong? I can tell than Johnboy is planning on just hopping on and riding this "grandma bike". The road has a very slight crown to it terminating in shallow concrete gutters with curb. I walk the unit out into the middle of the street as John finalizes the fitting of his shoes. Without a word John boards the trike and sits still upon it; suddenly announcing "wow, this thing has two front brakes". I tell him not to worry, he won't be going fast enough to need two brakes.

He's ready to pedal off and I have him facing perpendicular to the curb, but plenty of distance from the opposite side of the road. He begins by pedaling slowly and rolling forward. He is sitting normally on the saddle and now grinning from the odd sensation. He knows he must begin to turn soon because he's headed directly towards the curb, aided by the slight crown in the road. He turns the handlebars left. No responce from the trike. John is suddenly confused. What the ?? He jams on the brakes, still facing straight ahead. From where I'm standing with Maurice, it appears as if the trike has a metal front wheel that is being strongly attracted to the curb which is a powerful magnet. Maurice and I are trying to squelch our giggleing as John creeps forward bit by bit still trying to turn the bike as it gets sucked ever closer to the curb. Finally John gives up and gets off the trike with a statement something like " what the f***, how do you turn this thing?" He picks it up and moves it into mid-street facing down the road now. Remounting, we see him pedal off and shift gears to try and get some speed. I comment to Maurice "he's going too fast for not knowing how to turn the trike yet". As the words exit my mouth we can see John, this time from afar, engaged in a mortal battle with my machine as if it were a giant Anaconda. The snake is winning! Get used to the brakes sucker, the trike defies," I ain't turning until you figure how to do it". Again he stops. Picks up the trike and faces it towards us. He heads back our way and then tries to make a turn in front of us. Again no luck. John ejects from the haunted cycle exclaiming " that damn thing's got poltergiests or something".

Hummmmm, last time I rode it it wasn't haunted. Maybe it just doesn't like New Yorkers? This trike is a California native, maybe that's the problem. I plant my butt on the saddle and step on the pedals. I turn a 360 degree circle with a radius of the wheelbase. John says, "ahole" or something like that as I spin around and around. Then like a shot I straighten it out like exiting a graceful dive and roll away at moderate speed. Then without notice, I slam on the brake, hang my ass WAY off the saddle, and turn the bars hard left. The three wheeled monster responds immediately by turning. I whip around and apply power and without hesitation I'm speeding back towards an astonished John. "Holy Crap" escaped his lips as I passed and then repeated the turn a short distance past them. What it all comes down to was that John was trying to ride it as if it were a regular bike. It's nothing at all like a regular bike. Once you resign yourself to that fact it's just a matter of learning to ride a complete new machine. Trikes are a unique vehicle. I'm planning on riding mine on the open road more often to improve my technique on her. It's fun for a change of pace; and the looks I get! It might even be better bait for getting the chicks than a cute puppy! I'm sure the babes think to themselves "now there's a manly MAN, he's riding a tricycle", as I ride past.

As promised, I will review the Art Stump frames that seem to have capivated the attention of the attendees of the Sunday event at Velo Rendezvous II. First, a bit of information about Art Stump as framebuilder is in order for those who may not be familiar with his body of work. I am in no way an authority on Art Stump, but I have had contact with him periodically over the years since we are both in Southern California. I believe I first met Art Stump when Mike Howard and I went to Santa Monica to buy a used spray booth in 1974. It turns out it came from a company a few doors away from Art's place in Santa Monica where he worked on restoring cars and other various projects. I remember meeting him that day and he was working on some bizarre automotive project at the time. I don't recall if we bought any lugs from him at that time but I think I did. Anyway, Art has built a few bike frames in his lifetime. I think 20 or fewer. Most of the ones I've seen are at least moderately ornate and have traits that stem from his advanced ability as a machinist. One of the things Art did quite well was make clocks. That's some precise machineing. Far more precise than most bicycles require. Many of Arts' bikes are characterized by extensively machined components to match the frame to some degree. In my opinion when one seeks to build ornate and complex frames it is important to outfit the bike with parts that function perfectly and look balanced and graceful on the bike. Personally, going to the extent that these "art bikes" go to is a bit over the top for my taste. Partially because my personal taste is for the simple designs (or the moderately ornate ones) to be exicuted with traditional framebuilding gracefulness. By this I mean sharp crisp lug edges with perfect 90 degree walls that are moderately thin but very consistant in thickness all over the lug. I like to see the "crotches" filed to blend as smoothly as possible through the curves and intersections. Lug cutouts should be sharp as well with no braze filling the interior to distort the shape.

Filing of this type is common amongst high end frames of the "classic era" of framebuilding prior to investment cast lugs. Classicly trained framebuilders learned these methods in various countries like Italy, France, and England. I have noticed that "hobby builders" sometimes go about shaping and finishing lugs differently than the "traditional" style of filing. These frames have a different look to them that looks odd to me. The Stump frames have a finishing method that although effective in some ways, sort of "softens" the lines of the lugs to where they are not real distinct. They begin to blend into the tube as opposed to stand out from it. Also, interesting as the "theme" of the bike is, I still prefer artistic "shorelines" to lugs as opposed to using a straight edge to "frame a picture" so to speak. From a practical standpoint, from which a bike should always be considered; the embellishment of every possible part is tedious and noteworthy; but is a nightmare to clean if the bike were to be used. In addition, the black chrome is probably the worst choice for a finish as one could come up with. Even with the clearcoat, it is aging and degenerating and will continue to do so. Any finish that will self disruct should never be the original finish on a frame; especially just for the sake of having an exotic finish on a bike. A masterpiece should stand the test of time under normal usage. The industrial look of the brake cable routing and fittings conflicted with the ornate style of the lugs and the theme of the bike. Many people are awed by a piece that involves tons of time and work; as well they should be. But a masterpiece should be a completely graceful and harmonious work from the ground up, it should be supremely practical and functional while being an exceptional example of both design and craftsmanship. My personal opinion is that a masterpiece bicycle respects the traits of practicality, beauty, and durability while delivering perfect fit and performance. Some of the effect of these frames are lost for me because I see a bit too much foo foo to really be considered practical. Too much was done for the sake of "art" and perhaps not enough attention spent on making the project a functioning and ridable bike that can be used with reasonable good conscience.

The Art Stump bikes have their place in American framebuilding "history" for sure. I don't think there are too many "advanced hobbists" framebuilders out there that have made the impact on the general populace as Art has. He got some good ink as I recall in a few publications and that impression stayed with people. His work is unique and anytime you see frames with so much just flat out WORK in them it's hard not to be impressed. The style isn't my taste, but you have to admire Art and his work. He's one-of-a-kind and certainly one of the masters and perpetraters of the early 70's lightening bike parts craze. I enjoyed seeing these bikes in show. Let's see some on the road.

Well that's it for now. If I can go out real quick and round up some candy posing as a poor framebuilder; I'll be back to scare the life out of you with another one of my hair-brained opinions. Costume? Easy, glue the big fuzzy eyebrows, nose, and Groucho mustache to my welding goggles and I'm all set. Put on over an old Campagnolo cycling cap and the outfit is complete. For full effect, smoldering clothes from a "brazing accident" should yeild maximum take from candy donors.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA