I believe there is support for and interest in British and French bikes on this list. I for one will be sad to see a separate group formed. If discussion and materials are concentrated elsewhere the opportunity to learn more about this area will be diminished. I also think that those who participate in this new group will be "casting a smaller net" with less exposure to the very people who potentially want to learn more about this area. I'm sure I'm not the only list member with a very busy schedule. My daily exposure to vintage bike materials is almost exclusively limited to this list and the CR web page. I simply don't have the time to check out multiple sites every day.
I read much of the British/French topics but I don't respond on list because I simply don't have the knowledge base to add meaningful comment (not that this criteria stops other list members.... hey just kidding!!). More seriously Mr. Reid has correctly observed that the knowledge/experience base of some, but obviously not all, list members is such that Italian topics at times predominate. But I for one believe there is real interest and room enough for the British/French material to stay right here. Rather than see all that effort go into a new web page etc... I personally believe it would be more useful to beef up these various categories in the CR web page and perhaps subcategorize the classified add section. My guess is that the individuals who are proposing this new group are the very ones who could help Dale further enhance the already extensive British and French sections.
Very truly yours,
Chris Gonzalez Carmel, CA
day.