In response to Brian Baylis' wonderful Confente treatise, I would like to say that it pleases me to no end to witness the dressing down of the modern-day snake-oil vendor of the bicycle trade, namely Ernesto Colnago. Although my frame building expertise is limited to a few frames, I believe I have reasonable understanding about such things. I have always been amazed as to how Colnago has been able to weave his schuckster magic for so long without any drop in his 'mojo' factor. The same also holds true for another Italian from the Veneto, who will remain nameless, as I claim him as a personal friend.
Further to the Colnago part, and as an owner of a Bob Jackson short wheelbase racing tandem, I can attest that Bob Jacksons too are not the greatest works of the frame building art. Non-existent mitering, cooked tubes, sloppy braze-on alignment, incompleteness of brazing are all visible on my bike. It is however perhaps slightly better than average for a Jackson, but nonetheless a far cry from what can be found elsewhere. I do however willingly accept this 'crudeness' because it is the sweetest riding tandem that I have ever had the pleasure to ride.
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ
From: Brian Baylis <rocklube@adnc.com> To: <GPVB1@cs.com> Cc: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:21 PM Subject: Re: [CR] eBay Confente
Among many sage comments, Brian mentioned:
> Well the best example I can
> think of is the Bob Jackson. The article in Playboy many years ago
> featured a Jackson as I recall and suddenly these frames were highly
> respected and sought after. Still some of this remains. The bike looked
> nice in the photos and gushing text was no doubt included; but the fact
> is as a framebuilder of about 30 years now I can say that few bikes
> rated that high in Mojo are as poorly built. No doubt the people who
> have Jacksons they love will take exception. I'm seperating the emotion
> from the facts. Fact is they are crude in so many ways but they work
> fine, so there.
>
> Brian Baylis
> La Mesa, CA
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