Curt, I think that the core of the earlier Confente discussion is all about "raising the bar", the standards of craftsmanship, precision, and accuracy were elevated to a whole new level by a small group of american frame builders working in the mid-70s. The standard of finish in bike frames up to that point, even the very best, were somewhat "cobbly" and inconsistent - heck, my '73 Alex Singer (not the current one) had a big void in one of the head tube lugs - but Mario, Eisentraut, Redcay, Sachs, Weigle, and some other builders took the workshop techniques of the European builders and applied their own refinements in machining and finishing (not to mention paint) and definitely moved the bike frame from "craft" to artistry. While we romanticize the work of the classic builders, the cream of the crop frames from the mid-70s and 80s american builders were far more refined than just about anything coming out of europe previously (my opinion) and here is the place that I think Confente's work has historical significance.
I remember looking at the very early frames built by Ritchey in about '78 with incredibly thin lugs, ovalized seat tube, filleted bottom bracket, and that wet-look Imron paint and just being amazed at how beautiful those frames were, even when compared side by side with the best from europe.
===================================================== Mark Petry 206.618.9642 Beautiful Bainbridge Island, WA mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net ===================================================== "When I see an adult riding a bicycle, it gives me faith in the future of humankind."
H. G. Wells, 1944 =====================================================
From: "goodrichbikes" <goodrichbikes@netzero.net> To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 14:08:48 -0500 Subject: [CR]Who raised the bar?
I had a side conversation with Jim N. regarding comparing the craftsmanship of today to that of the 70's. We agreed that it isn't fair to compare them. I understand this but it also doesn't ring true. I look around my shop and beside this computer there's nothing in it that didn't exist in the 70's or earlier. My drill press is WWII vintage and my mill is from 1952. Metal working is nothing new and it's safe to say that most of the principles that applied in 1970 do so today too. So when did the bar start being raised in regard to craftsmanship? When did it start not being desirable to gouge a tube with a file and leave it or leave a big glop of brazing material around a lug edge. I know the argument that times were different but were they? Was labor more expensive then? Were profit margins even lower then? I don't think so.
When I think about this I think about violin makers. Is it unfair to compare current violins to that of the ones built by Strat? Maybe or maybe not, anyone a violin expert?
I know bikes are about more things than craftsmanship but when did craftsmanship start becoming important?
Curt Goodrich
Minneapolis, MN