[CR]Frame quality issues.

Well, thought I would just chime in here, having read the thread about "what makes for a great frame and why".

I have frames that are made extremely well, in my opinion. Sometimes their aesthetic appeal jives well with my personal preferences, sometimes not. Sometimes these bikes ride very nicely, occasionally not. I have a frameset I made myself 18 years ago: super tight clearances, all internal cable routing.......the ride is tight, the aesthetic appeal to me is great, yet it is not a bike I would want to ride for more than, say, 50 miles.

I have frames that are made not so well also. Sometimes though, these not only look very pleasing to my eye, but they have a very special ride, often for some particular set of reasons combining to produce that ride. I am thinking of an example in this case: a 1950's Peugeot. Not made with any great care or attention to detail, yet the combination of generous fork rake, pencil stays, long wheelbase etc, contribute to a magical ride that one would want to ride many extra miles on........and what better attributes could one get from a bike, I ask? It also cost me just $25.

I have a bike that fits in a 3rd category too: pretty nicely made, though not GREAT. The downtube cracked and needed replacement after 3 years of reasonably heavy use, and has been fine since. The paintjob and attention to detail on this bike attracts attention from others like almost no other bike however........and it has the most lively ride, with cat-like acceleration. This bike stands out in this respect.

So, I say "love them all", at least the ones that you feel are deserving of your love, for all sorts of reasons. In my case there seem to be many more reasons to like different bikes for all sorts of different reasons, than there are reasons for being too discriminating. Appeal, interest, intended use, quality of construction, etc.....are all valid reasons for liking and preferring certiain bikes. Just don't overlook the real gem however, just because it doesn't fit your mindview or prejudice.

===== Neill Currie, Portland, Me 04102, USA. ------------ I usually have classic bicycle components for sale at good prices. Please email me for a current list. A reasonably current list may be seen here: http://www.geocities.com/neill1234/ForSale.html ------------ The Mountain Goat website is at: http://www.geocities.com/neill1234/index.html?1011568933040 ------------

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