Hi folks, enjoyed reading the comments by Brian Baylis on framebuilding/design and agree with some of the things he said. I appriciate quality in all forms,but the ride of a frame is the most important thing,I have ridden some very cheap frames that handle brilliantly,one of the most comfortable race frames I've owned was a basic "gas-pipe" Moser in the mid 80s,unfortunatly only got to ride it for 200 miles untill it got trashed on the local "chaingang" run!! Perhaps the "best" frame that I owned was a "Andy Powell" 753 that was hand-built with loving care by by old mate (now sadly deceased) Dennis Hill of "Hill Special" fame,Dennis dialled in a lifetime of both riding and building experience into that frame,it was built for the British National hill climb championships in 1985,needless to say,the bike rode better than the rider!! ( I cane about half-way down the field!) Unfortunatly,I was a follower of fashion and the 753 frame was replaced a few years after with a De Rosa SLX which I owned for 10 years. My point is that I enjoy riding bikes and can get the same satisfaction from riding an old fixed wheel(My 1967 Holdsworth Super Mistral) as I get from riding my up-to-date 16lb beauty,my De Rosa Merack,I do however think that orginallity is vanising from the cycle trade,most alloy frames do look the same without the paint,but,the same thing could be said of production steel frames in the 70s and 80s. If money was no object it would be great to own a stable of machines then one could realy compare,oh well,better ask for pay raise! Happy cycling,
Steve "Nobby" Clarke St John St Cycles 91-93 St John Street Bridgwater Somerset TA6 5HX
Tel: 01278-441542 (Int ++44-1278-441544) Fax: 01278 431107 (Int ++44-1278-431107)
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