Re: [CR]Willing to wait??

Grant,

The backlong isn't all there is to the picture. One thing that is often overlooked is how many frames are made during any given period, say per year. My numbers vary quite a bit. The problem for me in recent years, quite frankly, is my involvement on this list. It has increased the volume of business I had prior to joining this "club" by a considerable amount. The complexity and extensive nature of a lot of these projects added to the amount of it, causes serious distraction from framebuilding. My backlog, from now, will change quite a bit in a short time in a positive direction. But in recent years, no more than two frames per year have been produced. The way I build frames and the type of frames I produce requires a very different attitude and approach to the construction of the frame. It requires focusing on each aspect of the building process for at least a certain period of time. With all this other stuff to do and think about, it can be difficult for me to accomplish.

What happens when someone waits for a Baylis frame, is they are rewarded with my best efforts and all of the creative features that they desired in their "dream bike". Technically, it will not look like any other bike I've ever built, if only in a few subtle ways, and it won't look like any other bike anyone else has ever built either. Even in the case of my replicas, I build in subtle differences to insure there is no confusion in the future. And I mean in the DISTANT future, when none of us are here to explain anything. My focus is on making the FEWEST frames of any framebuilder of my era, but making amongst the most unique, refined, and creative while still operating within the bounds of the "traditional" frame. Obviously, Marios' 135 is a number I've already surpassed, but I'm reasonably sure I haven't built up to 500 yet. Many years down the road, the "big" names in the framebuilding world will be sorted out partially based on the number of them that are available. They will discover that my bikes are considerably more rare than most, and each one was built for a specific purpose and posseses it's own unique look and personality. The hand of the builder will be unmistakable in every one of them. The original owners of such bikes will indeed be a relatively small number. I think my approach to framebuilding and my way of thinking is somewhat contrary to the standard business practices of professional framebuilders. It puts me outside of a certain number of people who take a more "businesslike" approach. That's what makes us all unique. I actually sort of prefer to be this way anyhow. It makes me feel eccentric.

There will be a few positive changes to the way I approach my "business" in the near future, but my basic purpose and philosophy will remain unchanged. The best news is, the wait will eventually be reduced to a "managable" level and the frames will probably reach about 6 per year or possibly a few more, depending how much I have to cover painting and other things in the new company.

Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Marketing is everything.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA