Yeah, individualistic frames that builders make in their "studios" are very nice...creative.....even beautiful. They have particular appeal to the Americans who are taught from a early age to exert their individualistic personalities, to find and express what is unique about themselves. When I saw a recent Nagasawa track bike that basicly looks like all the other NJS approved frames, but upon closer examination reveals sweet and delicate attention to some minor ornamentation details, it opened my eyes! You can read masterful technique there, but also a conscious decision to exercise restraint. I hesitate to say that this is a more "mature" approach, but it certainly has a connection to the fine Japanese art and craft traditions, and well contributes to this society where the various concepts of subtlety are much disappearing. I consider it a "evolved" form of creation.
"Had the delicate flower blossoms not found residence on my picnic blanket, I would not have noticed the slight breeze that was blowing"
Dennis Young
Hotaka, Japan
>
> When Richard Reno said "Most of the "modern" bikes are interchangeable. =
> Leave the decals off and their owners couldn't tell them apart." I just =
> have to say that if he is talking about factory new bikes, he may well =
> be right. I don't know enough about them or have enough interest in =
> them to know.
> Now, if he is talking about new hand made bikes by American Keepers of =
> the Flame, my own area of interest, I would have to disagree completely.
> Anyone who could not tell a Richard Sachs from a Rivendell from a Chris =
> Kvale, just has not been paying much attention. I feel these modern =
> handmades are highly individualistic, with new builders with new spins =
> coming in all the time. Sacha White of Vanilla Bikes and Jim Kirk are =
> just two examples of young builders coming on strong who make me think =
> the future of the hand built fairly high end bicycle is in good hands, =
> indeed.
> Tom Sanders
> Lansing, Mi