In a message dated 7/1/2004 12:33:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time, rodk3d@comcast.net writes:
<< My personal preference when buying another custom frame is I will not go thru a dealer. I will contact a builder directly and we will come to an agreement about what will be built. Ideally, I would bring my favorite bike to this builder and we would go for a ride, discussing what I like and don't like, what I'm looking for, etc. Then the builder could sit down and take my measuremnets in person. >>
Rod, you apparently had a bad experience (or more?) with buying through dealers. I would suggest that dealers are as varied as... CR members (whew!)
My comments to insert here are, "It all depends!" As a bike shop owner, I have represented/sold product made by many builders and I think/hope we have striven to make the process a benefit to the buyer rather than an obstacle. While some buyers are knowledgeable, many folks are not and do not know how to spec a new frame~bike. A knowledgeable, experienced shop can really help. Incompetent shop staff can also screw things up! In any case, it is extremely difficult to determine all the intricacies of fit, sizing, geometry, braze-ons, componentry and setup over the phone. Also, some of the best builders in the biz do not wish to spend productive minutes/hours jawing on the phone. And a builders ability to smooze via telephone is not necessarily an indicator that he is good-better-best.
So, my advice is to not jump to conclusions but do your research, not just on the builder but on the way you will take delivery.
Dale
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 336-274-5959 fax 336-274-6360 <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com./main.htm">ClassicRendezvous.com</A>