Hi Dale,
I really haven't had any bad experiences with dealers when it comes to ordering a frame, I've never done it! In my experience here in Colorado though, I have one heck of a time just finding a competent mechanic who cares, let alone someone I'd trust with a $2500 frame order. Currently, I use a wheelbuilder out of Fort Collins. For wrenching I have been using Peter out of Vechhio's in Boulder with very good success lately. I've been to a lot of local shops and with the exception of Vechhio's none has knocked my socks off. If I lived near you or Todd I'm sure I'd feel differently about ordering from dealers. Like you say, it all depends! Most all of the dealers I know sell the new stuff anyway. I know there is a Rivendell dealer in Denver, and Peter sells Nobilettes, but that's about it as far as the good old stuff goes.
take care!
Rod Kronenberg
Fort Collins, CO
> In a message dated 7/1/2004 12:33:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
\r?\n> rodk3d@comcast.net writes:
\r?\n>
\r?\n> << My personal preference when buying another custom frame is I will not go
\r?\n> thru a dealer. I will contact a builder directly and we will come to an
\r?\n> agreement about what will be built. Ideally, I would bring my favorite bike to
\r?\n> this
\r?\n> builder and we would go for a ride, discussing what I like and don't like,
\r?\n> what I'm looking for, etc. Then the builder could sit down and take my
\r?\n> measuremnets in person. >>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Rod, you apparently had a bad experience (or more?) with buying through
\r?\n> dealers. I would suggest that dealers are as varied as... CR members (whew!)
\r?\n>
\r?\n> My comments to insert here are, "It all depends!" As a bike shop owner, I
\r?\n> have represented/sold product made by many builders and I think/hope we have
\r?\n> striven to make the process a benefit to the buyer rather than an obstacle.
\r?\n> While
\r?\n> some buyers are knowledgeable, many folks are not and do not know how to spec
\r?\n> a new frame~bike. A knowledgeable, experienced shop can really help.
\r?\n> Incompetent shop staff can also screw things up! In any case, it is extremely
\r?\n> difficult to determine all the intricacies of fit, sizing, geometry, braze-ons,
\r?\n> componentry and setup over the phone. Also, some of the best builders in the biz
\r?\n> do
\r?\n> not wish to spend productive minutes/hours jawing on the phone. And a builders
\r?\n> ability to smooze via telephone is not necessarily an indicator that he is
\r?\n> good-better-best.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> So, my advice is to not jump to conclusions but do your research, not just on
\r?\n> the builder but on the way you will take delivery.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Dale
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Dale Brown
\r?\n> cycles de ORO, Inc.
\r?\n> 1410 Mill Street
\r?\n> Greensboro, North Carolina 27408
\r?\n> 336-274-5959
\r?\n> fax 336-274-6360
\r?\n> cyclesdeORO.com
\r?\n> ClassicRendezvous.com