Bruce Robbins wrote:
>
(snip)
> The idea that American builders "lead the way" in 21st century framebuilding doesn't mean that they are intrinsically better than anyone else: just that they are able to spend more time producing higher quality work for their particular market. There are a certain number of American bike buyers who demand absolute perfection-or as close to it as they can get. Most of the western world doesn't see things the same way either because they don't consider it as important or because they can't afford to be as fussy. Possibly a combination of the two. My point is that there are plenty of skilled framebuilders around the world who could produce work to rival that of the top American builders-as demonstrated by Mr Toei-if they could make a living doing it. They have to give the market what it wants or they go hungry. Let's face it, we like looking at nice bikes but, to regurgitate a well-worn phrase, it's hardly rocket science is it?
In a famous fable by Aesop, a fox declared that he didn't care that he could not reach an attractive bunch of grapes because he imagined they were probably sour anyway.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
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