[CR]Time to Put Up or Shut Up... I think

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2004)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris@norrislockley.wanadoo.co.uk>
To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 02:41:52 -0000
Subject: [CR]Time to Put Up or Shut Up... I think

I think it's almost two years since I managed to unfangle how to join the CR List..but I had been reading Members' contributions for some time prior to trying to sort out the technology. It's probably about twenty-one months since I made my first contribution..and since that time I have tried to take part as an active member whenever I thought I could make any sort of reasonable contribution to the vast mass of knowledge that is already out there. It's been a fascinating couple of years...I have learnt a tremendous amount ..and I have made a number of "new friends", whom I hope to meet sometime at the Cirque.

In the contribution in which I introduced myself, one of my claims to a type of legitimacy for being on the List was that as well as being an active cyclist since 1948, I have also been building frames on and off since 1953..I think that was the year I broke my duck. Various references have been made to my "Bespoke" brand..and I know that there are Members on this side of the water who have seen some of the machines I have built..and there are a few "Bespokes of Settle" over in the States...but only a handful.

At times I have felt like something of a charlatan when holding certain positions on contributions to the List, particularly when these have been concerned with aspects of frame-building. In an attempt to "put my money where I mouth is" so to speak, I have been struggling again with this internet technology to try to get some photos of a random sample of the type of frames I have built, on to the Net. Not knowing how to place photos on to a site such as the WoolJersey one I have managed to place a few photos on an MSN group site, in the hope that any member who might be interested in examining the work of yet another English regional builder will be able to browse a little.

Unfortunately none of the photos were taken with a digital camera..nor did I have much skill with the Minolta SLR. The photos such as they are were not taken with a view to creating a web-site or catalogue, or any such exhibition or display, but just as a souvenir of frames as I made them. The best purpose they served was to show customers what could be made..in an attempt to give impetus to the next "dream-machine". Every frame I ever built was a one-off..there were never any stock frames or stock measurements...just broad guidelines such as "..a couple of frames for a world tour " or "..I want something to do a muddy Three Peaks cyclo-cross" or "..it's for the 100kms team-time trial"...or"..there's this 800km stretch of canal bank I'm going to ride in France" or even " it's for the Alpe d'Huez stage in the Tour Feminin" Often the customer simply wanted "...something different..I want it to look 40 years old, but I need it to ride like a modern machine..if you know what I mean".

Hopefully any List member who might be interested in seeing whether I might know what I have occasionally been talking about on the List, will be able to find the photos at:-

http://groups.msn.com/velomania

Just click on the "Pictures" tab in the L/H margin..that should do the trick...or at least I hope so. There are no words of introduction to the site..it's very rudimentary..and goodness knows why I called it "Velomania" except that is what my wife says I suffer from.

If that site proves to accessible I might try to improve it and place some interesting frames on it.

I would be pleased to know if anyone manages to access the "velomania" group...and all comments would be welcome

Norris Lockley...Settle UK