[CR]Custom vs. Mass produced...more complications...

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

From: Tom Sanders <tsan7759142@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:05:26 -0500
Thread-Index: AcZKDuVjKy9OHd/kTFGfgWgo6bHOcQ==
Subject: [CR]Custom vs. Mass produced...more complications...

I would guess it one took a lower level bike as offered to the public by its' seller and compared it to a custom bike as usually built up there would be a huge and readily noticeable difference. I would say that this would come almost entirely from the different levels of wheels and tires used. Indeed, when I made disparaging remarks about Rivendell's lower level built in the Orient bike in an earlier post, I must truthfully say that I have no idea whether if I were riding on a set of Mavic open Pro rims with Swiss DT spokes and expensive tires like my other bikes I might have had a really different take on the whole thing. Wheels and tires are huge in judging a bikes ride and handling...without holding this constant across the test, it would be a meaningless test. I have even sold nice bikes because I was disappointed in the ride and handling and now wonder if I should not have tried different wheel and tire combinations on them first. This difference is perhaps larger than any reasonable difference in frame quality or construction. Now isn't this a
can of worms?
Tom Sanders
Lansing, Mi