The answer to your question depends on what your definition of "custom" is. If you mean custom in the sense that the difference between the two frames is that they both have exactly the same tubing and frame design except one is built one at a time by an American and the others are built in batches on some kind of assembly line in Taiwan, well your not likely going to tell the difference blindfolded. If by custom you mean a true custom (like I build) where everything is matched to the customer, then the word custom has a completely different meaning. My understanding of what a custom Rivendell is, is that Grant designs a frame specific to one individual (following his philosophy of what it should be) and sends this off to Curt Goodrich in Minneapolis who builds one frame to that specific design and then sends it off to Joe Bell in San Diego to be painted.
So I think that a bike built specifically to one person is going to have advantages in ride qualities over a "this is the closest to your size" frame. Besides that, if I'm not blindfolded, I can see the difference between the looks of a Curt built and Joe painted frame and one the working grunts in Taiwan make where keeping the price down and production up is integral to their manufacturing philosophy. Those better looks are important to me.
Now if I had a budget of $2500 (the price of a Rivendell custom), I would skip Grant the middle man and go straight to Curt and ask him to build me a frame. It is not going to cost any more and he can color outside of Grant's lines to be even more specific to your needs. He does very nice work indeed. I was just telling him that on the phone a few days ago. He will be happy to take your order.
One more thing about a custom frame. I choose tubing that is consistent with the customers weight and needs while a production frame has to pass the lawyer test of being strong enough to never break when ridden by former NFL linemen gone fat. What rides best for someone light like myself is very different than what pleases those company lawyers. In addition, I've never built a custom frame that didn't have some quirk that needed a refinement over a standard geometry either because of body dimensions or ride characteristics. Now add on top of that the ability to get any kind of braze-on and custom color(s) perhaps with your name on the top tube and the differences between production and true custom become more obvious.
By the way, I think Grant has done a real service for the American bicycling enthusiasts. He has educated a lot of people on the advantages and beauty of a steel frame. More than that, he has taught the middle aged rider that the Lance bike and position isn't what is going to make you the happiest if your body fat and flexibility are not the same as a 20 year old pro. It helps to raise the handlebars and lower the gears. He has promoted comfortable leather saddles, which couldn't be sold before without guns being pointed at heads. I really applaud his vision. However, that doesn't mean the very smartest of customers don't have more choices better for their needs than what he offers.
Doug Fattic Niles, Michigan
>Has any magazine or anyone ever done a controlled test
>to see if riders can tell the difference between a
>mass market bike like the Riv. Bleriot from Taiwan vs.
>a Rivendell Custom, for instance? I mean has anyone
>compared custom and mass produced lugged metal frames
>with exactly the same geometry and size and taped over
>all the outward indications of which bike is which and
>then had riders try to pick which one is real and
>which one is Memorex? I figure most list members
>expect they would be able to tell the difference, but
>has anyone actually done such a test?
I'd personally be willing to put a large chunk of change that there would be little if any difference found in such a test, and the Taiwan model might even come out ahead. The closest example that I recall was a test done by Bicycle Guide, I believe, in the late 80s/early 90s that compared different levels of Columbus tubing built into identical bikes. I don't believe there was much difference found by the riders, but what was judged best was actually the cheaper tubing. I wish I'd kept the article. I'm sure none of the bike rags today would be willing to do something so in the face of a major advertiser.
Baird