OK - I'm biased as I'm a good friend of Jan's - but the bantering back and forth about the title of his magazine indicates to me that many folks are completely missing his message:
It isn't just that old bikes are kinda cool - it is that by understanding the best of the old we can understand what makes a great bike PERIOD! That is why the being a vintage bike enthusiast is so cool in my opinion. It isn't just about fancy lugs or paint.
Inside Jan's magazine one can find an effort to get the core of what makes some bicycles work better than others. These lessons are timeless. Why is it that some frames feel alive and others are dead? - and why is it that such perceptions vary from rider to rider. Its in there. What tires roll better - that's comming very soon. These are lessons that explain our older bikes but when applied even to the most modern of machines yield valuable lessons and insights. I have a friend who designs cutting-edge modern bikes and has used Jan's design theory with extraordinary success.
The best technical articles now in print about bicycle design are now appearing in Jan's magazine. And he has been moving in that direction all along while the vintage content has been maintained. If anyone knows Jan at all they will know that he loves the old stuff with a passion. I know that he spends hours going into historical details trying to get the facts right and the footnotes in place.
Never, however, has Jan said to me that he wanted to shift the focus of the magazine simply to gain more readers. But through his historical journey he has gained insights into bicycle performance that are begging to be shared. The title change just reinforces the idea that his magazine contains universal messages relevant to all cyclists.
And as I've implied in the past, there seems to be too much energy in my opinion clinging to the old just for the sake of nostalgia. The best builders of the French touring bikes were always thinking outside the box. They focused on innovation and design improvements and chose to use the cutting edge of available materials and components.
The bottom line - its all good - everyone just should relax, keep their eyes and minds open, and enjoy the ride.
Mike Kone in Boulder CO
> Ted,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> >I am one of the guys who prefers VBQ to BQ.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The title matters to those who don't read the magazine, whereas
\r?\n> readers care about the contents.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> >The main reason I hesitated to subscribe to VBQ was
\r?\n> >the price. I think I bought a few issues at $7.50
\r?\n> >each.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> That was years ago... when the magazine was 24 pages. Now it's 48 for
\r?\n> $ 8.50, which is a lot cheaper - thanks to more subscribers that have
\r?\n> reduced the per-unit cost.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> >Does it really cost that much to print and
\r?\n> >distribute VBQ? If it does, I apologize. I bought
\r?\n> >the one where I believe you interviewed the Herse
\r?\n> >(Rene) family. I also have the one where you did the
\r?\n> >report on the Singer shop. Both articles were very
\r?\n> >informative.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> That is the same question frame builders get: "Well, a set of tubes
\r?\n> is $ 100, lugs are another $ 100 maybe, brazing compound another $
\r?\n> 5-20, refills for the welding equipment another $ 5 per frame, paint
\r?\n> $ 25, so how come your frames sell for more than the $ 250 it costs
\r?\n> to make them?" (The numbers are made-up, but probably not that
\r?\n> far-off.)
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Since $ 30 a year (or less than 10 cents a day) is a lot for you, I
\r?\n> am willing to trade magazine subscriptions for work. If you stuff 500
\r?\n> envelopes and stick address labels on them, I'll give you a one-year
\r?\n> subscription. If you proofread 48 pages (about 35,000 words), I'll
\r?\n> trade you two years' worth of Bicycle Quarterly, but deduct an issue
\r?\n> for every two typos you overlook. And if you find a 1940s Cinelli in
\r?\n> original, presentable condition with the correct parts and do a photo
\r?\n> shoot for us, I'll trade you three years.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> There are a lot of resources on bicycle history out there, many free
\r?\n> on the web. Their quality varies from made-up fairy-tales to
\r?\n> excellent. But anybody who wants to provide accurate information,
\r?\n> insightful articles, well-written ride stories and thorough technical
\r?\n> evaluations will have to spend a lot of time and resources to do so.
\r?\n> To put out Bicycle Quarterly in a timely fashion has become a
\r?\n> full-time job and more. It pays poorly, but it is what I love to do.
\r?\n> --
\r?\n> Jan Heine
\r?\n> Editor
\r?\n> Vintage Bicycle Press
\r?\n> c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
\r?\n> 140 Lakeside Ave #C
\r?\n> Seattle WA 98122
\r?\n> http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com