>
>It occurred to me that many KOF builders today, had begun perfecting
>their art during the waning of the 1970s. By that time [...] were
>ALL truly designed as Racing bikes. ~ So, could this not have had a
>significant influence on what was perceived as
>a superior overall design for a bike?
I think that is absolutely true. Throw in that mountain bikes began
as Schwinn cruisers, with geometries that were not developed for
performance riding, and the art of how to make a great cyclotouring,
randonneur, etc., bike was lost. Note the separate thread on under-BB
cable guides... done before, but off the radar for Americans until
recently.
>What I definitely have noticed is that I've seen little to indicate that
>anyone (in the US, at least) had ever even attempted to follow in the
>traditions of the French constructeurs, for example. Masi as a style
>model?... Definitely. But Herse?... Well, not that I know of.
There were some, R. T. Jansen, Bill Vetter, a few others, but they
didn't get much press, few orders, and it fizzled out after a few
dozen bikes each. The bike boom was about racing bikes, even for
touring.
>I should modify that last comment by saying: I have not seen this UNTIL
>rather recently - because I have now seen [...] at least one
>gorgeous Randonneur by
>Peter Weigle
The Weigle we tested did not have toeclip overlap. And it handled
like a dream. One maker once told me how when they tried to mount
fenders on their "sport-touring" bike, the fender hit the down tube.
Steep head angle, little fork rake, long trail. They had to modify
the geometry to allow the use of fenders... (The bike looked more
like a track bike to me in its profile.)
>
>He did mention that his previous bike was considerably heavier.
>However, it was also a Singer, purchased new in the mid 1960s.
As somebody who went the other way, and now mostly rides a Singer, I can understand the frustration. I am surprised his Singer was heavier than his Rivendell - mine is lighter than any current bike we have tested except the above-mentioned Weigle, which managed to beat the Singer by a good pound (fully equipped both). My Rivendell, similarly equipped, weighs a tad more than my Singer. This despite many efforts at saving weight when building the Rivendell, and none on the Singer, which is as it came out of the workshop.
By the way, you can mention to the gent that Singer still makes bikes, if you ask nicely. (I order one every year or two for a reader of Bicycle Quarterly.) -- Jan Heine Editor Bicycle Quarterly 140 Lakeside Ave #C Seattle WA 98122 http://www.bikequarterly.com