Rob Dayton said: "To me one of the great skills a master frame builder provides is the ability to design and FIT a bicycle to a rider for it's intended purpose."
Rob, that is a very good point. In the early 80s, when I would read the magazine buyer guides, they talked about custom bikes being the epitome of the cycling experience, for exactly the reason you state--FIT and intended purpose. I wonder how many builders really have developed the necessary skills to do both of these critical functions. I think that we often grade builders by their ability to prepare lugs and braze cleanly, providing a nice looking and aligned frame, perhaps even providing a nice paint job. Grading them on providing a quality custom bike that fits and fits the needs of the rider is more elusive. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL