Just coming back from Taiwan, I can tell you there is a definite interest in the details of bikes and culture that Riv has promoted for years. You will be surprised at what brands are venturing into lugged bikes once again, and which smaller makers are producing in Taiwan. Other parts too- nice racks, bottle cages, all the other parts and accessories that we get misty eyed over. People (other than yourselves) are buying these bikes. And not just the frames- the brooks saddles, Carradice bags, non plastic jerseys, etc. Grant has made an impact on the industry- not like Tom Ritchey, Steve Potts, and Gary Fisher, but there is an impact nonetheless.
Many of you will poo poo this change as a Horrible Problem- oh noooo- it's made in Taiwan- thats not a 'real' producing country with pride in workmanship and a history of bike culture. I say get off the pulpit and start to look at reality- take a trip to Taiwan and see where they have come and where they are going. Long Shen is making your misty eyed past accessible and affordable once again; same with Massload, Alex, Tektro, Lotus, etc.
I think the largest impact he has effected is disclosing the country of origin of what he sells in his catalogue and website. Dirt rag has begun to print this in their product reviews. Will others follow- I think so.
Tom Martin
Publicly attributing to Grant a small change in bike industry and bike kultur.
Oakland CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Starck [mailto:josephbstarck@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 2:16 PM
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]KOF: Rivendell is the new H.D. "Actually, Nagasawa is
more"H-D" than Rivendell." - Joe Starck
> --- Jerome & Elizabeth Moos
\r?\n> <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
\r?\n> wrote:
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Rivendell is no doubt a very important bike
\r?\n> > in the same way as PX-10 or Paramount, in the
\r?\n> sense
\r?\n> > that they changed an industry and a little piece
\r?\n> of
\r?\n> > society overall.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Other than this post here, who in the industry has
\r?\n> publicly attributed change in the industry to
\r?\n> Rivendell? Where's the cause-effect proof? What
\r?\n> are
\r?\n> the changes and where's the evidence?
\r?\n> Joe Starck
\r?\n> Madison, WI USA
\r?\n>
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