On Friday, March 17, 2006, at 11:20AM, <classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org> wrote:
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>Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 06:32:19 -0800 (PST)
>From: Don Wilson <dcwilson3@yahoo.com>
>To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]Custom vs. Mass produced face-off
>Message-ID: <20060317143219.98894.qmail@web52504.mail.yahoo.com>
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>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