Dirk most small framebuilders (including myself) do this. I start with some words in and email and turn them into a design that meets the needs of the customer. If a customer wants a high-rake/low-trail front end I rake the blades more. If a customer needs a little more height in the front I'll lengthen the headtube. If a customer wants to use 185 mm cranks I add a chainstay divot. Whatever the issue is I'll do my best to solve it. Maybe because I come from a professional wrench background I don't build a frame, I build a bike. It's more a of a holistic view of the whole product. I don't consider myself a "constructeur" in any way. I build bikes. Personally I feel that the term Constructeur refers to a certain time and place. Of course in the end this horse has been beat to death at least twice before in the past on this list. best, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives off for an OT ride in the woods in Vancouver, B.C.
On Jan 19, 2007, at 1:00 AM, Feeken, Dirk wrote:
> A constructeur is more acting like the guy who has planned the
> PX-60 at
> Peugeot or the Clubman at Raleigh, only that a constructeur does this
> planning and building for each individual customer. This often
> included
> the necessity to create also custom parts like in the prototype
> department of a large firm but also the chance to make each individual
> frame up to the tiniest detail dependend of the exact
> specifications and
> parts which will be used. The drop out of a Singer can be dependent of
> the specific Huret derailleur variant and cog set later used, or think
> of the special braze ons for the clamp less mounting of a Jubilee
> front
> der. I doubt that most frame makers care during brazing if the
> customer
> will later use Shimano or Campagnolo parts or which saddle will be
> mounted.