I think it is very important here to start being specific, as in, "my personal masterpiece" as opposed to "a masterpiece" because clearly the eBay Chris Chance is no "a masterpiece" but certainly your "my personal masterpiece" and your "best bike ever" choice.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, CA
On Jan 15, 2007, at 10:43 AM, Don Wilson wrote:
> Chuck felt confused and wanted clarification about
> whether I meant the Chance was a masterpiece, or the
> best bike ever. I can see why he was confused. Here's
> a clarification.
>
> The Chance is in my opinion a masterpiece AND should
> be in the running for best bike ever, were such a
> competition ever held. Can't imagine that such a
> competition would be held though, can you, Chuck?
> Which ever bike won, it would be widely disputed,
> especially by persons with alot of money and pychic
> capital sunk in a bike that did not win. Ah, human
> nature and market dynamics. What a combination, eh?
> :-)
> Don Wilson
> Los Olivos, CA USA
>
> --- Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> Don, I'm confused... are you saying the eBay Chris
>> Chance is a
>> Masterpiece now (previously it was just the best
>> bike ever), or are
>> you explaining what a Masterpiece is to us clueless
>> guys?
>>
>> Chuck "don't know what's Art, but I know what I
>> like" Schmidt
>> South Pasadena, CA
>>
>>
>> Don Wilson wrote:
>>
>>> Dale,
>>> There has to be a first time I respectfully
>> disagree
>>> with you and this is it. Masterpieces are not
>> measured
>>> in linear, discretely quantifiable terms of how
>> much
>>> work went into them. If they were, then every
>>> mastercraftsman would just do more work than the
>> last
>>> guy and grab the honor of masterpiece.
>> Masterpieces
>>> are, for lack of a better word, binary phenomena.
>> They
>>> happen, or they don't. The Mona Lisa is not the
>> best
>>> crafted or composed painting of the Florentine
>>> renaissance by far. Leonardo did at least one that
>> I
>>> think was far better in every estimable way but
>> one:
>>> the Mona Lisa is a masterpiece and Leonardo's
>> other
>>> paintings are masterful paintings. Frankly, the
>> arts
>>> and crafts are full of masterpieces that weren't
>> the
>>> best crafted of their time. They just work
>> magically
>>> well in a way that is absolutely frustrating to
>> other
>>> craftsmen and artists (often subsequentely even to
>> the
>>> one who made the masterpiece) out there spilling
>> their
>>> guts out in execution wondering why their piece
>> does
>>> not make the final lyrical leap into greatness.
>>>
>>> Don Wilson
>>> Los Olivos, CA USA
>>> --- oroboyz@aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> To answer your question of "Best bike ever?"
>>>>
>>>> No, a very nice bike, but far from that in my
>>>> humble opinion...
>>>>
>>>> Don, have you watched that Discovery channel
>> show
>>>> about that family who make choppers? Their
>> business
>>>> is Orange County Choppers? It is stupid in many
>> ways
>>>> but a good illustration of this bike versus other
>>>> fine bikes.
>>>>
>>>> This family take parts (frame,tank, engine,
>> lights,
>>>> etc) assemble them very nicely, then tack on a
>> few
>>>> parts they make and add a (intentionally)
>> compelling
>>>> "theme". Paint & gee gaws get tacked on that
>> reflect
>>>> the theme, (a mini ladder gizmo for Fire Station
>>>> theme, etc.)
>>>>
>>>> Contrast these guys to the other MC builders who
>>>> make their own frame, tank (Ala Jesse James) and
>>>> components... I forget the names of the other
>> guys
>>>> (don't watch this stuff much) but there is a guy
>>>> over in Winston Salem who makes bikes from the
>>>> ground up that are frankly amazing... I am no
>>>> chopper fan but it doesn't take too much of a
>>>> stretch to admire some of these guys
>> craftsmanship
>>>> and effort to make unique and personal
>> "statements"
>>>> in their motorcycles...
>>>>
>>>> When you look back at the first family, despite
>> all
>>>> their press and celebrity, you realize they build
>>>> motorcycles that are well received but are rather
>>>> superficial when compared to the "real" ground up
>>>> motorbike builders...
>>>>
>>>> This is sort of the case for this Chris Chance
>>>> bike...
>>>> Yes, very tasty and cool in paint color, nice
>>>> add-on emblems and competently assembled, but
>> when
>>>> compared to a Sachs or Baylis or Bruce Gordon or
>>>> Weigle or Peter Johnson or Chris Kvale and
>> others,
>>>> well, it is just a nice assembly using minimally
>>>> modified Henry James lugs, in a relatively boring
>>>> and stock looking format. The tacked on bits are
>>>> most of what make it unique. The other builders I
>>>> listed make frames that are so original, involve
>> so
>>>> much hand work and achieve their own unique look
>> &
>>>> style.... you just can't add on a water jet cut
>>>> emblem and get to where they are.
>>>>
>>>> Actually I have seen Chris Chance frames that
>> are
>>>> more artfully made and closer to the halcyon
>>>> heights, just no brazed on trinkets save his nice
>>>> head badge...
>>>>
>>>> Dale Brown
>>>> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: dcwilson3@yahoo.com
>>>> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>>>> Sent: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 3:09 AM
>>>> Subject: [CR]Ebay Chris Chance...best bike ever?
>>>>
>>>> This Chris Chance would have to be in the
>> running
>>>> were
>>>> a competition held. It IS the most beautifully
>>>> elegant
>>>> bike I have ever seen. This man took minimalist
>>>> elegance to another level with this bike. The
>> paint
>>>> scheme is brilliant and so is the construction. I
>>>> even
>>>> like the stars and I'm not normally a fan of such
>>>> details.
>>>> 120074566094
>>>>
>>>> Below I have copied the seller's summary. It
>> needs
>>>> to
>>>> be in the archives. I hope someone on CR gets
>> this
>>>> piece of rolling art. It makes me proud to be an
>>>> American just looking at the pictures.
>>>>
>>>> Don Wilson
>>>> Los Olivos, CA USA
>>>>
>>>> "The Bicycle Exchange was New England's leading
>>>> seller
>>>> of high-end cycles, components, and sundries for
>>>> over
>>>> 50 years, and launched many careers of
>> competitive
>>>> amateur and professional cyclists. Ben Olken, the
>>>> founder, was considered the Godfather of the
>>>> regional
>>>> trade.
>>>>
>>>> This track cycle was hand built by framebuilder
>>>> Chris
>>>> Chance as a special gift to Ben Olken, to
>>>> commemorate
>>>> 50 years in the business (1934-1984). It is built
>> of
>>>> Columbus SL tubing, custom detailed HJ lugset and
>>>> crown. 55 cm center to center seat tube and top
>>>> tube.
>>>> Finished in metallic amethyst with black enamel
>> rear
>>>> triangle, fork blades, and headtube. It is a rare
>>>> and
>>>> stunning example of Chris Chance's work. As many
>>>> know,
>>>> Chris Chance was a graduate of the Witcomb school
>> of
>>>> framebuilding, and launched his business in the
>> mid
>>>> 70's, initially concentrating on high-end racing
>>>> cycles, before launching the FatChance line of
>>>> mountain bikes, SlimChance production racing
>> cycles,
>>>> and finally selling out his business to retire in
>>>> Vermont.
>>>>
>>>> Complete cycle is NOS, and has never seen a road
>> or
>>
> === message truncated ===
>
>
> D.C. Wilson dcwilson3@yahoo.com
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