Thanks to Joel for taking the pictures, and to Morgan for posting them. It took me a long time to go through them all. It's really strange, and maybe just suggests that I'm getting too old to have right good sense, but I wasn't overwhelmed.
There were some very nice ideas, such as innovative ways to mount wheels in frames, and there was some extraordinary workmanship and detailing. But somehow, and maybe it was the selection of pictures, an awful lot seemed to be a triumph of pure decoration. No improvement, but differences for the fun of doing it differently. Maybe Novelty is the nice word. A rococo alternative to the minimalism of e-Richie (Sachs), Peter Weigle, Masi, et al. The pendulum swinging back toward Hetchins, Ephgrave, Carpenter, and the British school of the 50s?*
I'm delighted that the show exists and draws people. I'm more delighted that there are obviously so many incredibly gifted craftspeople with visions and the skills to implement them. May it survive!
harvey "optimistic curmudgeon" Sachs mcLean va. *I have and love bikes from both the minimalist and the decorated schools. If it rides good, I love it. :-)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I wish I was there. I found pictures at http://www.clockworkbikes.com in a big zip file, and offered to host them at wooljersey. Here they are:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Credit and blame go to Joel for the pics. I'm just happy to see them! If any of you have NAHBS pics and would like a wooljersey account in which to display them, please let me know and register on the site, and I'll activate your registration.
Morgan Fletcher, off for a ride in
Oakland, CA