It wasn’t so long ago that the majority of bicycles were made by hand, from raw materials, in places that aren’t China or Taiwan. While some of these artisans are still around, their wares are increasingly harder to come by, and to procure an example of their work means an outlay of time and money which is more than most are willing to commit. This is a problem with not just bikes; mass consumption is big business, not only in everyday necessities but for ‘luxury’ items as well. A bicycle can be considered a luxury item for some, so to bring them to the masses, they must be produced in ways that lower the cost of materials and labour to a point where the average consumer can feel like they are getting a quality product at a reasonable price. And they usually are.
They just aren’t getting anything unique.
Now that three of the four bikes in my possession are made by hand, I have made a commitment to only own machines produced not by robots, not from composites and not from ‘factory farming’ methods. While there are many excellent bicycles produced en masse, the little bit of personality that is instilled in each of my rides sets them apart and I know I’ll see not many, if any, similar steeds on my roads or trails. How many dudes you know roll like this?
Riding the cobbles of KT12 on my Merckx Team SC and KT13 on the Pavé steel Cyfacs re-opened my eyes to the subtleties of a well-made frame and the characteristics which can be incorporated into the bike by the maker; each one can be tweaked to offer a ride quality specific to each frame, each rider, even the environment in which they are created and which they are intended to be ridden. The Merckx was fairly hard to come by, and I stumbled upon it by chance rather than through any concerted effort to find it. I sometimes think it found me. It’s a bike I love to ride, but also to just appreciate its lines, its pedigree, its Made In Belgium heritage, no doubt welded by a grizzled Flandrian who cut his teeth in the very factory he still works at 40 years later. I’d like to think so, and there’s some small likelihood of it, at least. Maybe I will return it to Belgium once more, in Spring, from where its journey started and where it made its mark in history more than a decade ago.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/brettok@velominati.com/merckx sc/”/]
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@frank
OMFG! Just took a look. Steelbone and Tibone! Not sure I can cope - those are just glorious.
On the quirkier side of life, these folks, WyndyMilla, are just a few miles away from home for me and are building quite a name for themselves locally, with Big Maggie Backstedt one of their friends/riders/customers/frame destroyers...
http://www.wyndymilla.com/
@Gilly There are some lovely bikes here for sure and I'd certainly add a hand made steel bike to the collection if cash was unlimited but I whole heartedly agree with what you say.
Apart from the bit about following @franks bike fit advice. Unless you're an elongated freak of nature you must have ended up riding upside down.
Feather Cycles makes some amazing bikes in the UK at the moment. I follow him on instagram (@thefeatherworkshop) and he posts a picture of every stage of each build so you get to see exactly whats involved.
This CX bike is one of his latest and has the pivot for the rear canti's hidden in the seat tube. I think It's a really hot bike:
some other bikes of his here: http://www.feathercycles.com/?post_type=portfolio
Some gorgeous bikes here only highlighting my personal difficulty. Having returned to proper cycling after an absence of a few years (is there a cogfessional in which I may repent?) I wonder where to put my money in a new machine to ride better than my custom 531C Mercian now 30 years old and bearing a proper big ring. I ordered what would now be a sportive geometry and it still rides beautifully.
For durability, liveliness, some cushioning for ageing posterior but still alive, and better than my old faithful, where do I go? Will not be racing.
How to be sure that n+1 > n in more than quantity??
Still have my 35 year old steel DeRosa and verified made by Ugo himself. Sure feels good thinking about the hand labor that went into making it. I do also love my modern day carbon superbike.
@norm
That is a beautiful bike with some innovative thought put into it. I do wonder though, wouldn't that be hard to clean after a race? That spot tends to get muddy quick, and I don't know how you would get it out without removing the cable and threading a giant pipe cleaner thru it.
@norm
The other nice touch (though I don't care for the branding on it) is the Vanilla workshop integrated stem with internal routing for the front canti brake cable
Stunning bike @brett and beautifully decalled too! I am on the hunt and have been for some months. I considered bikes from Ricky Feather and also Demon bikes (near me in Southampton) but the small matter of a trip to Anjou Velo Vintage http://www.anjou-velo-vintage.com/?lang=en next summer has me getting all a quiver for an old steel bike.
Currently trawling the interwebs for just right mix of ancient and class...preferably with chromed forks and chain stays to enable me straddle a pure steel steed next summer! Something with Italian gruppo and maybe columbus or reynolds steelwork should do the trick.....
Damm your eyes Bretto, just spent my first hour at work watching PR and now I will have to skip lunch! Hand made is only as good as the maker but in general if they have been around they are making superior, well thought out and smarter machines. Also because of pride of work they just frigging look better/cooler!
I was just given a 90's cut out lugged Gitane track bike (long story, good friend!), white beautiful, rides like a purebred, solid but light, responsive and so much fun. Does its beauty and superb finish make it a better bike? Maybe - YES, but do I feel better riding it? Does it ask of me to ride a little harder, more elegantly? Yes and Yes!
Thanks for the good read and the kicked up heart rate, now I have to file some metal...
There's something about custom. And steel. Here's my #2 (which was made for me, and was #1 for much of the late '90s). Pardon the mudguards, my teammates beat me into submission.