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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Bravo this!!!
Both of my bikes are hand made Columbus tubed frames..as well as the custom MAX tubed frame I am having built. As Giovanni Pelizzoli says: "A mass produced bike has no soul, it knows no one."
When I hear people discussing their carbon frames it's always about how light and how stiff it is..They never brag of how it rides. I inevitably see these guys shaking out their hands 25 miles into the group ride.
There are a lot of very nice and very expensive carbon frames being laid up, cut and assembled by hand however... Sarto for one is working as the old craftsmen did.
Great article as always...
That Merckx is beautiful!!!!
@Nate
I've got vintage and Far East mass produced steel, aluminum and carbon fiber bikes, but I've promised myself my next n+1 will definitely be a handmade bicycle, preferably handmade in the US (the more local the better). It may not necessarily be extravagant - I'm considering a Gunnar Crosshairs - but it will definitely be handmade.
Love this topic and accompanying posts....I'm getting ready to build a Tommasini Sintesi and would appreciate any experience, advice or tips anyone cares to provide. The frame will be custom build in Italy and I've gotten my local shop Enselle here in Portland to do the build...they will become a Tommasini distributor this year as a result of my build and contact with Tommasini.
nice Merckx, a little thick on the aftermarket stickers for my tastes.
i ride only hand-made bikes, 1972 Colnago Super, 1973 Bianchi Specialissima Professionale, 1998 Colnago Titanio (Monotitan).
A general 'Hear, hear' for this, with one small exception:
"to procure an example of their work means an outlay of time and money which is more than most are willing to commit"
There is no reason for that to be the case. Yes there are very expensive boutique bicycle builders, but there are also some very traditional makers who will create a one-off, custom build for probably less than many people would pay for an off-the-shelf bike.
I have a Roberts, made at a family workshop in south London. A custom steel frame and fork is about US$3000 which is comparable to most mid-level mass-produced offerings, and there are other UK makers like Mercian and Bob Jackson who would be similar.
Big fan of handbuilt wheels to complement the frames. My everyday training frame is an A1 Dave Lloyd Concept 90, and I have a stunningly light 82 Hannington dressed in period kit for 'just a pootle/pre race ride'
I sort of begrudge spending on Carbon or Alu frames, but for racing they just have it. That said as I slow down I'm tempted to replace mt crosser with a nice steel Swiss Cross. And my road race bike with a custom Mercian.
Not quite to the level of some of these but my 98 litespeed vortex is pretty special to me. Handmade in the USA and 6/4Ti.
I wonder how many of us have been to the North American Handmade Bike Show? I got the chance when they were in Richmond, VA a few years back. Dario was there!
That event certainly opened my eyes to a whole new realm of builders and bikes. I walked right up and talked to a few guys I'd now be too scared to approach, or more like too awed by their work to just say hi.
@ChrisO
Like this?
http://www.deaconbikes.com/