I had a great conversation today. Pushing a great set of resources such as Nova Cycle Supply, BIKE CAD, And Freddy Parr. All of which have helped in one way or another for them. And I hope for me, as a technical resource, I helped a FUNCTIONAL frame builder.

If you want to build jewelry as a bike frame like Bohm, and Sacha at Vanilla, then go ahead. Their bikes are AWESOME, and if you think it is smart paying that kind of money for a frame that you would rather hang on your wall and ride, then go right ahead. My student today pointed out that many people would rather be building FUNCTIONAL frames and bikes in lieu of pretty art. Hey...the art is fine, but I have been approached by no less than 2 of Sacha Whites/ Vanilla Cycles Clients who really wanted the water bottle mounts installed in their 2 year wait frames.

Here I was...in my shop...drilling on a $3800 frame....which I think is a joke/bad idea, unless you are hanging it on the wall, as good art should be. Sacha is one of the finest artisans I have ever met. I have built some bikes that have rivaled his, but he specializes in it. And today, I spoke to a student who emphasized the functionality over artisan. Today, I got one notch back in my belt for believing people have not gone down the stupid retro track. OLD IS OLD....I never forget my foundation, but people who build 1" forks and quill stems are in a questionable position for me.

I have always said, even a 1" standard frame has a place, but honestly, there are few places left for a quill stem, and a threaded bike. Lugs are the worst idea for a custom client. And after talking to yet another client today, I am happy to say that lugs are still a bad idea...from a functionality point of view. If you want to show off some willy twilly crap skill you have, then use lugs. Or if you are great at a technology that is 50+ years old, then by all means use lugs, but I have my opinion, and I am more old school than lug users, I braze....with bronze....where it is, and I make it much prettier than some $5200 jeweler frame. And with pretty paint I do it for less than $2500 at best.

It functions, it RIDES, I am sorry, but if you want a bike you can hang on the wall, then buy an ARTISAN frame, and then hope they have a clue about racing, riding, or even whipping down a 56+MPH descent. Because I can bet they don't. Can they build you a custom wheelset? And even one custom tuned to their client to which they profess to build THE BEST FRAME EVER/ I doubt it.... If not, then how attached to cycling are they? Be honest?!

If you can't ride a fixie in the streets of SF and the hills, then why build one? What do you know?

Arguably the vast majority of the world is about functionality, and if you fail in that, which more than half of the builders do, then you are just artists. Not for bad or good, just there to produce pretty things to hang bike parts on.

But if you can produce a true CUSTOM frame for someone, then you are great. That is, fit first, ride next, and happiness next/coupled with efficiency. THEN....you might want to think about paint.

Honestly, I had a great conversation today with someone, and we acknowledged that some bikes are really pretty, but I have seen them break. More often than not. Really pretty bikes that I have even repaired from above said builders more than once, and they are really pretty, but they SUCK as bikes.

So I guess it comes down to if you want a bike, or if you want a piece of art, that has no bottle mounts for whatever ride you might have taken on that thing. Well at least until you bring it to me so I can put some rivnuts in.

Special On Rivnuts for Artisan frames....$300 for 2 and a 3 month wait:)

That said, I am standing by my functional frame status until this bad retro idea/artisan gig blows over. I will be happy to create the best performance frame for you, and these days my delivery time is short. But if you want to talk the chrome lugs, or pin striping, then you better call another builder, because when you are ripping down Page Mill, I want you to feel like that tailored suit fits, not that it is JUST pretty.

Pretty things fade, a fit that lasts and was build around you will never wane.

Chris Z