Having a major jones for all things cycle, like the majority of folks who stop by here do as well, I am very excited & pleased to announce the beginning of a new series here at LFoaB ...
The Frame Builders Questionnaire (or FBQ as it will no doubt be called in years to come).
Over the past couple weeks I have compiled a list, what I like to call, "The Essential List"-of questions that get in behind, beyond and beneath the usual, ordinary and mundane fare that we see & read when frame builders are generally asked questions. Okay, maybe not that earth shattering but I'd like to think they are some fine questions none the less.
I aim to feature the Cream of the Crop... The Creme de La Creme of builders: with the sincere hope that readers might just be extra inspired to dig & explore more on just how special having a custom cycle is for owner and builder alike.
These men inspire me on so many levels that it is an honor to tell & share even just a little bit of their personal story with you. For me as an artist/musician I may not be able to fully relate to a life lived in a shop with flame & flux. However I can be 100% assured that I do understand more versus less about the process by which one comes under the classic & timeless spell of "striving for perfection when it's clearly unobtainable".
In other words-No one thing (frame or part of frame) can be everything to builder or owner alike and therein lies the ultimate dichotomy... like 2 opposite magnets of equal strength one tries and tries again for absolute perfection when science & reality will have none of it. However, the human condition keeps trying to oppose this... within the ages of history we have seen it, for the ages of as-yet-to-be-written history we will see it.
Such nobility.
The FBQ series strives for honesty, whimsy and insight. The questions were delivered to the group and the answers tell the rest... in their own words. If these esteemed gents wanted you to know a lot about them then they answered that way, if they were bored by the inquiry... it might just read that way to you as well. If they were having a great day or shitty day... the answers may just reflect that too.
We're Human, they're Human... and so it goes.
Lastly, I will say this... if one (or many) in this series inspires, talks or speaks to you or your soul do not hesitate to contact that builder. They are here, now, on this earth. Take advantage of their deep & remarkable gifts before... well, you know the rest. We live in a great time for frame builders. Basically, a Renaissance of sorts.
They're out there quietly working away...
...can you hear them?
(Stay Tuned)
check out custom framebuilder Bob Davis, from Peoria, AZ @ ariZonaTandems.com
He specializes in tandems, but does do singles; uses carbon fiber almost exclusively. Great builder/artist!
Own one of his tandems + one of his singles.
We've pedaled as a duo for over 200,000 miles in the last 30 years and are currently on tandem #5.
Have ridden custom/production tandems in steel, alu, ti and c/f.
Frame building is as much art as science and a good framebuilder will never get rich . . . but they're happy/dedicated individuals!
Posted by: rudy and kay | April 20, 2005 at 12:49 PM
Why do you wear a mask? Were you burned by acid or something?
Posted by: Andre | May 07, 2005 at 07:18 AM
Andre-
Glad you asked...
Nope, actually the photo is of me last Xmas (2004) right after I opened a gift from my 5 year old daughter. The gift... a balaclava for winter riding. The glasses are "Harry Potter" glasses my daughter insisted I wear for the photo. The glasses are hers.
When I started the blog my daughter wanted me to use this photo... and who was I to argue with her? That's the story of the photograph.
-Me (Large Fella)
Posted by: Scott | May 07, 2005 at 09:44 AM
Large Fella: I believe the correct answer to this questoin is: Oh no. It's just they're terribly comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.
It's a "Princess Bride" reference.
Posted by: Marcus | July 09, 2005 at 05:35 PM
Oh, and could you send your questionaire to Walt, from waltworks cycles? www.waltworks.com. He's building my bike right now, at this very moment! Well maybe not at this exact moment, because it's saturday evening, but you get the idea. He's very respected in the 29er world.
Posted by: Marcus | July 09, 2005 at 05:37 PM
Surly is building a front rack for there 29er is there a frame builder that is making a rear one maybe ataching to the old break mounts because I have disk in the rear.
Thanks, It its a Garry Fisher "Rig" if someone did make a rack like this I could really call this the perfect city bike. Kevin Duggan Denver CO.
Posted by: Kevin Duggan | November 27, 2005 at 01:37 PM
I'm trying to find the FBQ, but the links aren't working. Can you send it to me?
Posted by: Jay | May 02, 2007 at 06:00 AM