Steelman Closing Shop?

[pdmtong]

better value...?

better build...?

what does it matter? people need to make their own value purchase evaluations. get some opinions, make up your own mind. maybe take a chance. or not.

some folks happily pay $8k for a meivici...that makes the steelman pricing right in line.

plenty of steel choices out there. as has been often said, you have to find the builder who speaks to you. once that happens, it either fits your budget or doesnt. or, you save to make it happen becasue you believe.

get the geo right, and the bike will sing. the rest, it just makes for the beautiful aura we all want as part of the handmade journey.

whoa, did I just write this? time for another pour.

PS...jack b. is definitely one of the good guys. make no mistake about it.

[beeatnik]

as my girl always says, bike dudes are a trip.

i think we place too much value in the opinion of cyclists who can afford to flip high end bikes. I mean, if you've gone through 2 or 3 Vanillas, a few Sachs and 5 or 6 Serottas, do you really know what you like or want? The grass is always greener and all that.

i used to play golf with a dude who had a mismatched set of clubs (a thrift store ping from 95, a taylor made from 2000, a nike from 05). he was scratch. i bet that guy could tell me more about the characteristics of a nice iron than the 10 handicap who buys a new set of $1000 irons yearly.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

The man makes ridiculous frames, IMHO. Yeah, the frame I want was $1500, now it's $2750. And if I had the scratch, I'd pay for the mark up. But, that's me. What it's worth has more to do with what you're willing to pay. The man is an artist. But, W-the-F do I know, I still ride lugged steel, with alloy 10S Campy and "regular," handbuilt 32X wheels.

[rugbysecondrow]

Originally Posted by binxnyrwarrsoul

The man makes ridiculous frames, IMHO. Yeah, the frame I want was $1500, now it's $2750. And if I had the scratch, I'd pay for the mark up. But, that's me. What it's worth has more to do with what you're willing to pay. The man is an artist. But, W-the-F do I know, I still ride lugged steel, with alloy 10S Campy and "regular," handbuilt 32X wheels.

Yep. Price is set by the builder but value is determined by the customer. If the price is set, and orders are coming in with frames going out the door, then the formula works.

In my own opinion, I think many framebuilders charge too little. If all they did was churn out a widget like some Taiwanese factory, then maybe not, but that is not what they do. The handholding, the scope development, honing down what the customer actually wants, not just caring if the frame is built but caring that is rides like the wind, the project management involved with ordering parts, paint, possibly assembling the bike for customers, the detailed items like a stem or a rack, the unique ideas and perspective which might make the rider experience better...this is what you pay for, this is what is rolled up in the frame, in the rider experience.

Kelly Bedford charges $2595 Tig Comp Road Frame and Fork, I am glad to see his prices are higher than they were when I bought my 3 frames from him, I thought I was getting one hell of a bargin at the time, I think $2600 is still a great deal and I will explain why. I bought my last bike frame 1 year and 8 months ago, my Bedford sport tourer, and have not lusted after another bike since. I also have a Bedford Club Racer type of bike, love it. My wife loves hers as well. Spend a little more for the right guy to build the right frame and it will likely save you money in the long run. You will stop the business if shuttling **** in and **** out the door. Buying my Bedford eliminated my bike lust to the point where I don't even look in the Classifieds anymore, no need to as I am set. I bet that alone saves me $400 each year.

I suspect a gentlemen like Steelman would treat you like Kelly treated me and my wife, creating happy customers. That is worth quite a lot to me, more that the extra $400 extra I might spend on a frame, but like I said you are not purcahsing the frame in a vaccum, you purchase a frame built with service and years of experience in mind. The question I would as is not why is Steelmen charging so much (he isn't) but why are some guys charging so little? Steelman seems to be charging a fair amount, but for what you are getting, you are likely still getting a bargin.

Just my opinion, and like Jack's, you can take it or leave it.

Cheers

[slowgoing]

Originally Posted by crankles

the best endorsements for Brent's frames/prices have come from his fellow frame builders. They are the ones who told him his frames were worth twice what he was charging and should give it another go.

Not sure these are as much endorsements as an attempt by some builders to move overall industry prices higher, which is in every builder's best interest.

[William]

All right folks, I'm going to close this thread. Brent has opened up shop again and is producing great frames. If you would like to start another thread on frame pricing etc... please feel free to do so.




William