If you could sit down with your favorite builder...

[William]

What questions would you want to ask?

What inspires them?

Where/how they acquired their skills?

Fitting? Tubing choices? Etc...







William

[cnighbor1]

I would ask what drives the artisic side of the design
I did work in 90's has an Architect rigth next door to Elliott Bay Cycles and Davidson handbuilt cycles. Has I knew Bill Davidson since the 70's I would talk to him about frame building. he would launch into some detail he was currently working. In college I took a lot of engineering classes like strength of materals, etc. but Bill would lose me have a few minutes but I just listened and learned. Bill must be one the most knowable frame builders in the world. Than I know robert Freeman the other owner of davidson. From him i get more input on bicycles in general. So I do know a lotabout frame building and bicycles. How to use that knowledge is the ? has all i can do is buy a frame and build it up.
than here in the Bay area i have gotten to know Ed Litton who repairs and refinishes a lot of classic bicycles. In doing repairs he has gotten very knowable on por frame building and poor frame design. great to talk to. and learn
Charles Nighbor Architect

[Joachim]

Given that a lot of builders do the fitting..their fit experience. The best frame is useless if it does not fit.

[Aaron O]

Interestingly enough, I ran into my favorite builder last week at a NJ rest stop. As we were parking I noticed a car with a beautiful Sachs on the roof rack - I made my way over to say hello, and Mr. Sachs stepped out. I didn't want to impose upon him, but my big question would be:

When he looks back over his years as a frame builder, what is it that has kept him passionate and focused? I've heard interviews with him, I know how bright he is and I've always wondered how he stayed focused instead of finding a different challenge.

[FlashUNC]

I'd ask how many times they've burned themselves.

[firerescuefin]

May not be able sit down with them...but my 2 favorite guys (Dave and Tyler) are always on here and very accessible. I've asked Dave more questions than I can count and he always responds with a thoughtful reply. Look forward to buying each a beer in Denver next year.

[Lovetoclimb]

I feel very fortunate in that I have been able to do this twice with Max Lundbeck of Lundbeck Cycles. He built my last two bikes using some very creative touches that I felt would enhance ride and aesthetics. He also supplied single malt scotch and beer while we waxed nostalgically about the college days of yore. Living 5 miles from his shop makes for an easy process.

[Bruce K]

I am happy I get to call my two favorite builders "friend". I can't think of a question that I haven't asked either before, during, or after the builds.

I speak with and see Mike Zanconato fairly regularly, especially during cross season.

I regret that I don't have as much contact with Kelly Bedford as I would like.

I live both bikes that carry their names.

BK

[Bob Ross]

What questions would you want to ask?

What inspires them?

Where/how they acquired their skills?

Fitting? Tubing choices? Etc...


I can find the answers to all those questions in my favorite builders' respective Smoked Out sections across the hall. So I'd probably want to ask them

What's your favorite beer?

Heard any cool music lately?

How did you meet your spouse?

What's there to do for fun in your town?

Wanna go for a ride?

[Climb01742]

i've been lucky. i've been able to hang out with dario for about 5 days and met david kirk at a serotta-forum get together a few years ago. both great to talk with, though dario tends to get you far drunker.

[e-RICHIE]

Interestingly enough, I ran into my favorite builder last week at a NJ rest stop. As we were parking I noticed a car with a beautiful Sachs on the roof rack - I made my way over to say hello, and Mr. Sachs stepped out. I didn't want to impose upon him, but my big question would be:

When he looks back over his years as a frame builder, what is it that has kept him passionate and focused? I've heard interviews with him, I know how bright he is and I've always wondered how he stayed focused instead of finding a different challenge.


Some folks have a Summer of '42. We, Aaron, had the Thomas Edison Service Area. Such fond memories atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:cool::cool::cool:
:cool::cool::cool:
:):cool::cool:

[Fixed]

Hey Richie want to go for a ride ?
Cheers :)

[Aaron O]

1.5 months till' real bikes again! The Raleigh 20 is better than nothing, but I'm itching for a real ride.

Best rest stop ever!

[e-RICHIE]

1.5 months till' real bikes again! The Raleigh 20 is better than nothing, but I'm itching for a real ride.

Best rest stop ever!

Best not to use words like itching and rest stop in the same post atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:p:p:p
:p:p:p
:cool::p:p

[Aaron O]

Clearly we're looking for different experiences at our rest stop visits.

[jr59]

Best not to use words like itching and rest stop in the same post atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:p:p:p
:p:p:p
:cool::p:p

Oh my.... to funny!

[saab2000]

Go to NAHBS and you can chat up dozens of your favorite builders. For a bike junkie like me it was sensory overload.

I saw, in no particular order,:

Richard Sachs
Craig Gaulzetti
Nick Crumpton
Gary Smith from Indy Fab
Ben Serotta (what a pleasure that was! Seriously!)
Carl Strong
Dave Kirk
Mike Zanconato
Roland Della Santa
Steve Hampsten

The list goes on but those are right in my short memory.

Seriously, go to NAHBS if you can swing it. Get there early on the first day and you can really have a nice chat with these folks. And you are supporting the whole show. One of the best things I've ever done as a bike fanatic.

[rounder]

I went to NAHBS in Richmond a few years ago. I was not in the market for a bike, i just wanted to see the bikes and meet some of the builders. The bikes were beautiful and all of the builders were accessible.

Fell in love with the K. Bedford bikes and bought one.

Kelly is a decent guy and knows his stuff. I went the whole custom route with lugs and level top tube. Bike turned out great...no regrets. Highly recommended to others.

[oldpotatoe]

What questions would you want to ask?

What inspires them?

Where/how they acquired their skills?

Fitting? Tubing choices? Etc...







William

My favorite 'builder' didn't build the frame.

Eddy, my Merckx MXLeader, my 'will keep and hand down' frames, all of them(4 at the moment).

[jr59]

My favorite 'builder' didn't build the frame.

Eddy, my Merckx MXLeader, my 'will keep and hand down' frames, all of them(4 at the moment).

Somehow, I think that; If you and Eddy got a chance to sit down and talk, you would find "something" to talk about.
It wouldn't be that hard either! :p

[Liv2RideHard]

I simply listened to the Master. Signore Pegoretti is quite entertaining and fascinating. Very easy to talk to and once you meet him...you have made a friend. It is as if you have known him for years.

[Aaron O]

I have never spoken with a frame builder who wasn't bright and engaging. Sorry about the stereotype - but I think most of these guys are very creative, very bright and typically have a lot of other interests and skill sets. They're into music, art, literature...these are very talented people who have chosen to express their talent through frame building. What surprises me is that many of them stick with that medium for such long time periods; I'd think once a Kellogg, Sachs, etc. masters something they would want to try something else.

[djg]

What questions would you want to ask?

What inspires them?

Where/how they acquired their skills?

Fitting? Tubing choices? Etc...

William

None of the above?

I can think of builders I'd be glad to meet. Shoot the substance, whatever. Builders are people too, and they're into cycling and bikes, which grab me way the heck more than golfing (which I don't do) and clubs (about which I know nothing).

The one builder I've sat down with is Tom K. I met Tom a few times over the years, here and there. Eventually I wrote a check for a deposit and made the trip to his place in PA. It was about lunch time when I got there so we sat down and had a sandwich. I think we talked a little bit about cycling and coffee (he was roasting) before we got around to the interview thing (bunch o' questions he asks before getting around to the fitting). I think we talked a little bit about France and maybe a couple of rides in France before I left -- I was planning to take the family this summer.

So Tom's a really good guy IMO, and not just a famous builder (in the way builders might be famous). I'd be glad to sit and schmooze with him over coffee any time, or maybe turn the pedals a bit. Seriously. I'd be glad to meet Richard -- we've traded an email here and there, and I've bought a few things from him, although never a bike -- or Dave Kirk or Kelly B or Ben. Dario. Heck, I'd be glad to meet nearly any of the builders who post across the hall, even if some seem more engaging than others. But I wouldn't want to interview any of them. All sorts of things -- technical and non-technical -- might be interesting to me, in context. But I don't have any burning questions for any builder. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But asking a builder "what inspires you" . . . just cannot see it. Although it might be funny if the answer were "global domination."

Ok, maybe "are we there yet," but that's not exactly deep, and it's only a question for one guy, and I reckon that the answer is somewhere between 2 weeks and 4 at this point.

[oldpotatoe]

Somehow, I think that; If you and Eddy got a chance to sit down and talk, you would find "something" to talk about.
It wouldn't be that hard either! :p

I actually sat with him for a few minutes at Interbike about 6 years ago. He was in the Gita booth, drinking a coke, all by himself. I asked about redoing steel frames in the US(Europe doesn't care about them), he smiled and said, 'Ya sure', meaning not gonna happen. Got my pic with him(still on my bench), and said really intellectual things like, 'you are the man', or some such drivel.

So.....there are really 2 or 3 types of 'builders'. Those that assemble really good welders to make really good frames, those who start as a welder, then leave that part as they grow and those who are small, one or two person operations who still build and because of the expense, sell mostly direct.

Lotsa great frame makes out there right now. I always say there's no such thing as a bad bike, just bad bike shops.

[saab2000]

I actually sat with him for a few minutes at Interbike about 6 years ago. He was in the Gita booth, drinking a coke, all by himself. I asked about redoing steel frames in the US(Europe doesn't care about them), he smiled and said, 'Ya sure', meaning not gonna happen. Got my pic with him(still on my bench), and said really intellectual things like, 'you are the man', or some such drivel.

So.....there are really 2 or 3 types of 'builders'. Those that assemble really good welders to make really good frames, those who start as a welder, then leave that part as they grow and those who are small, one or two person operations who still build and because of the expense, sell mostly direct.

Lotsa great frame makes out there right now. I always say there's no such thing as a bad bike, just bad bike shops.

This part is so true. For the most part, the Europe I know doesn't care about old school stuff. They like newer technology because they think (and rightly so quite often) that the newer stuff is going to enhance their cycling.

When I lived in Switzerland people kept moving up and up with cycling stuff and the old stuff went out. Far less fetishizing of nostalgic cycling components and frames.

[Aaron O]

I could be totally off base here, but maybe it's because in Europe an antique is usually something a thousand years old, where as in the US...antique, more often then not, means the 50s? It could be the relative maturity of the nations...here, something from the 60s is interesting, old and classic. To them it probably just seems like junk their parents had?

[William]

I threw the question out there mainly out of curiosity to see where the responses landed.

It looks like it boils down too....If it's your builder of choice and he's going to be doing a build for you, answer their questions and let him do what they do. Otherwise, they're people just like everyone else and it's interesting to see what what makes them tick.


Thanks everyone!
William

[Dave B]

For me it would be two guys.

I have hung out with Tyler E (although too briefly) and had a blast in doing so. I would love to know more about things he would have liked to have done at IF, where he sees FF going, and when can we see a full susser Firefly.

The other would have to be e-richie. I don't want to ask bike questions. I want to be neighbors. I want to hang and giggle about silly things, ask him about writing or what could have been, possibly discuss Ansel Adams photography, but most of all, just listen. Would love to learn from someone who has experiences that have shaped his outlook on things. I wish somedays I had the support to be more stringent in teaching. I am often times taking it on the chin to make a parent happy and it often goes against what I think is right for the child.

I think e-richie rarely compromises in what he beleives in and often times has said he will say no to a client and then guide them to someone who can meet their demands. I envy that.

Both guys are brilliant at what they do, but I just think there is a great friendship there, more so then just how do you fix point A and B together.

[Dave B]

I threw the question out there mainly out of curiosity to see where the responses landed.

It looks like it boils down too....If it's your builder of choice and he's going to be doing a build for you, answer their questions and let him do what they do. Otherwise, they're people just like everyone else and it's interesting to see what what makes them tick.


Thanks everyone!
William

Hmm, I didn't answer this correctly then.

ok, to Tyler, why not paint the bikes more often?

Richard...would you ever be willing to add disc tabs to your cross bikes?

[charliedid]

I'd like to know if they put ketchup on their hotdog.

[jr59]

I threw the question out there mainly out of curiosity to see where the responses landed.

It looks like it boils down too....If it's your builder of choice and he's going to be doing a build for you, answer their questions and let him do what they do. Otherwise, they're people just like everyone else and it's interesting to see what what makes them tick.


Thanks everyone!
William

I think they are all just people, some I would really like, some not so much!

I'm not sure when, we the bike buying community started calling them artist, but we have. Me too!

Had a chance to meet Ben S in Atl Ga. He was giving his buy a Serotta pitch. He also did a fitting for me during the pitch. Super nice guy.

The builders I would like to meet these days are ALL OF THEM! But 3 stand out to me. Tom Kellogg, b/c he has built 2 bikes for me and I have a 3rd on the way, just like to shake his hand and kind of put a body to his voice and pics.

Two would have to be Dave Wages. Dave has always been helpful in a lot of ways to me.

Three would be, Steve Garo. Garo inspires me on a daily basis. The things he does just are amazing.

Both Garo and D.Wages have posted to my FB wall asking about my injury and healing. For that they will always be on the top of my lists.

See FB is good for something! :banana:

[flydhest]

". . . need another? I'm going back to the bar."

[djg]

None of the above?


Ok, maybe "are we there yet," but that's not exactly deep, and it's only a question for one guy, and I reckon that the answer is somewhere between 2 weeks and 4 at this point.

Well, or as it turns out, a little sooner, because he decided to juggle things a bit so that I could have it built and rolling before cross season. And the team's cross "camp" on September 3.

Imagine something like the dancing banana, only so much cuter.

[christian]

I'd ask him if seat height, setback, and reach were sufficient dimensions to get started!

[Liv2RideHard]

What is your favorite brew? Would like to know so I can pick up a 6'er on the way over. With Dario, it was cafes (espresso) and wine, red wine and very good red wine. If I was heading to a builders shop here in the States, I would want to bring some beer (means I owe Jonathan Greene some beer next time I am in the neighborhood).

Who would you want to build a bike for you and if you (insert builder here) would ever consider riding a bike built by someone else.

[Tyler Evans]

ok, to Tyler, why not paint the bikes more often?


Because they are made of titanium.*


*winky face

[AgilisMerlin]

If you could sit down with your favorite builder... i'd try and eat their chocolate

[David Kirk]

I think it would be fun to cull the best questions in this thread and put them to some builders and publish the results here.

I like Guinness Stout on tap.

Dave

[Germany_chris]

I'd pardon Dave's bad taste in beer and cars and ask them what their business and personal budgets looked like in the first 5-7 years.

[maxdog]

I think it would be fun to cull the best questions in this thread and put them to some builders and publish the results here.

I like Guinness Stout on tap.

Dave

I'm with you on that, but have you been to Ireland? If not, you haven't really tried Guinness. That alone makes the trip worth while.

[Bruce K]

I think that it was William's intent to cull out 5 to 10 questions to ask each of the builders that are being "spotlighted".

Sort of a quick way to get the conversation started and to highlight similarities and differences among these interesting folks.

BK

[rugbysecondrow]

". . . need another? I'm going back to the bar."

HAHA.

It is funny, I have met Kelly Bedford a few times, dinner and drinks another and I asked none of these profound questions. He is a cool guy to spend time with but none of it popped into my head.

I think I know why, I don't normally ask people what they do for a living or talk about work with them, especially in social settings. In DC, that is all people want to do and I would rather not do it. Just not my style. I don't talk about my work either, not because I am not proud, but because I think it is a lazy escape into conversation and many people either want to talk about themselves too much or get tired of talking about work. Folks work 40-80 hours a week, outside of there it is time to discuss something else. Either way, Kelly was out with friends for drinks and dinner, no need to talk work while eating. I would rather talk about the person's family, hobbies, future trips etc.

Anyway, I guess I answered the OP questions...I would talk about anything but work/shop.

:)

[MattTuck]

These are sort of serious questions...

1. What about your approach to building/designing bikes makes you unique, or separates you from the other builders out there?

2. Do you carry a general and product liability insurance policy for your business?

3. How long is your wait list?

4. Would you like something done in trade for a frame? (listing my skills)

[MattTuck]

HAHA.
I think I know why, I don't normally ask people what they do for a living or talk about work with them, especially in social settings. In DC, that is all people want to do and I would rather not do it. Just not my style. I don't talk about my work either, not because I am not proud, but because I think it is a lazy escape into conversation and many people either want to talk about themselves too much or get tired of talking about work. Folks work 40-80 hours a week, outside of there it is time to discuss something else. Either way, Kelly was out with friends for drinks and dinner, no need to talk work while eating. I would rather talk about the person's family, hobbies, future trips etc.


People who work that much don't have anything else to talk about. Work becomes their life. Getting some perspective wouldn't be a bad thing for those folks.

[EricEstlund]

If your favorite builder posts on VSalon, you can do just this.

Smoked Out (http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/f22/)

When I sit down with my favorite builders I usually ask them to pass a menu...

[pdmtong]

I had the pleasure of speaking to bob parlee over a number of days the last time he came out to sea otter. None of the conversation involved bikes. It was mainly about his visit to the area, what he was going to do/see, sailing, and him teaching me how to say peabody properly. on the third day of sea otter he was in the VIP car line up to get in early and I was riding my bike in and he called out to me by name and we spoke some more. I actually have had the good fortune to meet the folks who built my the bikes I own/owned...ben serotta, sherwood gibson, the folks at IF past and present, even mike sinyard who "built" my specialized...however, the last two...gonna be tough unless they decide to come to NAHBS again or I get to Trento and Porrtland (1711 SE Powell)....Hey, my wife is going to Portland Friday...maybe she can "represent"....

[Llewellyn]

I actually sat with him for a few minutes at Interbike about 6 years ago. He was in the Gita booth, drinking a coke, all by himself. I asked about redoing steel frames in the US(Europe doesn't care about them), he smiled and said, 'Ya sure', meaning not gonna happen. Got my pic with him(still on my bench), and said really intellectual things like, 'you are the man', or some such drivel.

So.....there are really 2 or 3 types of 'builders'. Those that assemble really good welders to make really good frames, those who start as a welder, then leave that part as they grow and those who are small, one or two person operations who still build and because of the expense, sell mostly direct.

Lotsa great frame makes out there right now. I always say there's no such thing as a bad bike, just bad bike shops.

I got to meet him too, at a bike show in London in 2006. I was waiting in the queue to get in and saw him walk past. Managed to track him down to the Merckx booth and asked for his autograph. All I had was a bike mag so he pulled out one of his catalogues from under the counter and signed a page in that for me and I took a quick (crappy) photo of him standing there. I had both framed once I got back home and they now hang on the wall in my office.

He was a nice guy. I didn't get to have a really in-depth chat to him (couldn't think of anything significant to say on the spur of the moment to a legend of the sport that he hadn't already been asked millions of times) but we exchanged a few words. It was the absolute highlight of my visit to the show

[oldpotatoe]

I got to meet him too, at a bike show in London in 2006. I was waiting in the queue to get in and saw him walk past. Managed to track him down to the Merckx booth and asked for his autograph. All I had was a bike mag so he pulled out one of his catalogues from under the counter and signed a page in that for me and I took a quick (crappy) photo of him standing there. I had both framed once I got back home and they now hang on the wall in my office.

He was a nice guy. I didn't get to have a really in-depth chat to him (couldn't think of anything significant to say on the spur of the moment to a legend of the sport that he hadn't already been asked millions of times) but we exchanged a few words. It was the absolute highlight of my visit to the show

Mine too, he is the 'man', in many ways.

And he NEVER complains about giving an autograph, ever. Same for Indurain, whe I saw him in Boulder. He signed autographs until the last person in the group, got one....unlike another 'pro' who shall remain nameless by me.

[dougdye]

I would ask John Slawta (Landshark) what his inspiration is for the incredible paint jobs he comes up with.

[Ahneida Ride]

My Favorite Builder already sees way too much of me !

[Joachim]

I would like to have a BBQ with Tom Kellogg, Nick Crumpton and Sacha White, talk ribs, beer, East and West Coast, carbon, Ti and steel.

[Dave B]

I will highly recomend hanging with Don Walker. When he was in Indy (still sad to see him go) I visited him a few times. We went for beers, I did some NAHBS work for him, we had some whiskey, we hung, he told me secrets, showed me stuff and was a blast to hang with.

If you ever get the chance, hang with the man.


secondly, Tim O'Donnell of Shamrock Cycles is my fav. I have known Tim for about a decade and he is the brother I never wanted. Honest, hilarious, loves to drink, loud, but most importantly the kindest most honest man you will ever meet. He is one of those guys that spews zero bs when it comes to talking about bikes. One man show who gives and gives. Supports a team, a race series, and local trails. No finer man atmo.

[firerescuefin]

I like Guinness Stout on tap.

Dave

Got you covered!

[Aaron O]

Got you covered!

I grew up a Guiness guy, but I've moved on to Beamish. Guiness is a wonderful beer, but I think the Beamish has a little more flavor and bite to it. Guiness is a little too smooth and light.

[firerescuefin]

I grew up a Guiness guy, but I've moved on to Beamish. Guiness is a wonderful beer, but I think the Beamish has a little more flavor and bite to it. Guiness is a little too smooth and light.

If you knew what I drank on a day to day basis....you'd be ashamed. I am the Trek drinker of beers. :help:....actually, it has more to do with my sissy palate than anything else.

[Fixed]

P.b.r.?
Cheers

[firerescuefin]

P.b.r.?
Cheers

The Silver Bullet.....Me and Ice Cube...just chillin with a couple of Coors Lights.:cool:

[Aaron O]

The Rocky Mountain Oysters of beer ;)

[parris]

I think I'd ask in no particular order:

Favorite kind of ride, most liked bands/music, top 5 movies, final meal, most fun non cycling hobby/obsession. There's more but this was at the top of my mind.

[jerome]

I would love to contribute and learn from them

if I was meeting somebody from Seven, Moots, Firefly ... I would ask "are you hiring ? what about a 40 year old french mechanical engineer handy passionate by mechanic production and cycling not scared by work any work"

[Chance]

What questions would you want to ask?




William

The meaning of life? ;)

Don’t have a favorite builder, and have only spent a little time with a few beyond shaking hands at some bike Expo. Over lunch or dinner most conversations were mostly about normal stuff like with other guys. Cars, family, places they lived, dogs, and so on. Very little involved bikes. Pretty much anything they had to say about bikes could probably be found on the internet anyway. Most people are more interesting than bikes and builders are no exception.

[fuzzalow]

I have had conversations with many builders, all of whom were participants with me in constructing a custom cycle frame to my preferences, desires and infatuations. We both talked, we both listened and in some cases, they drew the line and disagreed and said "no". And these conversations were all business, to the point and devoid of any contrived or forced best-of-buddies style of repartee. But all pleasant conversations, none the less. Special mention must be given to Roland Della Santa as the easiest and funniest conversationalist of those with which I've enjoyed having a custom cycle commissioned with.

These guys all care immensely about doing superb work for their clients and I am always aware of not crossing the line that defines their professionalism with my own desire to revel in their celebrity as auteurs of the cycling world.

In answer to the OP, a dinner conversation with no agenda would be all to wish for. Topics to be determined and fueled by food, wine and diverse points of view. Because the cycling objects they create and that I/we fetish upon are the culmination of all that came before. And I could only wish to peer into those recollections.