Custom Bikes For The Pros?

[amg]

Hi All,

I just received my March 28th issue of Velonews and I noticed on page 44 there's a photo and specification of Andrea Tafi's Scott CR1 Roubaix Edition bike. Looking at the photo, I noticed that the bike looked a bit different, the geometery looked to be custom for Andrea. At the bottom of the bike specifications there's a note that reads:

"The bike pictured is a prototype; Tafi will have a full-production version from the factory (produced at the Scott USA factory, not hand manipulated by the engineers".

Sounds like that note was added by nervous marketing managers that don't want to give the impression that custom geometery may be needed by certain riders in order to get a good fit. I'm sure they'd rather have us all believe that their stock bikes available in six compact sizes fit every rider of all shapes and sizes.

And "produced at the Scott USA factory"? What does that actually mean? You can have a factory anywhere in the world called "The Scott USA Factory", after all, the company's name IS Scott USA, but that doesn't necassarily mean that the frames are made in the USA. I'm not crazy about these bikes. Just my opinion.

Antonio :beer:

[saab2000]

They are probably made in Taiwan. At any rate, I would not mind riding one.

Someone here has one and likes it. I think it is in the Custom Gallery and looks pretty cool.

I also wish I had a Legend Ti. Maybe mimmicking my Merckx geometry..... :D

[amg]

saab-issimo,

I agree, these bikes are probably made in Taiwan; not that there's anything wrong with that and I'm sure these are fine bikes, but I didn't care for the wording of the note at the bottom of the page.

I'm sure Tafi told the designers at Scott USA: "Iffa you no build-ah me the kind-ah bike-ah I like-ah, I'm-ah no gonna ride-ah for this-ah team-ah, capisce? :D

I can make fun of Italians because I am Italian, but if you make fun of Italians, I'm-ah gonna break-ah you face! :D :p :) ;)

Antonio :beer:

[Matt Barkley]

amg,
I will sleep soundly tonight knowing that Tafi will be riding a Scott made in their Scott USA factory. I was worried that some of these pros might be riding special bikes. Custom bikes.
This market is getting more and more used to the idea that we all can fit small, medium, and large, framesets - and that they fit the pros too. Even many of the newer pros are getting trained to accept this mantra.
Nice post Antonio. Cheers, (Moretti Larossa) :beer:
- Matt

[jerk]

scott usa has nothing to do with the usa....it's a european bike design and marketing house which has contract firms in taiwan and china which produce their frames.....this does not make them a bad company or a bad design house or make their bikes bad or worse than any other bike. the jerk took one for a test spin and it was fine...nice even.
jerk