ISO Thoughts of Custom Steel Builder Around Today And In The Early 1990s

[Lanternrouge]

Background for a seemingly pointless discussion. A friend who works in the bike business just got a new Peter Mooney to go along with one he’s had from the early 1980s since Peter is retiring. We also discussed the loss or retirement of some great builders and the opinion of some that a great wealth of knowledge is lost. There’s also the counterpoint is that there are lots of great builders out there who just haven’t been doing as long.

Anyway, I’m trying to contemplate who was the top builder who was building in the early 1990s and still building today from whom you can order a steel bike that is not TIG welded? I realize asking who the best builder is within any parameters somewhat of an absurd question, but I’m curious about people’s opinions within those two parameters. The builder does not necessarily have to be someone who was building under his own name back then. In other words, what are people’s thoughts of the “best”/coolest to those in the know bike you can order today that traces back to basically a single person today? I realize that discounting TIG welding is totally arbitrary, but it’s mainly about aesthetics, which are inherently personal, and the fact that Ti bikes are TIG welded and I already have that. Of course, this is about people’s opinions and in some cases arbitrarily snobbish ones) and I just want to hear others’ opinions on this totally geeky subject that it can be hard to discuss even with other bike geeks.

This same friend recently said an email I sent about a builder made me officially the biggest bike geek on the planet, but I know I’m not and far from it.

I will probably be ordering a great custom steel frame that I will post to the gallery at some point in the future, but I have other projects that need to get done first. Part of these arbitrary reasons relate to me wanting to recapture youth and what would have been really cool to me then had I actually known my stuff about bikes. Also, if I look to get a steel bike just to have a great bike, that could lead to great decision paralysis since there are so many great choices if you want a steel bike. I could imagine one could do very well with whatever builder they enjoy talking to the most at NAHBS.

Some of the builders that came to mind were:
Steve Rex (I grew up in Sacramento when he was first getting established)
Dave Kirk
Kelly Bedford
Koichi Yamaguchi
Russ Denny
Cherubim
Mark DiNucci
Tiziano Zullo (if he personally builds it)

In reality, I will probably end up getting multiple steel bikes over the years because I’m addicted to bikes and I don’t anticipate that changing between now and the day I’m not able to ride them. This is also a distraction since it’s a long-range project and doesn’t cost any money right now. It therefore distracts from my next project that’s going to be very expensive. And of course, this is all a distraction from the other things in life once you realize it’s about collecting cool things you can use to have a good time.

[AngryScientist]

few that come to mind that you didnt mention:

-landshark
-sachs
-weigle
-rock lobster

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

few that come to mind that you didnt mention:

-landshark
-sachs
-weigle

Only carbon Landsharks are currently available.

Sachs's book is full and I belive he isn't sure about going back to building after he finishes it. For these purposes, I consider him retired.

I'll have to look into Weigle - I only associate the name with frame saver.

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

few that come to mind that you didnt mention:
-rock lobster

Good catch. I didn't realize he'd been building that long.

[AngryScientist]

every now and then, you can twist a legend's arm into building you something

[pbarry]

Mark Nobilette.

[AngryScientist]

it takes some doing to get one of these on the head tube,,,,

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

it takes some doing to get one of these on the head tube,,,,

Yes. It wasn't clear to me whether you could get a steel one built by the man himself.

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by pbarry

Mark Nobilette.

I remember when Colorado Cyclist had his frames in their catalog.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by Lanternrouge

Yes. It wasn't clear to me whether you could get a steel one built by the man himself.

you cant anymore, i was just rubbing it in

[Tim Porter]

You're a bit behind on Richard Sachs' latest status. He finished his book of business, took a little while off and then opened a new window for orders. That window is now closed, if I understand correctly. I have a 1984 Sachs and a 2018 Sachs. Here's the old one before I did L'Eroica on it in 2011:

[IMG][/IMG]

Here's the new one:



As someone who brackets both ends of the era you're talking about, it's worth checking out what's happening with him currently.

[AngryScientist]

Goodness gracious Lantern!!

how quickly we forget.....

Ben S will still build you a bike under his new endeavor.

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

you cant anymore, i was just rubbing it in

Though I do have a frame that Ben Serotta built as well as a Colorado CRT built by Kelly Bedford.

[merckxman]

I picked up a Chris Dekerf here, didn't know anything about him at the time. He meets your criteria.
https://vimeo.com/82971972?ref=em-share

[Lanternrouge]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Goodness gracious Lantern!!

how quickly we forget.....

Ben S will still build you a bike under his new endeavor.

According to his website, current bikes are being built by FBFOB (Frame Building Friends of Ben), though I do have a way to ask for one that he will build himself. I'm not sure whether that will still be possible by the time I can pull the trigger on this project. If only my SO would win the lottery, so I can get more bikes.