rBOTM October - The Voting

[dutchie]

The ''blind'' voting last month was more ''secure'' and objective.

I see that it has been adjusted in that way. Thanks.

 

[bikenut2010]

So in the end my vote went to....

Wait, you commented only 2 bikes. No elaboration on what was wrong with the others this month?

I also find the Bertin to be slightly more nicely assembled than the Viscount. I don't quite see how the large flange hub on the front fits with the other components but it doesn' look all bad. Again nothing wrong with teh bike just lacking a bit of pizzazz.

The large flange hub is the original Shimano 600 as per the remainder of the groupset ( cranks / derailleurs /brakes / levers etc )

I think 'Pizzazz' could be improved if I took a photo in a less cluttered setting, i.e. not in the back garden but against a blank wall for example, then the detail and originality would shine thru perhaps? NEW PIC UPLOADED

 

[swos]

Some great bikes this month and hard choice but I've gone for the Raleigh Corsa

 

[dbmtb]

This could have been a "tall bike" month going by most of the entries....

Brake lever angles and odd length stems in proportion to size of bike exclude most of the candidates from getting my vote (sorry chaps but looks DO count).

I went for the Somec in the end - but it was a close call with the Bertin.

 

[Nob]

Mercian for me

 

[pigman]

ooh a toughie for me ... still cant decide as I'm writing.
On one hand I luv the viscount. A 70's bike that was way ahead of the opposition and around at the time I first started out with the CTC. Even by todays standards this was a light steel frame. and remember, it was no custom build special it was a shop stock special competing with raleighs and vikings. The death fork and cartridge bottom bracket were a mistake (IMO). A very well turned out bike evoking nostalgia.

and then theres the gazelle - soo nice, great colour, lovely set up and altho' retro, could still cut it as a serious club run racer in todays world. Wish it were mine (too big anyway).

So, which to go for?? Viscount, thanks for the nostalgic memories

 

[chipper]

Easy this month , the Somec , by a country mile. Anyone can throw a NOS frame and groupset together (anyone with deep pockets that is ) and have a "period perfect " classic racer , but it takes skill and a real eye for detail to create a machine as classy as this . Love the paint job with the full chrome rear end and the subtle graphics. Extra kudos for the polishing on the cranks and brakes. Going for Record chainrings and seatpost instead of the more obvious Super Record is genius , gives the bike a real classic 70t's feel . One of the best bikes I've seen on the forum.

 

[roadking]

RBOTM.

Very interesting comments thus far, but I do find inconsistencies in the"criticism", on the one hand is RBOTM about originality or something else?

Perhaps the something else is subjectivity, clearly and this is not a negative critique, but surely the vote is largely subjective, I take the point about no pedals, saddle orientation, stem length, lever position (but stem length and lever position is about ergonomics and not looks - well in my case it is).

And how many here (or on any RBOTM) are"new"builds, one comment mentions about building up NOS frames etc. And how many bikes are older than their owners?

For my part, and my entry, we've been together since new and the bike, apart from its new spokes has not changed since it was rebuilt BITD with the then newly launched Shimano 600 groupset.

Very difficult to argue against subjectivity, my own preferences are for"British", having owned and had stolen a Bianchi BITD, Italian machines always look pretty, but to me a default choice based on"consensus"- like buying a BMW car (and I'm with Clarkson on that).

For me, I'll sit upon the fence as they are all very nice. If pushed then I prefer the one built by the TdF mechanic!

I look forward to"competing"again.

Rk.

 

[PACERC250T]

My vote

Somec for me - first time I've voted for a road bike on here; maybe because I now have 2 of my own...

 

[Citoyen du monde]

Very interesting comments thus far, but I do find inconsistencies in the"criticism", on the one hand is RBOTM about originality or something else?

Perhaps the something else is subjectivity, clearly and this is not a negative critique, but surely the vote is largely subjective, I take the point about no pedals, saddle orientation, stem length, lever position (but stem length and lever position is about ergonomics and not looks - well in my case it is).

If one gets a bespoke bike built, there are a number of things that no builder would accept to do. Most of these are related to how a bike is set up. It is on this basis that I say that certain set-ups are not "proper" from a custom bike point of view. If, as is the case here, you are largely dealing with bikes that are not custom made for the present owner, you WILL find people needing to make do to get the correct riding position with odd stem heights and lengths or odd positioning of the brake levers or other such elements. This does not mean that it becomes proper. Likewise for saddle orientation, speak to any saddle maker anywhere in the world and you will not find any that recommends anything other than a level saddle. They are aware that certain people will not be able to achieve a perfect level setting because of limitations of the saddle fixation (seatpin or clamp or whatever). Therefore if you are "showing off" your bike for public viewing, it only makes sense that you set the bike up in a way that a framebuilder or saddle-maker would expect them to be set up and would be happy to see them displayed. (BTW, your Raleigh has what I feel to be great set-up.)

And how many here (or on any RBOTM) are"new"builds, one comment mentions about building up NOS frames etc. And how many bikes are older than their owners?

For my part, and my entry, we've been together since new and the bike, apart from its new spokes has not changed since it was rebuilt BITD with the then newly launched Shimano 600 groupset.

I have a few bikes that I have owned for over 30 years, however they tend to be special application bikes that are not regularly used. All the bikes that I have owned long-term that have seen regular use have seen so many miles that there has been a need for large scale replacement of parts. This generally means that the parts were replaced with the best replacement parts that my pocket could afford at the time and that were current at the time of replacement. This usually meant an upgrade over the original components. In a few cases, as the bikes reach old age, when faced with the need to replace used parts, I have returned them to how they were originally assembled. Others have been upgraded with the newest and finest. The way I go on each particular bike is largely dependent on my pocketbook and the particular bike. If it is a noteworthy bike that is particularly relevant to its period of creation, I will usually return it to its original condition, if it is a rather common bike with no provenance or particularly relevant build characteristics, I will generally go the route of the best modern components that I can justify from an economic point of view.

Very difficult to argue against subjectivity, my own preferences are for"British", having owned and had stolen a Bianchi BITD, Italian machines always look pretty, but to me a default choice based on"consensus"- like buying a BMW car (and I'm with Clarkson on that).

For me, I'll sit upon the fence as they are all very nice. If pushed then I prefer the one built by the TdF mechanic!

I look forward to"competing"again.

Rk.

Consensus is achieved when a feature/event or in the case, a bicycle type, has been shown to represent an idea for a large number of people. I don't believe you can apply the word consensus to what pushes people to buy something coming from a country, there are simply too many differences on offer in teh various countries. Consensus could push people to buy from a relatively large producer like Colnago over what is arguably a better product from a smaller less-known builder like Somec. Consensus could push people to eschew perfectly good products like your Raleigh for flashier more exotic brands. I would also like to know what you define as being "British". When I look at your Raleigh, I do not see anything British whatsoever but rather a standardized world bike.

I too like the idea of a framebuilder also having some actual race experience as a mechanic, but I often find that years of experience with a spanner do not help at all with building a frame well, something that you only achieve after years and years.