Okay not really.
I am thinking about it though.
Finding a frame is not easy.
Trust me, I've been trying.
Especially if you're in the area of bicycledom where you want or need something particular, off the rack frames may not have you need or desire.
Running concurrent with my Quest For All Things Celesteness(QFATC), the Quest for Frames(QFF) has been going on in Ernest.
As we all know, The Importance of Being Ernest often leads to good things.
Of course there are some criteria involved in the search for Earnestness: steel, Italian, traditional geometry, inexpensive.
At this time, it has been difficult to acquire all four.
Except for this:
Near as I can figure, this is some NOS stuff for Viner does not show this on their website. It is lugged and the carbon looking stuff on the seat stay is just that, stuff.
I was thinking of this as an interim frame, you know, while I save up the GAGILLIONS needed to complete my Ciao Gina! image.
Back when I had an Alpha Romeo, an automotive journalist called the seating ergonomics of Italian sports cars the "Ciao Gina!" position, so named for the seating position seemed designed more to impress women than to provide comfort.
Anyways, the head tube on that puppy above looks a bit small, I'm looking for something with a HT of about 100mm or so which led me to stray from my desired criteria and look at this:
The Masi is lugged which is nice, maybe too nice for an interim bike. You know, the bike I'll use until I strike oil or win the lottery, so I'm not sure I want to go there.
On the other hand, it is black and nasty.
On the other hand, I'm pretty sure it's made in Taiwan, Masi is now owned by Haro.
On the other hand, I could move up a size and take another centimeter of top tube for another centimeter of head tube.
Anyways, this is the inexpensive stuff.
All the other stuff puts me in a whole 'nother league of Poseurdom.
Which brings me to the next level of Poseurdom.
Most of these frames are in the 3.5 GAGILLION range, way outta my league, but they are also in the custom made for me league.
De Rosa, Colnago etc. all fall, as far as cost, into the custom zone.
I mean seriously, why buy off the rack, when you can order a custom made frame from a reputable frame dude?
A reputable frame dude like Carl Strong.
Now I've been following Strong ever since I found out about custom frames, and I'm getting ever so close to giving him a call.
Like I'm getting close to inventing cold fusion.
The thing is, I feel like I should spend some time on at least a couple of different road frames before I give ole Carl a ringy dingy.
I want to at least sound like I know what I'm talking about.
If you know what I mean.
The frame game.
So many things to obsess over!
Sort of like choosing a candy bar when all you can have is one.
2 comments:
In my experience the words Italian & Inexpensive are not normally found together in bike world.....
It's sort of like trying to find cheap Italian shoes.
It just ain't happening.
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