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Old 02-24-06, 11:45 PM
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cyclintom
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Originally Posted by velonomad
I have no experince with the new bikes. I had access to a 1962 and a 1974 Alex singer for reference when I built my light touring bike. Alex Singer himself is long dead but from what I hear they still make high quality bicycles. I know where you are coming from about " the last bike". 7 grand isn't outrageous for a high quality bike these days

Here is a field trip report about a visit to Alex Singer

http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/singer/
****! I was there and no wonder he was a little short with me when I tried to explain something to him (I thought that he didn't speak English very well.)

I never saw the sign over the doorway, just was walking by and looked into the window and saw that line of not very classy bicycles. I assumed it was just a neighborhood bicycle shop.

He got really huffy when I asked about a winter bicycling jacket. "They only come in in the fall" he said. Well, sure, but I was there in July.

I suppose they're used to people worshiping them because of the history of the brand. And to be truthful with you, had I realized that was Alex Singer (company of course it was in 2001 I believe) I would probably have done as everyone else.

I'll say this - the French build a type of bicycle called a Brevet bike. By that I suppose they mean those sort of distance rides which vary wildly in distance up to Paris-Brest-Paris which is what? 700 miles in 3 days?

Anyway, a Brevet bike is something to behold. They're really clean bicycles. They're designed to carry the rider and a lighting system and maybe a handlebar bag with some snacks in it. They ride very fast in order to complete these brevets almost like a race but not so professional. So a brevet bike is somewhat between a touring bike and a racing bike. They're built lightly but with somewhat extended geometry to allow some comfort on these long rides.

I've seen Alex Singers where every single part on the bike had the Alex Singer logo. Certainly they were as artistic a bicycle as is possible.
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