DRietz

I may not even be from SoCal, but I have ridden an Eriksen and I ride only with Campagnolo, but I have tried many other brands of bikes and components as well.

As far as components go, it's all subjective. If you're looking for the lightest group, go Red. If you're looking for the highest tech group, go DA. If you're looking for awesome looks, complete rebuild-ability, smooth shifting, and an array of affordable and racier options along with awesome customer service, go Campy. That's my opinion. Notice that? We all have those. Saying whether or not a shop is decent has nothing to do with the components they put on their floor bikes. Too each their own in that regard.

But as far as dissing Kent Eriksen goes, you're way off base. Sure, custom fabricated, made-in-the-USA titanium frames are way more expensive than a mass-manufactured, cookie cutter Taiwanese frame. Knowing Kent personally, and having spent a few days in his shop myself, I must say that his frames are like no other. The things that the man can do with titanium are practically unheard of, and the amount of effort he personally puts into a single frame is unmatched. I've seen him spend literally hours talking to a single customer, giving up his own ride time, and often working late into the night in order to nail down geometry as well as perfectly shape, cut, miter, jig, and align frames to give one of his 175 annual customers a truly unforgettable ride. There's something that happens to a person when they step over a perfectly designed and fabricated titanium frame - the feeling isn't the same as anything else you've ever ridden because the bike itself is dialed in just for you and the ride feel is different from anything else you've ever experienced. Personally, when I rode one of Kent's personal frames (albeit a SS, fully rigid 29er), it felt as if there was nothing beneath me, as if I was one with the bike. Plus, the painstaking attention to detail is unsurpassed.

Now, as far as you calling the shop "freds" for make "unnecessarily" (I believe I just proved the contrary) expensive bikes, I don't really think you know what a fred is. Being called a fred is a compliment, in all actuality. A fred is a person with no care or knowledge for his or her equipment, but rides faster than anybody in the A/B group mashfests. So, really, Mr. Beanz is a bit of a fred. His apparel contradicts that of most road cyclists, but look at that picture - who's the one about to get passed by a dude in orange smiley face socks? The one with full gear and, I assume, a Taiwanese manufactured frame that he got to "fit in." Plus, even as an avid climber myself, I'm pretty sure Mr. Beanz could kick my butt any day.

So really, your whole argument is just a huge contradiction because you're attempting to diss a shop for carrying high-end, high-quality goods, but instead you compliment them and dig yourself deeper.

Who cares if the shop calls their customers freds (albeit with an alternate meaning than the actual)? The people still shop there because the store obviously offers good service and good product. I mean, have you ever even been to this shop? Doubt it. Maybe you're the elitist.