Originally Posted by Dave Kirk

I agree - it is a fair question. I certainly don't want to imply that questions like this should not be asked or that builders should not be questioned.

I can't help but look at this from the perspective of the framebuilder. When someone comes to me and tells me all about themselves and how the bike will be used I will then tell them how I feel we should design the bike and what materials should be used. Often the rider will ask me why I made the choices I have and I'm happy to have the question and give the answer. If at that point the rider says they feel I've picked the wrong tubes and they want to go forward with a different tubeset I would politely decline to build the bike and give them their money back allowing them to find someone else.

I feel the job of the f-builder is to give advice based on experience and then build the best bike they can for the rider so that the rider will be happy with the purchase in both the short and long term. If I feel the tubeset the customer wants is not the best choice this undermines the end result.

I think it boils down to there being at least two business models for f-building - a full custom builder that gives advice and does what he feels is best for the rider and the contract builder that will build whatever the rider asks for out of the materials the rider asks for. Both are viable models but I'm only comfortable with the first model.

dave