Neither is hand brazing a frame! I'm an engineer as well (mechanical, so I'm not supposed to believe in electricity), and since I'm in the semiconductor industry, repeatable processes are critical in all phases of the game, from critical part manufacture through wafer processing.

For me, that's part of the appeal of bicycles, especially vintage ones. There's a human touch, an art to it. I solder my connectors because you can't crimp 2mm banana plugs. I use 2mm banana plugs because they're small, elegant, and easy to hide. I use connectors so I can remove my rear fender or my front fork without having to remove all of the wiring. I don't use tie wraps because I like to hide my wiring.

Yeah, it a lot harder than just using the length of wiring that comes with the bike, winding it around fork blades and tie wrapping it with a service loop somewhere. Functionally, that method works just fine, and one can do a nice, neat job of it. That's what I'd recommend to most anyone.

I like the aesthetic of hidden wiring, and am reminded of this quote:

“Perhaps it's good for one to suffer. Can an artist do anything if he's happy? Would he ever want to do anything? What is art, after all, but a protest against the horrible inclemency of life?”

Aldous Huxley

gugie, wannabe artiste and construteur