Originally Posted by mattface
Not trying to be unique. I like what I like. You like what you like. I don't think Quickbeam lovers are wrong to love it, so why do they seem to care that I don't care for it?
For the record:
1. I don't dislike Rivendell at all. and as for Jobst, The XO-1 is one of my favorite bikes of all time.
2. I know it costs a lot to make a quality frame, but I will never consider $800 inexpensive. I fully appreciate the quality that goes into a Quickbeam, but I'll never consider buying a frame that expensive unless I'm absolutely in love with it.
3. Chrome bags look nice, but they're a tad expensive
Prices are an interesting topic, and I certainly am not anyone to say what you should spend. The geared and so potentially OT Bridgestone XO-1 (no flames, please), designed by Petersen, in 1993 was priced a little above $1100 (the XO-3 was $650 b/c of cheaper materials/parts). That was 13 years ago. Regarding on-topic current SS/FG, a Surly steamroller frameset is around $410, so I figure it costs with nice components around $700-900. The Redline Monocog and the coming 9-2-5 are around $500-$600 new, complete. Those are all good bikes. Not too different in price, really. Getting a used bike is the least expensive way to go, but it depends upon a previous buyer and market for that bike. It also depends on finding one, which means finding either one on-line and buying sight unseen or being in an area which has used ones around. Sometimes, that is the case, most times it is not.
Apparently, enough people seem to think that $1200-$2000 is not too much to spend on a frameset, because there are more and more framebuilders out there. It's actually beginning to make certain US-made frames look downright a steal at $600-$700. For something that will last you your whole life, that's not too bad. Building good bikes can't be great business, because they last so long
Now I'm wondering if there has been a Redline 9-2-5 threads yet. Hmmm...