Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
A lot of folks seem to be saying they can not see any real difference between a hand-made frame and fork, made with hours of careful work by a skilled craftsman, and the cheapo generic frames and forks pouring out of Asian factories by the thousand.
That "dumbing down" of American consumers may explain why there is a McDonalds on every street corner in America and a Wal-Mart just up the block..."honest, a McD burger tastes just like fresh ground sirloin"...."These pleather shoes from Wal-Mart are just as nice as a pair of hand-made calfskin loafers made in Milan"....sigh...
I don't see it as a "dumbing down" as much as a fact of reality. A well made frame paired up with the right fork spec (rake) will ride extremely well. There's no reason to assume that a boxed bike will ride poorly, especially if you or the retailer take the time to set it up to your style of riding and your body. Now, that said, I have always stated that nothing will ever ride as well as a nicely made custom frame made to fit you and you alone. I've known folks who have gotten "stock" frames from custom builders and then sold them because they didn't like the way they rode. It cuts both ways. Fitting yourself to the bike is always the key to me... but that is just my opinion (which is open to shredding apart now).
As for the decals for that Gran Crit- I can send you a set, just gimme an address and the color you intend to paint it. I'll find something.