Microfusione and Taiwan Lugs
02-15-13 | 12:51 PM
#1
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Microfusione and Taiwan Lugs
I was curious as to when the more classic (Colnago, Derosa, Cinelli, Gios, etc, etc) frame builders stopped using the Italian casting house Microfusione, and eventually went to having their lugsets made in Taiwan?
As I understand it, around the mid-eighties, this trend got underway, and apparently with this momentum, there are now no more lugs featured on any of the popular (Italian) 'traditional' racing frames being cast in Europe anymore. Boutique builders such as Pelizzoli, Zullo, Pegoretti. Marnarti, etc., source their lugs from Asia. Aside from excellent quality, I assume it is because of cost, primarily, and maybe the fact European casting factories don't handle the smaller orders that these modern lugged-frame builders generate.
Is that indeed the case? Are than any current makers still using Italian (or other European-made) lugs?
Understand, this isn't an issue with quality - it's simply one of what expertise remains in Europe since the heyday of those big names. I'm fully aware the high-end Asian lugs are of extremely high quality. That's fine. It's just interesting you can source a frame from a traditional Italian builder (such as Zullo) and the tubeset can be fabricated in Italy (Columbus) as well, but not the lugs.
It's an interesting situation...
As I understand it, around the mid-eighties, this trend got underway, and apparently with this momentum, there are now no more lugs featured on any of the popular (Italian) 'traditional' racing frames being cast in Europe anymore. Boutique builders such as Pelizzoli, Zullo, Pegoretti. Marnarti, etc., source their lugs from Asia. Aside from excellent quality, I assume it is because of cost, primarily, and maybe the fact European casting factories don't handle the smaller orders that these modern lugged-frame builders generate.
Is that indeed the case? Are than any current makers still using Italian (or other European-made) lugs?
Understand, this isn't an issue with quality - it's simply one of what expertise remains in Europe since the heyday of those big names. I'm fully aware the high-end Asian lugs are of extremely high quality. That's fine. It's just interesting you can source a frame from a traditional Italian builder (such as Zullo) and the tubeset can be fabricated in Italy (Columbus) as well, but not the lugs.
It's an interesting situation...
02-15-13 | 01:09 PM
#2
The "heyday" might well have been before investment cast lugs. Really depends on how you define it.
You are also neglecting the Japanese casting houses, it did not all go to Taiwan in one fell swoop.
You are also assuming the builder lament the evolution.
You are also neglecting the Japanese casting houses, it did not all go to Taiwan in one fell swoop.
You are also assuming the builder lament the evolution.
02-15-13 | 02:16 PM
#3
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I should have mentioned the Japanese, but I was painting with a large brush with the Asian reference (which in my mind included Japan and China, as well) and only using the Taiwan as the more recent quality-minded reference.
Actually I did not mean to suggest the builders were bummed with the change. I'm certain it really didn't matter to most, other than shipping fees and hassle factors.
Are any of the European casting houses still providing?
02-15-13 | 08:20 PM
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