bikes/frames similar to the Kogswell?
 

I'd like a Kogswell, but they received an entire shipment of frames that did not meet their standards. Good news is, they have standards and would rather lose a few sales in the short term than sell a product they're not proud of... as such, it looks like the bike for me (the 563) is delayed until next spring.

Absolute props to Kogswell for doing the right thing!

However, I'm impatient :) and want a project now!

All that said...

What other bikes/frames out there are similar in price, construction (all steel), and versatility?
FYI: http://kogswell.com/ -- $540 which includes frame, a fork, fenders painted to match, headset and seatpost


Is anyone familiar with Rawland?

http://www.rawlandcycles.com/_uls/st...and_sogn_1.jpg

Ooh they're both nice, too bad about the Kogswell problems. Kudo's to them though for not passing the bad frames off.


-How about building up something from an old MTB frame. I'm thinking of building an "absurd" touring bike based around a late 1990's GT frame now. Something like a GT Karokorum, or a GT Talera, or a GT Outpost Trail.

I figure if I shop around I should be able to pick up a semi complete bike for ~$150. Strip the components off the frame and take it a powdercoater for another $150 (if needed) then I'm ready to start.

That Rawland looks pretty cool. No specs yet and they don't appear to be shipping anything until 2008, so you might get your Kogs by the time these are available anyway.

Camel, sounds like a great project!

The thing for me tho, is I'd rather have a roadie-style frame than mtb. Also, I feel like splurging and ~$600 for a new frame and fork is in my budget :)

True! But I'm hoping someone here knows of something similar to either of those.

If you're into the 650b there's the Rivendell Bleriot.

Thanks.

That's sort of what happened.

During a routine QA check about half of a batch was found to have braze-ons that were not done correctly.

Those frames were trashed and they have been rebuilt and are on their way here.

The rest of that batch arrived and is now (or will soon be) in the hands of happy customers.

The frame shop that we use has done very nice work for us in the past. The first generation P/Rs were flawless. This batch was different in that the shop outsourced the brazing and they did not check the contractor's work.

Demand for frames in Taiwan is steep at the moment, second only to the demand here. So they're trying to scale up production and it didn't work. Does it ever?

We try to scale up production and we just get told to wait our turn.

The good news is that people all over the globe are riding their bikes more.

That's all for me. Time to go krank out some widgets.

I hate to do this, but you do realize that widgets actually exist, don't you? And not just in economics text books?

They're the things in your can of Smithwick's/Boddington's/Guinness/Murphy's/etc... that allow instant foaming upon the opening of a can!

FYI...

Don't you make cogs at Cogswell?

Anyway get working gotta beat that Spacely and his lacky Jetson.

Ahh, I understand now.

I'll be selling my Waterford 1900 within a few months. It will be sold more as a frame and wheelset than a complete bike. The components will likely need a complete swap-out, or parts wash for the ones which are salvageable. Nice bits included are Nitto stem, Nitto Randoneur (?sp) bars, Dura Ace bar ends (missing the plastic covers).

The BB/crankset bought on the road in Almaty Kazakstan is a low end MTB setup, so most folks would likely swap it simply for asthetic reasons. It was super nice gearing for climbing in Kyrgyz&Tibet though, it had a gorgeous older Deor triple on it, but the BB went (twice) and I couldn't find one to fit/wait there to have 1 shipped.

The wheelset is Peter White built 48 spoke around Phil Woods with I think Dyad Rims.

I've the wheelset out here, and the frame/components boxed in Boston-waiting for me to get a real address out here.

Let me know if interested, and I'll email you.

~No pics, my camera was stolen in Bangkok. But I'll borrow a camera when I go to sell her...

Ah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_%28beer%29

What will they think of next?

Oh, and now I have a sudden urge to down a can of Guinness. Great.

I was talking about Allenian widgets, those that can be metaphorically kranked out as one is Getting Things Done.

Rawland bike looks nice enough though i don't see all the touring BOs I would want. It seems another entry into the large talk, exceedingly simple frame, marketplace.