Cross dressing...

Without too much emotional discomfort, I built my Pace up using all Ringle bits.

People generally rabbit on about Pace frames needing to be built with British and European parts, and whilst part of me would tend to agree with such a notion I am happy not to have followed it in this instance.

However, I am finding it really difficult to build a USA frame with British bits and bobs...

Anyone else find that?

I know that USA manufacturers and frame builders themselves in the day would spec foreign bits (well, Canadian) but how do people feel about using middleburn, pace, goldtec etc on USA frames?

It's an east coast frame in this instance, so part of me thinks it's
Ok because of the whole tea connection, but I'm uneasy none-the-less.

Opinions...?


BB

Interesting.

As a rule I'd tend to build a UK frame with British parts and a US with North American parts. But both with Japanese components.

No hard and fast rules though, remember spamming up a US frame with Hope and Middleburn bitd.

This thread needs pics though

yeah defiantely need pics.

i wouldnt have a problem with it. in the early days we lusted after usa made frames but the mags hyped up the British manufacturers as well. I dont think it was uncommon to see say a zaskar with hope, x lite and middleburn bits

There's something in what you say.

Take a Saville Row suit by someone like Norton and Sons, it just doesn't sit right on anyone living outside of Chelsea. Yes the cut would be perfect, the fit exquisite but it would just look wrong. Be it a poorly considered tie and cuff links or perhaps that it would simply be out of context when worn shopping to Ikea. In the same way Prince Charles, a dandy if ever there was one, looked an utter wally and somewhat uncomfortable when presented with a Kangol hat several years ago, whilst his son William wore one with an effortless aplomb.

What you need is a Sloane Ranger's Handbook, something that can advise the average Retrobiker on the street how to "dress" correctly. Those little social nuances that one is simply never taught though come effortlessly to someone from an established family. For example to wear a soft hat before Goodwood is as ill advised as building a Tioga Disc Drive on to a Hope hub when every Retrobiking boulevardier knows the only acceptable hub to use is a Hugi.

Ed Edwards should be urged to re-commence his "build it like Ed" essays as a service to those keen on joining the Retrobiking classes without making the social faux pas of standing out, and therefore forever branded, as a nouveau arriviste.

Personally, I would never consider Ed as having 'style'.

That there is your 'faux pas' methinks...

I've seen a few frames from the US built with UK parts. Same the other way round.

I think alot of it looks good.

The formulaic and easier way is to build by grouping (British+British, US+US etc) but I'd say its a harder skill building by aesthetic rather than provenance or period. Its a varied territory between throwing enough stuff at a bike and building something cohesive. Definably the more interesting bikes, doesn't seem to sit well with alot of folks either. Pace seems to suffer from the formula builder and the Aquafade Yo with turq ano.

Goodpoint well made there kaiser.

I suppose. To a point you could say the same about tyres?

Alot of Zaskars I see have Psychos on them. It's something that appears to naturally happen. Like the Pace and Yo things.

(Though I think Turquoise ano on Aquafade looks wrong.)

British/Italian/Japanese?

I tend to build with the components I think work best for me or what i have int garage like my astars cro mega(usa) with shimano/suntour(jap) velocity wheels(ausi) hub and saddle(italy),
but i decided to build my smokestone(uk) a bit closer to home apart from the gears which i would like to be mavic, the rest is
with middleburn, xlite, hope(uk)mavic(frc),flite(italy),magura(D)xtr(jap).
I would love a complete british build but i dont think it can be done (especialy on my budget)
unless mikee fancies knocking me up some good ol british tech at mates rates that is
Lee.