Define 'Handbuilt'

The History Man

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I'm thinking frames here.

When does a frame acquire this status? With the complexity of welds and variation in sizes are they built by anything other than hands?

Or just assembled?
 
The majority of frames are handbuilt. The only ones that are robot made are the very cheap mass market BSOs'.
 
Maybe 'mass produced' or 'boutique' would be easier to define? Or not.

Couture?
 
Yes, "Handbuilt" is misleading really, BFD, and is no guide to real build quality.
I'd prefer bespoke/custom/couture/craft as opposed to off the shelf/mass/factory produced.

Maybe it should be whether or not the builder knows the name of the client when they build the frame?

Or an even higher bar for me would be whether the builder has actually met the client...Jim Kish, (beautiful frames, no criticism implied) told me that he doesn't meet over 95% of his customers face to face, even though he builds them all one by one for specific clients. All done by email and Skype.

All the best,
 
I think that the term handbuilt means that the frame was manufactured by hand instead of automatic machines.
Custom building means that a frame was made (by hand) for a specific client according to the client's measurements and requirements.
I know a guy in the town who makes custom frames (bikes): http://merenyi.eu/en/
 
The frames I have just bought were made to measure for the guy I got them from and boy does it make a difference! He's my size and stature so was very lucky. 6'3".

So, hand built, custom built couture boutique frames. . :?:
 
danson67":25pf95xw said:
Maybe it should be whether or not the builder knows the name of the client when they build the frame?



All the best,
And conversely, whether or not the client knows the name of the builder.
Even more important, I would say...
 
The History Man":1loloc8d said:
The frames I have just bought were made to measure for the guy I got them from and boy does it make a difference! He's my size and stature so was very lucky. 6'3".

So, hand built, custom built couture boutique frames. . :?:

Pug and Raleigh?
Nice score!
 
Overbury's and Alves actually. One owner from new. Been in the loft for years.

Made my day. Overbury's in use. Alves will be by end of the month.

Both makers sadly defunct.
 
I tend to use the term hand made, rather than hand built, but I think custom or bespoke are probably more accurate.
 

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