suburbanreuben":12f65zbx said:
Russell":12f65zbx said:
Jb666 got a frame designed, built and fookin' copper plated in less than 5 months.
And it will be that long again before he has the balls to ride it...
sorry for the thread resurrection, it was linked in another thread but i have to say this comment irked me a little (if there was a smily wink next to it then it wouldn't have so i assume it's a relatively serious comment)
EDIT, the comment i am referring to is by suburbanreuben, about having balls, i'm making this clear as the quote marks don't make it obvious
i ride all my bikes, some more than others, currently the Demon will not be getting used much as it's winter and it was always gonna be my main summer ride because i have my clockwork for winter duties now. that said, it's first proper ride was at the Long Mynd retro meet, a very muddy cow crappy day, it's already done the Island about 3 times including a very muddy mission with Pyrotim, it's already been above the £1150 hubs in flood water through Brockenhurst in the new forest. that good enough for you?
i shouldn't have to justify my riding habits and choices to another member, it never bothers me if people ride their bikes or display them, it's up to them what they do with them.
anyway having read the whole of this thread i'll chuck my 2 pence in.
@russell, the demon was a little longer than 5 months, i put the deposit down in late december and was hoping for june so 6 months but i actually got the frame in september, but we did change things throughout the build and i struggled to choose the finish, but i always said to Tom that because i had plenty of bikes to choose from at home i was happy to wait to get what i wanted. he also built 2 show winning bikes in this time aswel, not to mention other customer bikes, i knew mine was being fitted in 'as and when' was convenient to Tom
regarding painters, the main ones people seem to use are:-
Argos, bob jackson, graphic shack, colortec
my opinions are:-
Argos, i have had several frames done by them, none have taken a huge amount of time, all i have been pleased with quality wise and all have stood the test of time chip wise and some are several years old now. that said one is not quite the shade i wanted but then that was the only one i posted to them so i think something was lost in deciding on the shade, shit happens.
bob jackson, cheaper than argos, i like the finish they get but i personally don't rate their stickers and they won't use Gil M's stickers, so now i am happy to use them for one colour jobs where i am happy to sticker the frames myself, turn around again has been fine.
colortec, i first used them years ago via roberts, good turn around and the work was faultless (unfortunately this frame died) the next time i used them the business had changed hands as the old owner i believe had died, i asked for the same paint job, the finish of the paint was the same, very good but they cocked up one of the letters on the stickers and didn't correct it, it doesn't look that bad though. i used them one more time and it was a cash job, it was quite quick but the finish was ok but the stickers were really bad, loads of the cut outs in the letters weren't done, you could see where the vinyl cutter marks were where certain sections should have been taken out and they hadn't been removed, disappointed but it was very cheap.
graphic shack, i haven't used these guys but i am very impressed with their work that i have seen on here and in the flesh. i intend to use them the next time i need a job doing, not because i don't want to use argos or bob but because i think they can do what i want doing better than the others for the job i have in mind.
overall regarding the question posed by the BB the original poster, time scale, i would say ask at the time of dropping off, and then add a few weeks, also, don't wait for them to phone you, it's a mistake that alot of companies in the bike trade make, not phoning, it's annoying but shit happens. personally i always used to phone my customers when i ran a bike shop, but then we had a lack of space meaning get the bike out the door and get it paid for so you could get the next one in asap.
my view was always pop in if possible to ask for an update, get to know them, this helps, it shouldn't make any difference but i think it does, regarding phoning, phone for an update but don't badger them cos you'll know they'll be thinking in the back of their mind 'bugger off'! another thing that puts pressure on them politely is saying it's your only bike, it justifies why you're phoning them regularly.
these comments all come from experience of dealing with them from time in the bike trade and out of it and i hope they help someone form an opinion of whether to use these guys, of these four, the only one i wouldn't recommend now is colortec, the others i believe are good at what they do.
