Gunnar Cycles USA Message Board

"Class" issue here!

Okay, so I go back a long ways - quit racing and hence cycling (dumb move) in 1974.

The pinnacle then was to own a frame with a Reynolds 531 sticker on it. Anything else was refered to as 'gas piping' - a suggestion that utility companies used the stuff to move gas around to houses

Showing off your Reynolds frame was easy - the builders all put the "531" sticker on the seat-tube just under the top-tube. (the rest of the number soup were a long ways uptime then - it was 531 only!)

Nowadays - no-one who makes tubing seems to advertise on frames any more. My "Rockhound" has a Reynolds sticker on the seat tube - but at the bottom and under the front shifter My beloved "Sport" is made, it seems of round steel tubes called I know not what - but it hasn't anywhere near the cachet of Reynolds IMO. Some things are just 'right' - even if there's a good technical reason why "XXX" tubes are better than Reynolds (cheaper???)

So - why don't tubing makers come up with stickers, assuming they have any pride in their stuff? And if these stickers were available, they should appear on frames where they could be seen?

Aside on frame stickers - as I want to put my name on my baby. Anyone know a good sticker maker (???) who could do name decals in decently small sized decals ?

And why the trend of putting names at the back end of the top tube? The front end of the TT, where they aren't buried between pumping thighs seems more logical a spot.

Small points can matter! Any comments from the audience, management?

Regards

Dereck

Thanks for the comments Dereck!

When Gunnar was first launched in '98, they were full Reynolds 853, including the stays and such had 853 decals. Around 2000, True Temper began an aggressive program with their version of Air Hardenening steel alloy-OX Gold then OX Platinum. The frames became a blend of tubes from both vendors and the 853 decal was dropped.

Cost was not a factor. True Temper's willingness to push the technology envelope with us, listening to our design desires, their innovation, as well as the ease of doing business domestically was. Marc's design work with True Temper spawned the awesome S-3 tubeset in the Waterford R-33 as well as the new proprietary OS2 tubeset.

All current Gunnar models are built entirely from custom True Temper tubes. I like the idea of tube decals and we will get back to them.

We appreciate the feedback!

In various places in the Gunnar web site Reynolds 853 and True Temper tubing is specified. If only True Temper is used then the web site needs updating. Not complaining just think it would help clarify what goes into the bike. Actually I think it's kind of neat that an American company is using raw material from another American company.
Thanks,

Hi Dave
Thank you very much for the clarification. I figure I am allowed to be a sentimental old fuddy-duddy on this - can still remember the colour scheme, and much of the geometry, of the Bob Jackson I rode to my first cat licence.

That my last qualifying placing was also my last road race is something of another story....

The colour scheme was pretty basic, but you can only really do it on a lugged frame.

My Rockhound is Reynolds 853 - not that you can see the decal under the front derailleur! It's right down the bottom of the seat tube, and is covered by the FD's clamp

As to frame decals, no sweat as long as they are tasteful! Anyone seen the latest upmarket Treks? They are starting to look like NASCAR cars, with more sponsor decals than visible paint.

Looking to put 4,000 on the Sport this year - 260 to go (and two long weekends away )

Regards

Dereck

Dereck, what kind of a place are you working at. Before I hired you, I thought you could name the tube sets of all Gunnar and Waterford bikes, quote prices, and specs for BB and seat posts, your slipping in your old age.

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two Gunnars, one Waterford, And I still want more

Now I have to pay retail, I don't like to think of the prices

Working for a small office with a super-short commute, where I can go to work in my shorts if I want!

Snag is, I also get to look after Sue, who thinks that having a stay-at-home writer for a husband is GREAT!

While some things may change for the better, class will always out. Look at the car world - spend all you like on the latest tarted up Toyota, complete with Lexus badge, and who's impressed? Now show up with something with background and heritage - Audi, Morgan, etc or the pinnacle - a Rolls-Royce. Anyone with any taste will recognise them instantly.

Same with frame tubing. It's steel in a hollow circular fashion, bet any good steelworks worth its salt can turn out a decent enough job for any given spec.

But only Reynolds has a badge that declares who did it right up front, in a style that's been around for a long while (and SHOULD be placed at the top of the seat-tube, two inches below the top-tube junction ).

I suppose you could mix tubes - in my younger car fanatic incarnation, we'd cheerfully swap entire engines and the winner one year was the guy who got a Ford /Lotus engine into a Mini - a real Mini, not BMW's cartoon, of course. But there should be limits to the levels one may stoop to...

Talking of sheer class - I see Mercian in England are still offering their 'barber's pole' seat-tube trim. That was regarded as real "avant-garde" in the 1960's. It was a bit flash compared to the traditional seat-tube decor of a centrally placed contrast panel about 6" high, with a matching 1" wide ring another 1" spaced above and below the centre panel. The makers' decal would be centred in the wide panel. None of this sticking a contrast decal panel three-quarters up the seat-tube business

Reed - you still got that black Street Dog with gold components. Now that's a demo of (slightly unusual) taste.

Mostly, I want to go out and ride the one I got! Oh, yes, I kind of fancy a Roadie too - nearly have all the bits accumulated That new one was a geometry that suits me real close, and it looks good. How's about a mid-purple rear triangle and seat-tube, fade to cream just ahead of the ST all the way to the front, matching purple on the fork blades, fading to black just above the front forks?

Regards
Dereck

I am stripping my streat Dog down this weekend and painting it with my new airbrush. Call it practice for other things to come. I have my iwata airbrush and compressor just waiting for a shot at it.

Since I make my own hubs I am no longer running the gold wheels unless I am running my studded tires. I ditched the gold cranks for some Campy Record 2004. I know you will like that. Everything else is Thompson, cause there is nothing stronger.

There is a Henry James Jig coming to my house by the end of the year.

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two Gunnars, one Waterford, And I still want more

AAARRRGGGHHH!

Reed with an airbrush - the mind boggles! the sunglasses overstrain!

I idly mentioned the idea of building my own frame to the Supreme Being (Sue). She suggested I have one or two other things I show no sign of finishing off to deal with first ...

D

It has gotten bad over here. I am working on building my own, so the wife will not looser her mind. I figure if I have enough frames hanging around she will not notice the next new Waterford.

On a side note, my R/C habbit has gotten bad. I have been building RC rock crawlers. Trucks with high articulation axle set ups. Finished breaking the 40mph barrier with a 1/18th scale truck. So when she came home today to see a frame with no paint on it, and bedsheat being used as a drop cloth I was in for it.

I have been airbrushing anything I can get my hands on for about 4 or 5 months. Taped off the frame tonight, and layed on a base coat of primer.

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two Gunnars, one Waterford, And I still want more

I am moving to a house with a propper garage this year if I can. Then you can drop by for a visit with the wife, and play with the jig. I am sure you have an airbrush for your planes.

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two Gunnars, one Waterford, And I still want more