tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post1554046035488967365..comments2024-03-27T11:44:15.723-04:00Comments on The Retrogrouch: Vintage Snobbery: Ted Baker - Quella Vintage Style RacersBrookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-41937345787631847242015-11-19T18:06:29.019-05:002015-11-19T18:06:29.019-05:00thanks for that link -- good to know.thanks for that link -- good to know.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-10962332506597018212015-11-19T17:44:23.863-05:002015-11-19T17:44:23.863-05:00According to this article, after some QC control i...According to this article, after some QC control issues with chinese manufacture, they started using a Taiwanese framebuilding factory that may or may not be where Soma frames are made. They are finished in Cambridge.<br />The tyre clearance is incomprehensible, but perhaps makes sense if you imagine that they don't know much about what makes a bike functional, and that they are used to making frames with track fork ends rather than dropouts. Its a lot of money for a bog-standard 4130 frame with some nice parts and fancy finishes. <br /><br />Finally, the British use the same angles as everyone else, and that seat tube is clearly not 58º<br /><br />http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/quella-seeking-independent-bike-store-partners/014818#after-adSimon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04604488469108285983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-42940856310984567062015-09-28T14:46:09.869-04:002015-09-28T14:46:09.869-04:00Well its not perfect its still a beautiful object....Well its not perfect its still a beautiful object. Style over substance? Perhaps a little... But perhaps it rode very well.<br /><br />Not for me tough, i'll stick with my old stuff. Especially a that price.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00518909092982637229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-73864207255128002452015-09-12T19:21:47.685-04:002015-09-12T19:21:47.685-04:00The bike looks like a cynical attempt to cash in o...The bike looks like a cynical attempt to cash in on the vogue for "retro". As has been pointed out, the kind of person who buys it will know nothing about bikes, care only about the look and sell or store it after riding it (to the café, not doubt) a few times.<br /><br />The good news is that if you really want one of these bikes, it will be cheap on eBay in about ten years.<br /><br />As a fellow Mercian rider, I second what Brooks says: You can get a much better version of the Ted Baker from Mercian as well as other classic builders like Bob Jackson--for about the same amount of money, or even less. And the Mercian or Jackson (or bike from other traditional builder) will fit you much better!Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-91774658774730337622015-09-12T18:25:36.130-04:002015-09-12T18:25:36.130-04:00I'd lump this bike in the same category as the...I'd lump this bike in the same category as the new retro Bianchi L'Erocia as being a design effort 1/2 done right. To me they both missed what some buyers could have expected. They put centerpulls on this bike to make it look old and chose a close tire clearance to make it look more of a "racer" to the general public. It's not what a vintage bike enthusiast might have done, but it gave them the look they wanted. After all it's all about looks not function in a bike like this. Flashy sells.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697619572514452752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-32898545635307712932015-09-12T16:34:41.303-04:002015-09-12T16:34:41.303-04:00Your assessment is less harsh, but I don't nec...Your assessment is less harsh, but I don't necessarily disagree. But I think calling the lugs Nervex (I'm pretty certain they aren't) reveals a certain ignorance of classic bikes - and if I'm right, then it's misleading. <br /><br />I don't think the geometry chart is correct at all. The seat tube angle is probably 73.<br /><br />About the center pulls - doing it for vintage look is disingenuous and pointless if one doesn't also get a little more clearance. Even if one doesn't want fatter tires, the extra clearance wouldn't hurt anything, or slow the bike down, but still has other benefits. Besides, the truly vintage bikes that used center pulls had the extra clearance to go with them. <br /><br />I do enjoy modern-but-retro bikes (I have a couple) but I think they can be done better than this one. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-34155858445095534992015-09-12T14:22:02.644-04:002015-09-12T14:22:02.644-04:00Harsh group here. This bike wasn't designed no...Harsh group here. This bike wasn't designed nor built for the vintage bike collector (as you'd buy a new retro bike anyways?) It's built to look pretty, be used by someone for occasional outings and then be stored in a closet till it's sold after being used 10 times. Tire clearances etc don't matter as it's doubtful the owner will even go through the first set of tires it come with. Not everyone feels they need FAT tires on their bikes nor wants too either.<br /><br />It's a retro bike, nothing more. Pretty much like many companies building something cool, hip and in for the upscale buyer that wants something off the showroom floor that looks old. Personally I like the copper plating, Doesn't matter if it turns green or not and should be fine if not left in the rain for weeks on end. Lugwork is ok, but nothing exceptional and again it doesn’t matter if they used original nervex lugs or not but maybe they should have said "Nervex Like” to appease all the critics.<br /><br />I agree on the geometry chart, seems very odd frame design if those numbers are true. The seat angle is way to slack to ride well, but maybe for a city bike not going fast........ Centerpull brakes just add to the retro look, I'd have used a nice set of side pulls instead.<br /><br />Again this bike is a design statement more than a practical bike to use daily and like so many retro designs it’s made to hang on the wall to look at, that’s all.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697619572514452752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-63305632065457515592015-09-11T08:56:36.561-04:002015-09-11T08:56:36.561-04:00That seat lug is the giveaway for me - with its ca...That seat lug is the giveaway for me - with its cast-in binder ears. That's an investment cast lug, I'm just about as certain as I can be. I can't find a good close image of the head lugs, but I'm sure they're the same. Nervex lugs, my foot.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-60424132444390664692015-09-11T08:18:34.673-04:002015-09-11T08:18:34.673-04:00This is where consumer knowledge is key. Those lug...This is where consumer knowledge is key. Those lugs cannot be true NOS. Your assessment is spot on. teamdarbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10730985048207207697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-36946361774906836382015-09-10T14:49:02.437-04:002015-09-10T14:49:02.437-04:00That's actually a nice thing about the Mercian...That's actually a nice thing about the Mercians is that you can go plain, fancy, or something in-between - and still have a lot of choice on paint colors and schemes. The Audax is probably the most basic. The KoM with the heart cutouts, or the Strada with the clover leaf cutouts are a nice middle ground. Vincitore gets pretty fancy and isn't to everyone's taste. You still have to figure in the exchange rate, and count on shipping (they go FedEx for international shipping) which adds a bit. But for a hand-crafted bike made to measure, they're a great deal.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-38181291793534454212015-09-10T14:44:32.284-04:002015-09-10T14:44:32.284-04:00You're right, it has to be Taiwanese with thos...You're right, it has to be Taiwanese with those high end components. BTW, I learned about Mercian through your blog and I cannot believe the price they sell for being British-made, custom-made, have lug work, and fancy paint schemes. They are too fancy looking for my tastes (I'm an introvert), but they are a heck of a deal. Maybe a nondescript Audax version for me one day. Or a King of Mercia since my last name means "friendship" and it has the heart cutouts.Jonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07307334299209239493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-57904346244579293742015-09-10T13:40:24.043-04:002015-09-10T13:40:24.043-04:00Though it certainly is not cheap, the price is one...Though it certainly is not cheap, the price is one of the reasons I'm guessing the frame is Taiwanese. Campy crank and shifters don't come cheap, and a British built frame with all that plating would probably push the price higher.<br /><br />That geometry chart makes no sense -- then again, neither does having only 2 sizes for such a wide range of people.Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-20407396950581427322015-09-10T13:32:14.829-04:002015-09-10T13:32:14.829-04:00Brooks, you are definitely being anti-snob as this...Brooks, you are definitely being anti-snob as this reeks of being a design exercise and publicity idea by a fashion designer and therefore is being sold to snobs. Actually, I'm surprised it isn't priced much higher, like a luxury good would be. Apparently, bikes are now accessories like a purse or cufflinks?<br /><br />It's pompous crap like this bike that keep bicycles from being more accepted by everyone. Now I'll be run off the road because I'm in the way AND I'm a pompous dandy for riding luxury goods.<br /><br />I like how the bike's geometry shows track dropouts while the bike has multiple cogs and is clearly vertical dropouts in the photo. And who knows where those seat tube angles are supposed to be.Jonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07307334299209239493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8492685525705691186.post-4934517450093745792015-09-10T12:40:15.151-04:002015-09-10T12:40:15.151-04:00That's a vintage-style racer, as imagined by s...That's a vintage-style racer, as imagined by somebody that has no hands-on experience with one.<br /><br />No sense of cohesiveness to it. Maybe it rides nice, but it seems like they really were going for a "looking-at" bike, not a "riding" bike. And, as such, I think they missed the mark. <br /><br />Subjective thoughts: <br />I don't like mixed housings, they should all match. <br />Look at the wheel-base on that. I bet it's a squirrely ride.<br />I am the type that's "always silver components, everywhere" but the silver headset doesn't look right with the copper. <br />Too much copper plating. It may develop an interesting patina. It may not. I surely don't think it will handle too many bangs against a bike rack (or other bikes), or road mung being cleaned off of it. It maybe would have been a better effect if they toned it down (a lot).<br />Fork is boring and modern-styled.<br />I agree RE: tire clearance. It doesn't need to fit fatties, but they could have allowed a bit more space up in there.<br /><br /><br />I do appreciate the use of the quill stem and the real headbadge, though. Nice touches Also, I like centerpull brakes.<br />For that much money, you're getting into the realm of really good bikes. And I am skeptical that this bike could compete with really good bikes. <br /><br /><br /><br />Wolf.N/Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14710395292374599493noreply@blogger.com