Steve
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 9
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[I posted this on the Serotta forum also, my apologies to those of you who read both.]
I'm narrowing my road bike search down, and it is now down to Strong (steel), Nobilette (steel), and a Dean steel or Ti frame. I talked with Carl Strong last night, and had an extremely good impression - very friendly, open to discussion, seemed to be very low-key and kind of self-deprecatingly funny. We talked about materials, and the process, and how it works. So, I've had the word from his side, but I'd like to hear from the side of the buyer.
Did you get what you want? Was he good about interpreting your nebulous descriptions of stiffness, aesthetics, ride, fit, etc. and putting together a frame that worked for you? What are your opinions on the ride, and how does it compare to your previous/current bikes? Do any of you race, and how does it feel for that?
I'm coming at this from a viewpoint of a racer who likes the look of steel frames, so in theory I will ask him to push the weight as low as he can go w/o crossing his threshold for durability, and pushing the stiffness as high as he feels comfortable, without losing the ride quality.
[Also, why don't you see more of these on the road? Carl said he only makes about 300/year, but I live in Colorado, where it seems like every imaginable bike is prowling the streets, so I'm surprised that I don't see more of them]
Steve
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Well I live in Pittsburgh and I never heard of them. That could be one reason you don't see more. It is only recently that people look at my Calfee and a few know the name.
He probably could not make many more than 300 a year and do it the way he wants. So he is not looking for a big market but rather a steady market.
When the Calfee forum first started I saw how limited production bikes find nitches in the country. For example in Westchester County NY there are a lot of them. There is one dealer that is good and has sold a lot. The word spread and others bought and so forth.
My guess would be there just have a nitch where you live for whatever reason. If you buy one and tell other people who tell others etc. you might start one. Pittsburgh now has a Calfee Dealer because the owner saw my bike. He dropped Colnago and picked up Calfee. So now eventually Pittsburgh will start to have a nitch.
I would buy a steel custom frame from the person I could talk with as you did Carl. There is a frame builder that is well known in the Philadelphia area. He was recommended to me by an editor of Bicyclist when it was published. He likes to meet a person "in person" see them, ride with them, and go out to dinner all to know what you want in a frame. If I were you ask Carl if you can come and visit and maybe ride together.
You can still visit Waterford and work with Richard Schwinn. Again they ask you all sorts of questions on your riding etc. and custom fit you.
Good luck. Some day I might have a steel bike. For now it is carbon for me.
Take care.
Lon 
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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I should say I've seen his ads. I just never met anyone talking about or riding one.
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Spoiler
new member
Reged: 02/05/04
Posts: 15
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This forum
http://www.usedcyclinggear.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1
has many poster who know a lot about Strong frames. In fact Carl donated one of his frames for a raffle to help sponsor the forum. You could ask this question over there. They may be bias, but before he started sponsoring, he got rave reviews. I don't know if you have heard of Anvil bikes, http://www.anvilbikes.com
He used to help sponsor that forum and you really should consider him also.
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Steve
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 9
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I was considering Anvil (he is about 30 miles from me) but his prices are now $1750 for a frame. Too expensive for my budget...
Steve
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sn69
friend
Reged: 04/03/04
Posts: 28
Loc: San Diego, CA
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I'm not sure he's building frames any more. I seem to remember reading that his fixture business was booming and he was set to concentrate on that alone.
True?
--------------------
Scott Needle,
nobody of particular importance
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Steve
new member
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 9
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The story I heard from a fellow at Excel Sports who talks to Don Ferris and owns an Anvil frame was that the fixture business was booming, and to make the frame business pay about the same, and so that it didn't take away from the fixture business, income-wise, he had to raise his prices. So, I think that he is still building frames, but just trying to do more fixtures.
Steve
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DWF
new member
Reged: 12/23/03
Posts: 1
Loc: Colorado
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Pretty close to the truth. The real deal is that when the fixture business really took off a couple/three years ago, I continued to build frames. In hindsight, this was not a good idea as I simply got myself too overloaded with work and if there was any type of problem, i.e., I screwed something up, a machine broke down, something was damaged/lost during shipment and had to be replaced, or I was sick for a week, etc., I just got further and further behind schedule pissing off frame & tool customers alike. I couldn't stay on schedule and couldn't provide decent estimates on when orders would be ready. Not good.
Though I had hired help and new machines, the tool business just continued to grow and kept us at max capacity. It's funny to think about it, but I started out in '98 building tools on just my old manual mill. Now we have 3 CNC mills and a CNC lathe, manufacture close to 200 different parts completely in house, and we still have trouble keeping up. Last fall I finally decided I had to make a decision to either build tools or build frames and the framebuilding was cut. This was a harder decision than it sounds as tooling business came about as a result of my dissatisfaction with the tools available for framebuilding. I wanted to build better frames so I wanted better tools and began building them and in the end, I've had to just about give up building frames to make the tools. Ironic. Anyway, I still consider myself a framebuilder, but being a toolmaker is how I earn my crust.
My frame prices have gone up but it's a moot point. I only build now for previous customers, friend, & family though I do take on the occassional new frame commissions that I find just too cool to pass up.
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Gregario
new member
Reged: 02/05/04
Posts: 6
Loc: Kalamazoo, MI
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Hey Don, Glad to hear your business is doing so well. I'm putting on the miles on my Chisel, lately been riding it more than the Colnago I also purchased. Good luck to you!
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