MOUNTAIN BIKE MAGAZINE

MAY 2000

WHERE IT'S AT: 676 Main St., Lafayette, IN 47901; 765/423-4488; 800/263-9254; http://cherry.dcwi.com

THE STUFF: We build hardtail mountain bikes and road bikes in steel and titanium, and we build custom bikes for track, trials, touring, cyclocross, etc.

PHILOSOPHY: I make an honest bicycle. I use the most-appropriate materials required, and make the bike as accurate as I can. People can feel the difference. Some have been riding their Cherry bikes for 10 years. They come in every once in awhile for a repair or new paint job, but that's it. That's the best part of being a framebuilder.

BUYING A HANDBUILT: I do what I do because I love bikes. It's an affordable technology. The average person can buy a handbuilt bicycle, but there's no way they could afford a handbuilt car.

TECHNOLOGY IS CRAP: All the technology that the big companies are promoting isn't technology, it's hype. I used to think it was cool, but I've become disillusioned with it. There isn't a shop in the U.S. with an employee who really understands suspension, yet everyone's got to have it. My latest project is a rigid fork. And singlespeeds. I've been riding singlespeeds for nine years. My Dear John model only comes with horizontal dropouts.

THE FRAME'S THE THING: There's a lot of focus on the parts: shifters, brakes, suspension. The frame is all about bearings and springs. A well-made steel frame with the proper wheels and tires will be just as comfortable to ride as a full-suspension, without all the unnecessary mechanical movement. But it's the bearings that make the ride worth it. Bottom brackets must be properly faced, and dropouts must be parallel to each other, otherwise you get sloppy handling and the bike will wear out faster.

THE FUTURE: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all this focus on technology will eventually wash out and people will come back to a simpler, better bike.

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Last Updated: September 11, 2004