I may be talking out of school here, but I think there are four main differences between the Toyo/Waterford frames and the Taiwanese frames: design, materials, construction and finish.
First, and perhaps most importantly, the Taiwanese models all have upsloping top tubes. The upsloping top tubes allow a wider range of riders to achieve an upright position on the same size frame. This means that Riv doesn't have to carry as many sizes, and I'm sure that Riv saves money by simplifying inventory management. But the net result is an aesthetic compromise. That's not to say that the Taiwanese bikes are unattractive. I think they're beautiful. I just find level top tubes more beautiful. Second, the tubesets are made from heavier gauge steel that is not heat-treated. I am not a metallurgist or framebuilder, and I don't pretend to know nearly as much about this as many of the Bunch, but heat-treated steel provides more "efficient" strength. You can build an equally strong frame with lighter gauge steel. Third, the Taiwanese bikes are brass-brazed rather than silver- brazed. Silver brazing can be done at a lower temperature, and does not affect the strength of the steel. Brass brazing requires a higher temperature and does have an effect on the steel matrix. Fourth, the finish on the Taiwanese bikes is a bit less fancy. I don't think that this is a very important issue, because they're fancy enough. But there is a difference. For these reasons, I'd really like to see a higher-end touring frame in the Riv line-up. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
