Diane:

Now for some thoughts on the Seven:

Love the Fit: I hadn't ridden for any more than a couple of hours at time during the previous six months. The weekend after I picked it up, I went for a six-hour ride and had more fun than I'd had on a bicycle in a long time. After six hours in the saddle, no pain in my hands, neck, back, or "seat" - just the warm glow of fatigue.

Love the Ride: It seems to be the ideal combination of stiffness and comfort. I feel as though all of my pedaling energy is going into making the bike go forward, and just the right amount of road is transmitted through the frame. I really hadn't expected to notice "the ride," so this was a real bonus.

And the component group works flawlessly.

Regards, Greg Huth

Via Email 10/25/05

Thanks so much for sizing me and building the bike. I can't express how awesome it is: I really can't even feel it when I'm riding. What is especially cool is that the harder I ride, the better the bike feels. I mean, it is comfortable just cruising around, but it really fits well when I hammer.

Bart Kalnay (Diane's son-in-law)

Via Email 11/19/05

Diane & Brian:

Ann & I now have literally thousands of miles on our custom made bikes (Seven & Calfee) and it's about time we said THANK YOU in writing.

We well remember all the casual conversations in which you suggested that we should migrate to equipment that was customized for each of us, and our responses that we just didn't ride enough to justify the expense. Your response, gently, was always that our riding would increase with the pleasure of a well fitted bike.

OK, so fast forward. As you know we rode alongside the Tour de France in the Pyrenees this summer and our only mistake was not taking our own bikes! Riding has become our number one exercise/activity; so much so that I no longer work in a ride after golf...Now I work in a few holes of golf after a ride. And you know what a change that is for me.

When we get in the saddle, we both feel just about as free, really carefree, as any time in our lives. The bikes you built have literally changed our lives, and for the better!

Just one technical note: the way Brian is able to couple Campie (sp) brakes and shifters with the Shimano cassettes and derailleurs is simply brilliant and gives me at the best of both worlds.

Forever grateful, Ron Neill & Ann Harlan

Via Email 11/5/05

My kudos to you are long overdue. I started riding in a semi-serious way about ten years ago in New York, having just purchased a then-new Bianchi Veloce. When we moved to Cleveland nine years ago, we were introduced to you by some mutual friends. First a pair of shoes, then some other clothes, and all of a sudden I felt like part of the HubBub community, even before purchasing a bike.

About three years ago, we bought a custom Co-Motion tandem from you. While the size of a fire engine, it rode smoother and faster than my Bianchi. I also felt more in control and much more comfortable. Your custom fit allowed me to ride not through, but around my perennial back problems.

I made the intentional mistake of test riding a Seven Axiom two years ago, and boy did it put my Bianchi to shame. This spring, with a set budget, you helped me put together the most awesome riding machine I have ever been on. My spring rides are usually tortuous, with the first hills of the season leaving me gasping for air and cursing, but the new ride made my transition into the season smooth and painless.

Now that I'm in the heart of the season, it's hard to get me off of my Seven. With my back problems, I always had severe discomfort going into the drops. You worked painstakingly to ensure a proper fit in all positions on the bike, and boy, has it ever worked out. Up hills standing or sitting, down hills at 40+ mph and on the straights, the Seven kicks some major league butt.

Thanks for doing everything you do and for everything you stand for.

Scott Fine
Professor
Case Western Reserve University
Weatherhead School of Management.

Via Email 7/13/05