Oh The Places You'll Go... (long post)

So instead of another post talking about how I've been super busy, life's hectic, I haven't done as much frame building, but stay tuned.... I thought I'd spend a little time talking about product differentiation. It's never a bad thing for a company (or individual) to come up with new ideas, push limits and boundaries, and try to keep things moving forward. And with every progression comes a time when that person or business can say "Hey, check this out! It's cooler and better than the other guys!" But when the differentiation is either just plain different to be different, or possibly even comes with a downside, then why bother? That is, unless we reallyneed to be different so badly, that it's worth paying more to have a thing of less quality. Before I get to some examples, don't get me wrong here. I'll be the first to admit that it's cool having things that set me apart from all the other 25-30 year old, middle class, caucasian, males out there. But not when doing so sets me apart in a negative way.

I was looking through the wonderful eye candy of the 2010 NAHBS pictures, and came across some gorgeous examples of skill, creativity, ingenuity, and of course, many ways of differentiating one builders frames from another's. There is the obvious material differences, paint differences, component selection, and tube shaping. But there is also differences of welding in extra tubes or bits to either enhance the strength, ride, or even nothing but aesthetics. However, I also saw a few examples of doing something negative, just to get attention. I borrowed a few pictures from Dirt Rag's coverage of the event to illustrate what I feel to be a negative direction for frame building as a whole.

I don't mean to call anyone out in particular, or start a rapper style war. But when I see things like this seat tube cutout, leaving just a hair of material left, I have to wonder about the intentions. Strength/stiffness/weight, this is definitely worse off. Aesthetics, well that's a bit objective, but if I were to sacrifice that much for looks, I'd at least want the curve of the cutout to match up with the curve of the wheel. Would having a plated 29er with track bike clearances set you appart? Absolutely. In a good way?.... well, I'm sure you could find someone out there that would think this is cool.

Again, I fully appreciate the fact that from 20 feet away, most steel frames start to look pretty similar. And I'm all for something neat to set you apart. Hell, even if it adds a few grams, as long as it really makes you happy. But sometimes paint matching and shape matching the "power bulge" of your Rock Shox fork on your head tube, and adding what appear to be cable rubbing bars, so the cables rub a different part of your expensive paint, doesn't seem to be a progression and argument to buy custom.

Working in the bike industry, I get to see plenty of examples of details that set one companies frames apart from each other, but add nothing to the actual performance/weight/functionality of the bike, and sometimes end up making one of those aspects worse. I understand the cutthroat nature of corporate production, and appreciate being able to stay competitive. And hell, at this point, I'd expect a corporation to do change things on a frame without truly understanding the consequences that change could have on either riding or working on that particular bike. It's not like everyone in a business that large rides and works on their own bikes. But when a small frame builder - with hopefully a passion for bicycles and the desire to balance the drawbacks of a design to the minimum - starts doing things like this, I'm personally disappointed.

Everyone has their own flavors, and that's what makes getting a custom frame awesome. You can match up with someone of similar taste/personality, and get exactly what YOU want. But what I'm afraid of, is that the NAHBS (while doing a great service of bringing custom frame building to the people/media) is, or could go in the direction of creating even more of an incentive for a builder to do something outlandish, just to get some attention at their tiny booth in the sea of like minded competitors.

As beautiful as some of these things are, compromises are being made. And there's nothing wrong with that, just so long as you know and appreciate them. I just hope that the circus aspect of this sort of thing doesn't push the builders out there that take it upon themselves to design a well fitting, well riding, and functional piece of artwork, out to the fringe of the already niche market they are a part of. I try to keep in mind the origin of a custom hand built frame, when it was appreciated as the best sort of frame one could own. I also try to keep in mind how much a custom steel frame has improved over the years, with new steel blends, heat treatments, fillers and fluxes, and even modern components that help the frame become what could still be a high performance machine. The progression is there, however hidden it may become, beneath the marketing hype, and lets face it, the need for product differentiation.

(Thanks to Dirt Rag for the pictures. Hopefully my lack of making money off of them keeps this from violating some sort of copyright)

No, I'm not dead...

I'm still working out the final details of Matt's big tire'd commuter/cross frame and fork. I've got all the shiny bits here already, and should be pretty awesome. More on that soon. I've also been trying to look up what all I have to go through to get a business license, insurance, and maybe even hook up a dealership status for some components to offer complete bikes when the time comes.

I've also had a winter project that is just about done. I've been trying to wrap that up, so it doesn't distract me from frame building once I start filing. It's a 200cc motorcycle kit from Kikker 5150. I've wanted a motorcycle since I was a kid. And now that I'm getting old and married, I figure I better get one before life gets any crazier, or I have to be a responsible dad or something. I figured I'd give this one a try, hoping the building would teach me a thing or two about motorcycles, plus they're pretty affordable.

All in all, I've definitely learned a bunch trying to work out all the kinks and problems. I figure it's about on the moto level of a mid to upper priced wallymart bike. However, if you strip them down, and re-build them from the ground up, doing every step correctly (not how local high-school Joe built it), and even replaced a few parts (that won't even work right no matter how much "tuning" you give them), you won't end up with a great bike. But if you do the work yourself, it will still be affordable, and it will be good enough to get you around for a while. I'll just have to keep in mind that the riding experience will most likely be better with a "real" motorcycle.

I've already sorted out all the mechanical issues keeping me from giving her a first ride, but a major electrical issue is keeping me from getting any spark. I was really hoping that the electrical would go together smoothly, because that's one thing I really don't know enough about. But hopefully I'll sort it out soon. And either way, the next frame will be coming together shortly.

(As it came, once I unpacked it. The handlebars and a pile of other parts are not in this picture.)

Sparkle Sparkle

Man, it's been a while. But I've finally got Eddie's 650b hardtail and suspension corrected segmented fork done, painted, reamed, faced, chased, frame saved, stickered, and delivered. Definitely a learning experience, this frame and fork turned out pretty well. New things that I've learned include S-bend seat stays, chain stay and down tube (or really anywhere) gussets, and working with super tight clearances. All in all, a success!

Eddie went with me to the painter to choose a color, and we both discovered that he does metal flake paint! So on went a two coat "emerald green" that looks unassuming inside or on a cloudy day, but out comes the sun and BAM! She lights up like Oz's Emerald City. I've got some pictures, and even one with a high powered flash to simulate being outside. But really nothing does it justice like seeing it in person on a good day.

Now on to the next project. A commuter styled cyclocross inspired road bike of versatility and awesomeness for Matt. Just a couple more details to iron out, and then building begins! So untill I've got some build shots to tease you with, here are some of Eddie's bike. (more on my flickr site)


(With the flash to try to simulate the sun hitting the flakes... trust me, it looks way better in person)

Staying Busy + Good Book

Sorry I haven't posted in a good while. While the swine flue did knock me out pretty good for a few weeks, lately I've just been busy catching up with life. I do think (even though this is a bit different for my blog) I should mention a book that I managed to read while sick. Shop Craft as Soulcraft was one of those books (for me) that seemed to put into words, things and ideas that I've been mulling over since people first asked me as a kid "What do you want to do when you grow up?" While not exactly my words, it seemed to express the deeper reasons that I've come to appreciate while deciding to get into bicycle repair and frame building, as opposed to following my Economics degree or Philosophy minor. Not that this book is for everyone, but I feel that there are a handfull of good ideas that even office dwellers can appreciate.

But not to get too caught up in a good book, I have managed to get some more work done on Eddie's frame. I went a bit out of order on this one, and chaced/faced the B.B. shell. That way, I could install some cranks, and check the exact tire/chainring clearance that I've fretted about since first drawing up the blueprint for this frame. There wasn't much room for error when threading the drive side chainstay between the tire and chainring. (only a couple millimeters on each side) So it was a great relief to see everything go from blueprint to finalized function. I've also got both seatstays with custom S-bends fitted and mitered. Just a couple braze-ons, weld the stays, make a seat stay bridge, and some finishing work, and she's getting close to paint.




More pictures here.

I Have the Swine Flue!

That's right... after feeling like $#*! for the last week, I finally went to the doc. (hoping it would be another infection, so I could get some anti-biotics, and be done with it) But after some questions, and shoving a q-tip sort of device up my nose - farther than any finger has previously gone - my test came back with H1 N1. Woo hoo! I have no idea where I got it, (I swear I haven't made out with any pigs lately) but now I get to keep taking it easy untill this all goes away. And I'm allready borred out of my mind...

In other news, here's what I was up to with Eddie's frame: Chainstays were mitered, gussets were shaped, and braze-ons were brazed on with the help of some fancy new clamps from Sputnik Tools. (handmade in the U.S.) Let me say how excited I am to be using these! No more fiddling around with bending spokes to hold the braze-ons where I want them, eyeing things up to make sure they're straight and alligned, and heating with one hand and twisting with some pliers with my other hand if they didn't end up straight. Clamp on the tube, slap the braze on under the arm, and it holds it securely, centered, and alligned. I've easily saved 5-10 minutes per brazeon.

After that, drilled all the vent holes quickly and precisely with a fancy new drill press, thanks to my buddy Jason. Then I spent a day sanding, scrubbing, cleaning, welding, soaking, and a little smoothing. Now the main frame is all together, and alignment looking fine. I was worried about the clearance, threading the chainstays between the bigger 2.3" 650b tires and the chainrings. But it came out very nicely. I'm also trying something new with chainstay gussets, instead of a chain stay bridge. My brown bike has no bridge, but I figured the lugged BB was plenty of re-inforcement. With the lugless frame, I wanted to do something to keep that junction strong. And just for kicks, I made a bridge anyhow, and weighed it compaired to the gussets. (not that I'm worried about it, but the gussets ended up saving a few grams) But probably more relevant, they're going to be tough, and cool looking.

Dropping Out

Well Burning at the Bluff was pretty awesome. My team ended up 9th in our class, and 36th overall. This, despite about 7 cold ass creek crossings per lap, and two guys dropping out before their third lap. (if you want a more thorough race report, I refer you to Team Seagal) But the point was to do my three laps, have a good time, and to get excited about getting back into racing. If you know me, or read this blog, you may know this past year has had some setbacks. Breaking my collar bone, surgery, bronchitis/nasal infection, getting married, and going to Germany, are some of the things that broke my momentum and my motivation to train hard for something. But after finally getting back into it (even if I wasn't super fast), I'm totally excited again. And Greg, I owe you one hell of a PBR for spanking my lap times!

Aside from that, I've got the chainstays mated to their respective sliding dropouts at just the right angle for 650b tire clearance. Now a couple miters, some braze-ons, and the main frame will be ready for assembly.

Steel Kickin'

This fork has taken me a bit longer than I was hoping, but I do think it turned out pretty well. There were a couple times that I ended up doing second steps first, and then it would take longer to go back and do the first steps. For example, brazing the whole fork together, before putting the caps on the fork legs. It was harder to match up the exact angles, not to mention hard to get the file in there to make the miters as well as clean it up post braze. None of it has to do with the end result, just the fact that it may have taken me twice as long to get there. But all in all, I think my first go at a segmented fork turned out pretty well.




Aside from that, I'm officially on a three-man team to do "Burnin' at the Bluff" - a twelve hour mountain bike race. This will be my first race in three years, and I'm in no peak performance, but I'm hoping to catch the bug again, and make a serious (for me) solo attempt in '10. I've realized that - for me - having races to train for keep me motivated to ride more, harder, and generally keep me inspired to make these machines with as much attention to their use as to their aesthetic. As much as I love the renaissance of making and refurbishing "old steel frames," I really do believe that there is still room for steel in the cutting edge technology of the bicycle world. With modern steel, as well as modern components, even steel framed bikes can get down into the 15-16lb range.

Not to say that there is no use for other materials. However, with the market pushing those materials to the limits of weight and strength, I think the pendulum must swing a bit back the other way. This past year, it seems that I have seen a good number of bicycle companies making something just able to handle a 130lb rider coasting along on a smooth flat road, and no more. In the ever increasing push for lighter weight, frames must be made stiffer to not deflect enough to break. Aside from sometimes having a "dead" ride quality, that extra stiffness can lead to extra fragility, or brittleness. Many companies are now pushing the "high-mod" carbon as a way to edge out the competitors. Basically, that means making the carbon stiffer, so you can use less of it, thus saving weight. However stiffening up carbon makes it more brittle. And using less of it doesn't help either. Breaking seat masts, seat stays, head tube joints, and even top tubes being crushed when hit with a knee or a chamois covered posterior - after slipping when trying to clip in - all come in as things I've seen in '09.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's awesome someone with enough cash can walk in and buy a bike that doesn't meet the weight limit of the UCI regulations. I have heard a few stories of pro's having to go as far as gluing on weights, or even dropping an extra chain down the seat tube to meet those regulations. But keep in mind why the regulations were invented in the first place. To keep things from being pushed so far that they were no longer reliable, putting the rider at risk. Plus, when putting extra strength and stiffness in certain areas is being marketed as making you go faster, why spend that weight in lead weights, instead of making the frame or other components strong enough to handle the rigors of racing. Again, I'm not totally against, making crazy light bikes. It's pretty cool riding something less than 14 lbs. But if I'm not getting paid a salary, and getting a couple free frames every season, it doesn't make much sense for someone like me to ride one.