Dazza here, Gladdies, CRIKEY, I cannot believe what I have been reading. I am with Jonathan Greene. Gladdies, check out what Jonathan has said for yourselves. But I have to add, any one can call them self a "Custom Frame Builder" and make boasts after making, selling, one or two frames or two thousand to a set template? But what does that prove? There is more to good, high quality frame building than cutting up a set of lugs in a particular personal aesthetic manner for a particular audience, and then brazing some tubes into them. Some builders may decide that this is the particular direction they enjoy and wish to cater for, but it is NOT THE WHOLE STORY, only as part of it. The metal work is the easy part, if one has some aptitude and a love of doing it. However, the whole process may cover a much wider subject than some nostalgic aesthetic bias. {not that there is any thing wrong with nostalgic aesthetic bias.} Let me explain the range of possibilities that many GOOD frame builders deal with. Let me start with building young lads track racing machines with a sloping top tube which also I could explain has structural merit and has just as many custom geometry variations as a frame that has a horizontal top tube, in fact it adds another design consideration to the true custom build process and those who think other wise are ignorant to the subject and putting this subject into the four size fits all brands is stupid {Raspberry to the ignorant who do not think so!}, these young lads may weigh 95kgs and do sub 11 sec 200 metres, then right through to veteran licence riders racing the track, then there is road racing bicycles for young and older veterans, then very small riders, then we get into touring and trekking bikes, randonneurs, fixies, classic reproductions, then the special customer who is riddled with arthritis and then the stainless steel lugged fancy show pieces that some like to own, cross bikes and ............................ The list is quite substantial. So think of all the tube choices and understanding that this will require. Then throw in all the biomechanical positional considerations with all these racing or non racing customers, body shapes, posture, injuries etc, also proven long term reliability of the built product, not just a few frames for gentle Sunday rides to a coffee shop or to show to mates at get togethers, but frames that are hammered daily for years, and I best not to forget, making a long term career profession out of this whole caper, not just a few hobby builds each year. Any body can make a few frames a year and prattle on etc. Then there is the substantial dollar investment that can be put into new products to progress and maintain the future of the hand made frame. The future of the hand made frame is healthy, lots of new blood and much new exciting out-put. {ex: as seen at NAHBS and on the www} Frame building includes classic reproductions but it is not just about classic reproductions. Today, or the future will become the past. So a raspberry to all those who think other wise. There is more to quality bicycle frame building than a few fancy cut lugs and brazed to some 531 pipes, cold setting the structure off the BB face and.......................... the "Wow, that was easy, hey every one, I have arrived!" To tutor some one this way is not doing them a favour. There is no substitute to experience, there is no alternative short cut to the process of understanding and dealing with customers and running a professional operation. A person can certainly make a frame for themselves with no prior experience doing so and it will be rideable. But they certainly cannot hang up their shingle and proclaim "I have arrived and the rest or any thing else is nonsense". That certain frame builder mentioned in posts inspired myself in the late eighties when I started off my marque on my own two feet after ten years of working for other builders. Even his adverts inspired me. Back then I recognised he thinks about the whole process and where he wanted to go. He gives his time freely to others, to help new builders, professional or hobby! How this can be ignored is simply resentment or ignorance. I think many resent his reputation and success at making a good go at his chosen profession. He markets himself correctly, he has his particular flavour in the market {which is an aspect that many long term builders cannot get their craniums to figure out so they struggle and moan about it!}, backed up by a very good product. Why do some resent this? I visited this chap last year to get a feel for his operation and marketing, after my visit to Cirque. To finish off, one never stops learning, one never stops progressing, if you think you have arrived at the destination your dead! The process of professional frame building never stops evolving. So if a 95 kg customer rings up the builder and asks for a steel frame to bang around the boards on, and he does 11.1 and better when in form, does the two frame built builder know what to do, let alone seen a rider do a sub 11.2 sec furlong on a 250 board track??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Max tubes, 38mm DT or 28.6 531 and fancy cut Hayden lug blanks. A hobby builder is not the same as Pro builder with decades of experience. Then there are builders in the rut, who never progressed from 1982 but because of them doing long service four times over they think they are the bees knees. Cheers from My rant is over and I got to go to work downstairs Dazza.
Dazza = Darrell Llewellyn McCulloch, 27 years with frame building, ten years plus as on and off national team mechanic and I have so much more to learn, but I love it. Total tragic, but I promise, I will never post again. {as this is my first and only ever posting after many months of reading, I hope I sent it the correct way}
Jonathan Greene writes, Brian, I think your message about a certain frame builder is misguided. "While I consider the person your referring to a good friend he is also a mentor, but not just to me but many amateur and pro frame builders. I can't name one person in the industry you dabble in who has spent as much time, or created more resources for the hobby builder as the builder you malign. This builder has numerous build sequences photographed and posted in his picture site for everyone to see how he does things. This builder has also provided a master list of web links to other framebuilders picture sites. But mostly, he has contributed his time directly to anyone who simply just asks for help. This builder has done more to unwrap the secrecy of frame building and encourage people like myself to pick up a file, a torch and give it a try than anyone I have ever heard of. I don't know what you stand to gain by your words because your reputation as a craftsman and painter are second to none, but I couldn't let your words live cached for eternity on the www without a proper rebuttal.
Oviedo FL