Frame builders in San Francisco

[Fixed]

Hi, I know Bruce Gordon lives near by love his work btw . But any other frame builders around or painters around the Bay Area ?
Cheers :)

[vav]

William's compilation: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=113817

Lots of them in California. :)

[Scooper]

Rafi Ajl at Raphael Cycles (http://www.raphaelcycles.com/) on Shotwell between 19th and 20th streets (Mission District) is a San Francisco framebuilder.

[false_Aest]

Sycip.

[plattyjo]

There's so many great ones here, as noted in William's list! :hello:

I have an El Camino, Hunter and Ebisu (made in Japan, shop in Berkeley).

[professerr]

Rock Lobster in Santa Cruz. Builds bikes, not image. Versatile. Knows what he's doing, according to guys I ride with who should know.

[FlashUNC]

Got a presence on the coast, but he's over the mountains in Reno: Della Santa.

[eddief]

Ed Litton does fine steel without any fanfare what's so ever:

http://classicrendezvous.com/USA/Ed_Litton.htm

Steve Rex about 90 minutes North. Worth the drive.

Steve Potts in Pt Reyes Station.

[Munger]

Steelman

[donevwil]

Rafi Ajl at Raphael Cycles (http://www.raphaelcycles.com/) on Shotwell between 19th and 20th streets (Mission District) is a San Francisco framebuilder.

Met Rafi at NAHBS 2012, awesome dude and talented builder.

Really too many to list in the Bay Area, Bruce Gordon, Soulcraft and Comare are in my small North Bay hood alone.

[jtakeda]

Falconer
Broakland
Frances
Mikkelsen
Low

Many more

[fourflys]

Fixed,
http://www.blackmtncycles.com/p/blog-page.html has his made in the USA frames made by Falconer... awesome designed frames and awesome builds from what I've heard... I do own the taiwanese-made cross and road frames BTW... ;)

Two others mentioned I'd buy from in a heartbeat is Sycip and Rock Lobster... also Soulcraft bikes in in Sonoma County as well... actually made in the same barn as the original Salsas I believe...

I've visited Sycip and spoke with Jeremy... awesome shop and builder, wouldn't hesitate for a minute... worth a trip up to Sonoma Co. to check them out for sure...

It really depends on what you're looking for... I'm sure all of them could build anything you want, but most tend to specialize in one type of bike or another...

if I wanted a race cross, I'd look at Rock Lobster or Sycip... if I wanted a "MonsterCross" or road bike that will take a fat tire, I'd go for the Falconer-made Black Mountain... If I wanted a hardtail mountain bike, Soulcraft or Retrotec... touring would be a Bruce Gordon...

but as I said, any of them could build whatever you want I'm sure...

The Bay area is a great place to get a custom bike...

*also, Steve Rex isn't too far away in Sacramento...

**cool story/interview with Falconer: http://www.wtb.com/blogs/wtb/9895126-rad-people-who-ride-cameron-falconer-and-falconer-cycles

[Germany_chris]

Maybe the forum should get together and buy fixed a Heckler :banana::eek:

[fourflys]

I forgot about Steve Potts in Pt. Reyes... don't much about him, but never heard a bad thing about his bikes...

[bfd]

Don't forget custom carbon and bamboo frames by Craig Calfee down near Santa Cruz in La Selva Beach, CA. Good Luck!

[pbarry]

John Caletti in Santa Cruz brought a couple of stunners to NAHBS this year.

[d6025k]

Definitely don't forget ol' Bernie Mikkelsen in Alameda!

[cnighbor1]

just go the list of frame builders posted on this site

[fogrider]

Rock Lobster in Santa Cruz. Builds bikes, not image. Versatile. Knows what he's doing, according to guys I ride with who should know.

I have two Lobsters by Paul and I was just down there, Paul modified a fork for me. his bikes are great riding bikes that are fun to ride! did I say the his bikes are fast!?

[fourflys]

I have two Lobsters by Paul and I was just down there, Paul modified a fork for me. his bikes are great riding bikes that a fun to ride! did I say the his bikes are fast!?

Yep, if I was buying a cross bike to race, a Lobstah would by my first choice...

[carlineng]

Love love love my Rock Lobster. Paul Sadoff is an amazing framebuilder AND businessman. Down to earth, quirky sense of humor, and a true love for the sport of cycling.

[stev0]

Does anyone have some insight into whether any of these builders (or any in socal) would be good people to ask about (1) crimping chainstays and (2) cold set+square dropouts on a steel frame?
I know people do both of those things with various DIY setups, but I'd rather not screw it up.. It also seems like not every builder is experienced with those things, so didn't want to choose at random.

Wanted to ask before I start mass mailing a bunch of folks. Figured it made more sense to revive this thread than start a new one. Any tips appreciated. thanks!

[Waldo]

Since the thread started, Bruce Gordon has retired...

[pbarry]

Does anyone have some insight into whether any of these builders (or any in socal) would be good people to ask about (1) crimping chainstays and (2) cold set+square dropouts on a steel frame?
I know people do both of those things with various DIY setups, but I'd rather not screw it up.. It also seems like not every builder is experienced with those things, so didn't want to choose at random.

Wanted to ask before I start mass mailing a bunch of folks. Figured it made more sense to revive this thread than start a new one. Any tips appreciated. thanks!

Bernie Mikkelsen for sure. But, since you're in Socal, others might have local recon. Not a job you need to ship for.

[Spdntrxi]

Sycip in the Santa Rosa area

[sfo1]

Other than Calfee, what are the carbon options?

[Dino Suegiù]

Other than Calfee, what are the carbon options?

Calfee is the top for carbon, but in Northern California I think Steve Rex still makes some hybrid carbon tubes/steel lugs (CSR) frames. Very nice work.

In Southern California, Bill Holland "HC" or mixed "ExoGrid" series, beautiful but very very expensive frames.

[sfo1]

With a huge Bay Area cycling scene you'd think there were more carbon builders. Likely too expensive to run a business here............



Calfee is the top for carbon, but in Northern California I think Steve Rex still makes some hybrid carbon tubes/steel lugs (CSR) frames. Very nice work.

In Southern California, Bill Holland "HC" or mixed "ExoGrid" series, beautiful but very very expensive frames.

[Dino Suegiù]

With a huge Bay Area cycling scene you'd think there were more carbon builders. Likely too expensive to run a business here............

I am not sure there are even so many smaller, proven, carbon builders in all of the USA, if you ignore the big houses like Trek/Specialized/Cannondale/Niner and the re-painters like Ritte, etc. Certainly not as many as independent steel, titanium, even aluminium builders, it seems.

LandShark does some carbon, was in California but now Oregon I think.
Other than Calfee, (and somewhat Holland and even less Rex), I don't know of other proven carbon-focused builders in California.

Even in all the US, how many really? Calfee, Crumpton, Parlee, Allied, Alchemy, Argonaut, KirkLee, some Carl Strong (Pursuit), a few others I forget. I think Kestrel and Aegis are now gone? So, not even so many overall, I think.

But, this is now very distant from the original San Francisco question, sorry.

[prototoast]

With a huge Bay Area cycling scene you'd think there were more carbon builders. Likely too expensive to run a business here............

Well... there's Specialized. And Calfee.

But aside from that, I live in the bay area, and build carbon frames as a hobby, but it isn't a great place to set up shop. Aside from the general high cost of everything, the industrial infrastructure isn't great around here. There are only a few larger, general-purpose composite shops, and they're quite a bit out of the way. It can be extremely beneficial for an operation doing carbon building to have those resources nearby.

[zross312]

If you're in SoCal, and you need a steel framebuilder, check out Jerome Cycles (http://www.jeromecycles.com/). I've never worked with him, but I know people who have, and they say he's great.

Does anyone have some insight into whether any of these builders (or any in socal) would be good people to ask about (1) crimping chainstays and (2) cold set+square dropouts on a steel frame?
I know people do both of those things with various DIY setups, but I'd rather not screw it up.. It also seems like not every builder is experienced with those things, so didn't want to choose at random.

Wanted to ask before I start mass mailing a bunch of folks. Figured it made more sense to revive this thread than start a new one. Any tips appreciated. thanks!

[Lanternrouge]

Calfee is the top for carbon, but in Northern California I think Steve Rex still makes some hybrid carbon tubes/steel lugs (CSR) frames. Very nice work.

In Southern California, Bill Holland "HC" or mixed "ExoGrid" series, beautiful but very very expensive frames.

My first choice for carbon in SoCal would be Kevin Fickling at Cryptic Cycles. Cryptic is also a sponsor of the forum too. Holland carbon bikes are really nice, but I like the idea of a Cryptic since it's something different and also a great bike. If I were going to order a custom carbon frame from someplace other than Veneto, Kevin would be one of my top choices. Ideally, I'd have all my top choices, but as my mother said, I was born into the wrong family.