A look inside Chris Kvale's workshop

[fiamme red]

http://theradavist.com/2018/01/chris-kvales-minneapolis-studio-visit-jarrod-bunk/#1

[thwart]

That is very cool. A master craftsman.

http://theradavist.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Shop-Visit-Chris-Kvale_-42-1335x890.jpg

[saab2000]

I have ridden with Chris Kvale and had him repaint a frame a number of years back. The paint job was exquisite.

He's a very good rider in addition to making perhaps my favorite lugged frames.

[Kontact]

I've met Chris and seen his work. Why isn't he famous with a 5 year back log?

He would be my first choice for a lugged frameset.


He also published some articles about bicycle geometry theory back in the day.

[FlashUNC]

Same reason Della Santa has like a 3 month queue, they just build bikes and don't worry about the marketing stuff at all.

[brockd15]

I've never seen a Kvale in person, but based on pics, his lug thinning is as good as it gets.

Also

vice envy....

http://theradavist.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Shop-Visit-Chris-Kvale_-33-1335x890.jpg

[Kontact]

I've never seen a Kvale in person, but based on pics, his lug thinning is as good as it gets.

Also

vice envy....


I met him at a bicycle craftsmen show, and his lugwork was so lovely. He had a completed sectioned frame and the interior was immaculate.


I hope Chris has a 3 month backlog of work. :)

[bob heinatz]

I thought Chris was going to cut back on frame building and go into a semi-retirement. Correct me if I am wrong.

[FlashUNC]

I thought Chris was going to cut back on frame building and go into a semi-retirement. Correct me if I am wrong.

That was what I'd read here and elsewhere. Had even seen that he'd stopped building entirely.

[saab2000]

I think he builds as a hobby as much as anything. I know he takes big chunks of time off during the year and spends it away from the Twin Cities, where he does the bike work.

I don't pretend to speak for him at all, but when I had him repaint my old Serotta CSI nearly ten years ago I got the impression that he was doing it only part time but would take on projects that interested him. He certainly never really participated in online forums or marketed himself in any way. He is a bike guy who makes really nice bikes but doesn't care for a lot to attention.

He painted this CSI and I think may have even replaced a tube. I don't recall anymore because I ultimately didn't have the bike very long and sold it. But the paint job was simply perfect.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4724/25913026878_4d48ecc03e_b.jpg

[crankles]

Same reason Della Santa has like a 3 month queue, they just build bikes and don't worry about the marketing stuff at all.

...and why Brent quit and Bruce retired.

[sg8357]

When I bought mine in '05, he said he was build 5-8 frames a year.
He does have a summer job, running a family owned vacation
resort.

He was doing a lot repair and repaint work, back then.

[Luwabra]

I laid eyes on a 1970's something kvale last weekend. the original owner has had it since. been through 5 paint jobs since new and probably close to 100,000 miles it was jaw dropping. the lugs look so delicate and the paint is out of control perfect. i was in awe. I came home and immediately pm'd a forumite here last i knew had a kvale it was close to my size and i was ready to buy.. SOLD it :eek: there will be another. they are exquisite

[providence]

Chris does take a large portion of the year off. I spoke to him over the phone and in person about a year ago about having a frame built (I ended up buying the one below from Grady instead but I may have him build me one before he calls it quits). At the time, and this is still likely the case, you could get on his list and likely have your frame within a year (I don’t recall if he’s building over the summer or winter). He’s not doing repaints anymore save for his frames or special cases.

I don’t think there’s anyone building and painting at the level he does. In all likelihood he doesn’t have the huge queue that you’d expect because he is very set in his ways. You walk in and he’ll grab a photo of Eddy and his Molteni and say this is what a bike is supposed to be. He builds bikes that he enjoys that are all business for the road. You’re not getting bells and whistles that you may get elsewhere. Don’t expect much in the way of tire clearance. Disc brakes? Forget it. What you do get is damn near flawless execution of lugwork and paint. Mine rides great too. If you haven’t seen one of his bikes firsthand, it’s worth seeking one out.

https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5452/30665690125_9bb748d5dd_c.jpg
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5600/30034485814_d67c1d742e_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5467/30629616856_a646bb4147_c.jpg

[Pastashop]

https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5452/30665690125_9bb748d5dd_c.jpg




Folks, best looking road bike on Paceline, right here.

[Dave M]

Another shout out to Chris Kvale. I picked up this gem from Grady last week. When I emailed Chris for details on the original frame/build specs, he responded almost immediately with his original build sheet. From 1999! Couldn't have been nicer. And the build quality is sublime.

[Dave M]

One more...

[rpm]

I was amused to see the picture of all the paint samples in the shop. Those are real bike tubes, which he may have painted himself. A few years ago I brought in my ti Strong to be repainted. I took a few of the blues outside to look at in the daylight. When I came back in, I casually put them on back on the shelf more or less from light to dark. Chris suddenly got agitated and told me no, no, they had to go back in the exact order they appeared in the Imron catalog. His frames are so nice because he is as meticulous/anal as any frame builder you'll ever find.

He also does things the way he wants. My frame had a powder coat with parts of the seat and chain stays unpainted, and I explained that I wanted to do the same thing with the new paint. When I picked up the frame, he had painted the whole thing. Neither he nor I said anything about it. I guarantee you he didn't forget my instructions. The paint of course was stunning. I still get compliments on that bike.

I first met Chris years ago when he and his brother were racing and working in a bike/ski shop that sold Motobecanes. He may have been starting to build frames, and I remember him saying that he admired Strawberry frames from Oregon. Those may have have been ones that he used as models for his own.