DIY frame building

[hypnos]

While browsing photos at the fixedgeargallery.com, I noticed a really cool bike made by a woman named Suzy Jackson from Australia.

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/jackson.htm

She provided a URL where she tells about this first frame building project.

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Suzy.Jackson/bike_frame.html

Check it out.

[Kevan]

Hot Tubes Cycling Frame Building Class

Imagine yourself in a one hundred year old shop, file in your hand, working on a bicycle that in one week will be ridden to victory in some prestigious race, in some exotic location. The feeling of creating a moving work of art from a pile of light weight tubes and parts. Seeing the bike evolve and take shape in your hands and in front of your eyes. As the last clear coats are applied, you see for the first time the end product of your labors. A professional quality bicycle with your name on the down tube. You need not imagine it any longer. You can build your own custom bicycle now.

You don't need years of apprenticeship before you even think about building your own frame. In a one-on-one frame building class you will, in one week, learn what you need to know to design and construct your bike. We will design your frame on a computer and build it in our machine shop using all the tools professional builders use. Of course, no custom steel bike would be complete without a high quality, custom paint job by our internationally known painters and artists.

The staff at Hot Tubes will walk you through the process. We consider your comfort level with tools you probably have never seen before. We remove the fear and replace it with confidence. You won't be left on your own, you will be part of the team whose goal is to aid you in the production of your bike.

Okay, here are the details. Your class is five days, basically nine to five. All materials to build your frame are included in the price. Bike kits and groups are available for your new bike through Hot Tubes at catalog prices. Transportation and room and board are your financial responsibility, however, there are numerous B&B's and national hotel and motels in our area. It's your week, so if you want to do a ride during the day, maybe with a few of our team or on your own, we will work it out. There will be more than enough time to finish your bike in a week so relax and enjoy yourself. In season, we like to make some time for a round of golf, but if you have other interests or a spouse who will be traveling with you and want something to do in the days and evenings, there is plenty to do. We are less than an hour from Boston, Hartford and Providence. Worcester is a city of two hundred thousand people, an active shopping district, world famous art museum, eleven colleges and universities and professional sports for every season. Plan on a busy week, bring good shoes and a variety of clothes. It will be an experience you will remember long time.

Price for class, frame building manual and materials. $1,750.00. Deposit of $500.00 to secure your time slot.

Contact us for more information about our custom racing frames, custom painting, and frame building classes.

Contact Hot Tubes Cycling
Toby Stanton, Owner & Frame Builder for Hot Tubes, is dedicated to designing and constructing the finest racing frames. Hot Tubes is located in Worcester, MA (outside of Boston).
For more information about our custom racing frames, custom painting, and frame building classes, email us at info@hottubes.com

[jwb96]

And don't forget there was a thing where you could go to Italy and be involved in the process. Was it with Pegoretti? I couldn't find the link after a quick search, but after driving through Worcester, I'd definitely pick Italy. :D

[Andreu]

This link opens with the Pegoretti website
http://www.60aday.com/
http://www.pegoretticicli.com/
A

[ashwinearl]

There are precious few dedicated schools/programs for frame building that I've found

UBI frame building school
http://www.bikeschool.com/
-This one 'seems' to be the best in terms of instructors, what the class covers, and providing a good base for making a future in framebuilding. Many big name builders got their start here.

http://www.yamaguchibike.com/html/Frame_Building_School.html


http://www.lyonsport.com/web/news.html
-Custom builder who puts on a frame building school

http://www.hottubes.com/build.html




Reference sights
http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/racine/framebuilding.html
-beware of some popups

http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html

http://www.damonrinard.com/framebuild.htm

http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/framebuilders
frame builders email list. with searchable archives.
Whos-who in framebuilding letting it all hang out. Lots of static on the list, but lots of great insight into the craft

http://home.pacifier.com/~tpaterek/

Just like any hobby, it looks like the equipment requirements range from handtools and plywood jigs up to full machine shops.

A dream for me, hope to make it a reality over the next decade.