Kirk Frameworks

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by brewsmith

Awesome

And it begs the question, what is your least favorite step in the frame building process?

Machining the fork crown race....I don't know what it is but I don't like doing it. It's not hard or risky or time consuming. I guess maybe it's boring? But it's 5 minutes a bike at the most and I seem to live through it every time.

dave

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Machining the fork crown race....I don't know what it is but I don't like doing it. It's not hard or risky or time consuming. I guess maybe it's boring? But it's 5 minutes a bike at the most and I seem to live through it every time.

dave

Phew! Happy it's not sanding fillets.

[charlieclick]

Dave, this bike looks awesome and I can't wait to see it painted.

I'm interested to see the provision for flat mount discs on here. Are you planning on using hydraulic brakes, or will they be mechanical? I am also wondering if this is the reason for not having stainless on the front? (the forces from hydraulic brakes on the thin walled stainless)

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by charlieclick

Dave, this bike looks awesome and I can't wait to see it painted.

I'm interested to see the provision for flat mount discs on here. Are you planning on using hydraulic brakes, or will they be mechanical? I am also wondering if this is the reason for not having stainless on the front? (the forces from hydraulic brakes on the thin walled stainless)

Thank you for the questions - which bike are you speaking of?

dave

[charlieclick]

Oh yes, that would be useful information wouldn't it.

I'm talking about the JK special, which is stainless in the rear. I know you did not have a production model with stainless flat mount discs. I am wondering if this has changed, and if you are planning to do the same for a stainless fork?

ie: a full stainless onesto with flat mount discs and thru axles.

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by charlieclick

Oh yes, that would be useful information wouldn't it.

I'm talking about the JK special, which is stainless in the rear. I know you did not have a production model with stainless flat mount discs. I am wondering if this has changed, and if you are planning to do the same for a stainless fork?

ie: a full stainless onesto with flat mount discs and thru axles.

Cool -

The bike you are asking about is a custom (they all are in fact) and the customer wanted the rear end to be raw and shiny like an old school road bike....and he also wanted disc brakes.

This is no problem in the rear (flat mount and 12 mm TA) but it is an issue on the fork. I don't feel confident that the stainless blades are up to the task of giving a lifetime of service while supporting a disc brake.....and I'm currently limited on hos much rake I can build a disc fork with. That is why this frame has a steel fork.

dave

[charlieclick]

Really helpful, and interesting, thank you.

[David Kirk]

Stainless Onesto head tube.

dave

[huck*this]

^^^Beautiful^^^

[Toddykins]

Dave just keeps killing it - I recently sold my Kirk CX/gravel ride and I am going to miss admiring the curve of the seat stays!

[David Kirk]

JB knows how to lay down the color and the box pin stripes. This one is a favorite.

dave

[mhespenheide]

[sw3759]

JB knows how to lay down the color and the box pin stripes. This one is a favorite



awesome color Dave,but the fillet on that Terraplane is pretty darn impressive too!

Scott

[David Kirk]

Here’s a bit of a different #TBT. In about 1990 I was working for Serotta and I took the Reynolds 753 certification test. After passing the test I just had to build myself a fancy lugged 753 frameset. It was an after hours project and I spent countless hours cutting and shaping the stainless lugs. I built them into the frame and was very pleased with the end result. I’d only been building for two years and this build pushed and stretched my skills.

When the frame was done I brought it into the paint shop and no one there was excited to try and mask off the curvy stainless lugs. So it went onto a hook with the idea of painting it “soon”. That was nearly 30 years ago and apparently it’s time. I’m going to have my partner Joe Bell paint it for me and then it’s getting built up with a period correct Mavic Starfish crank group. When done it will be ready for some vintage Hero rides.

Sometimes it takes a while to finish up a project. Three decades is a long time.

dave

[weaponsgrade]

Whoa, that's amazing. I think my favorite is how the tips of the seat stay caps swirl each other.