Kirk Frameworks

[jr59]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Hey there -

I just noticed this yesterday (a bit slow on the uptake I know) and wanted to get back to you. I've made the tough choice of not attending the show this year and rather than sending you to my blog where this is posted I'll cut and paste it here for you now.

Thanks for asking.

dave







Kirk Frameworks Blog - 12/14/12

The first NAHBS I attended was in 2007 in San Jose, California and I’ve been a big fan of the event ever since. Over the years I’ve done the show as it traveled around the country and very much enjoyed seeing different cities and meeting folks from all over the country and the world. I’ve met some amazing people, sold a few bikes, won a few awards and gotten a wonderful, warm feeling from those who appreciate my work. I’ve shared good food and drink and hung out with old friends and made many new ones and despite the fact that doing the show is a huge amount of work I’ve always loved being there and being part of the action.

All that said, for the past few years I’ve had this nagging feeling concerning all the time spent preparing for, attending, and recovering from the show. It takes a solid month or more to do the show and all of this time is time spent away from my workbench and not working on bikes that are already on order. I’ve begun to feel that I am in a way shirking my responsibility to those customers who have already committed to a bike while being away trying to get more customers to make a similar commitment. This feels funny to me and over time has made me uncomfortable. I’ve come to feel that I should first and foremost honor the commitment existing customers have shown to me and do everything I can to get their bikes to them without delay. For this reason I’ve made the very tough decision to skip this year’s NAHBS and instead stay home and at the bench in an effort to get bikes built and out to their owners as soon as possible.

This decision did not come easily to me and I know I will very much miss the fun and energy of the event and most of all will miss meeting so many of you that stop by the booth. I encourage everyone to make the trip to Denver to see some of the finest bikes being made today and to enjoy the show. I’m sure it will, as always, be worth the trip. If I can get ahead a bit in the queue maybe I’ll make it to NAHBS 2014 – wherever it is.

If you were planning on talking to me at the show about a new or existing order I strongly encourage you to call or email so we can talk about your need. I always enjoy talking so don’t hesitate to call even if it’s just to say hello.

Thanks for reading.

Dave

This makes me very sad!

[IXXI]

The orange NAHBS bike in #13 is still untouchable as the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Thanks Dave, Merry Christmas to you.

Andy

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by IXXI

The orange NAHBS bike in #13 is still untouchable as the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Thanks Dave, Merry Christmas to you.

Andy

Thanks so much............good to hear the bike still makes you smile.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.


Dave

[Joachim]

Hi Dave... Have there been any paint requests/specific paint designs from customers that you/JB declined?

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by Joachim

Hi Dave... Have there been any paint requests/specific paint designs from customers that you/JB declined?

Yep - plenty of them. We are pretty open to trying new things and will not tell folks 'any color you want as long as it's black' like Henry Ford did but will also not do a magenta to gold fade.

Dave

[RudAwkning]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Yep - plenty of them. We are pretty open to trying new things and will not tell folks 'any color you want as long as it's black' like Henry Ford did but will also not do a magenta to gold fade.

Dave

What about a megenta to gold flade?

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by RudAwkning

What about a megenta to gold flade?

Flames? Hell yeah.

Dave

[MattTuck]

Dave,

Here's a suggestion about the NAHBS debate. Many fans of hand-builts are unable to attend the show for any number of reasons including time, cost, other commitments, etc. These folks usually end up scouring the web for pictures of new bikes anyway. Why not get together with some of the other builders not going to the show and doing a little 'show case' on your blogs as a virtual bike show.

High quality pics, with a few different makers, good selection of bikes, and really high light the lugs/fillets, etc.

I think more people would spend time looking at that than would attend the show, and you'd still generate some 'buzz'.

I'd do it either before or after NAHBS, as it isn't trying to detract or compete with NAHBS, just an alternative way of reaching your fans, and potential or existing customers.

I'm sure you could use virtually any of the frames you make because you take pictures of them, but you might want to focus on the ones that have the best photographs and really capture the spirit of your business.

[jr59]

Originally Posted by RudAwkning

What about a megenta to gold flade?

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Flames? Hell yeah.

Dave

dave's a car guy. No doubt about the hot rod like flames!!!

[parris]

flames would be a VERY interesting look on the Lotus...

[sparky33]

Dave,

What's the functional difference between your Terraplane seatstays and the hourglass seatstays that we see elsewhere?

The Terraplane stays enhance traction and comfort, if I understand correctly. Can hourglass stays achieve something similar? Or how are the two concepts different?

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by sparky33

Dave,

What's the functional difference between your Terraplane seatstays and the hourglass seatstays that we see elsewhere?

The Terraplane stays enhance traction and comfort, if I understand correctly. Can hourglass stays achieve something similar? Or how are the two concepts different?

Hey - thanks for the question.

There is a difference between hourglass stays and the Terraplane and at first glance it might not be obvious why.

The hourglass stays curve laterally and the Terraplane stays are curved in the fore/aft direction - pretty obvious I guess but wanted to say it just in case folks hadn't seen them.

The Terraplane seat stays are of course attached to each other part way up with a seat stay or brake bridge and that bridge of course runs side to side in the bike. This means that the stays are allowed to move fore/aft as a pair but they form a lateral triangle (rectangle really with one very short leg) side to side.

If you compare this to the hourglass design you'll see that the curves go side to side and the stays are of course connected to one another part way up with the bridge. The bridge is the key thing here as it again make a triangle and effectively makes the curve of the stays much shorter as it's interrupted by the bridge. So with this design the stays don't move much as the bridge keeps them from doing so. In other words the hourglass stays want to flex toward each other but have a hard time doing it with the bridge there and the Terraplane stays are free to move.

Might be better with a powerpoint display..........did I explain this well?

dave

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Might be better with a powerpoint display..........did I explain this well?

Clear as day. Thanks!

[everbeek]

Although Mr. Kirk did not directly respond to this, I thought that I read Dave Kirk write that the Terraplane stays have nothing to do with comfort but are designed to keep the tire on the ground for greater speed on rough surfaces.
-Mike

Originally Posted by David Kirk

Hey - thanks for the question.

There is a difference between hourglass stays and the Terraplane and at first glance it might not be obvious why.

The hourglass stays curve laterally and the Terraplane stays are curved in the fore/aft direction - pretty obvious I guess but wanted to say it just in case folks hadn't seen them.

The Terraplane seat stays are of course attached to each other part way up with a seat stay or brake bridge and that bridge of course runs side to side in the bike. This means that the stays are allowed to move fore/aft as a pair but they form a lateral triangle (rectangle really with one very short leg) side to side.

If you compare this to the hourglass design you'll see that the curves go side to side and the stays are of course connected to one another part way up with the bridge. The bridge is the key thing here as it again make a triangle and effectively makes the curve of the stays much shorter as it's interrupted by the bridge. So with this design the stays don't move much as the bridge keeps them from doing so. In other words the hourglass stays want to flex toward each other but have a hard time doing it with the bridge there and the Terraplane stays are free to move.

Might be better with a powerpoint display..........did I explain this well?

dave

[Len J]

Reading this thread had me remembering the process when Dave built my terra plane single speed..........

What a pleasure the process was.....

Then the e-mail......."bike back from paint........wow Karin says, Joe nailed it."

Then the call from my wife on a Sat morning ride 20 miles from home "there is. Bike box in the front hall"

Then the unwrapping.......

Then the ride!

That was 8 years ago, and that bike still makes me smile. Rode it 135 miles in 24 hours of Booty Indy last year. ........still awesome.

Thanks Dave.

Len