BikeCad

I finally broke down and bought BikeCad.

It's earned its keep already. I just did a new DCS frame design. The challenge here is to work within the available lug angles. This covers a pretty broad range of fits, but sometimes finding the right compromise takes a bit of trial and error.

BikeCad can display angles as different variables are fiddled allowing me to quickly zero in on the best lug set for properly fitting a given rider. Cool.

That said, I think a better answer is to develop a system where any angles are feasible at any joint. The theory of how to do this is relatively simple, and involves composite construction techniques that I've used in other contexts. But, the real key is making sure that the joint is stronger than the tubes. After all, no rider wants to find him/herself suddenly riding a pair of unicycles, eh?

From my perspective, the most feasible method is to miter tubes closely, and bond them with epoxy. Then layer additional carbon fiber on layers using a vacuum system with bleeder felt to extract excess epoxy and air.

So, there's a need to test this process to ensure that I get: 1) enough strength; 2) consistent results. Which means that I need some practice tube.

"Fortunately" if you look at Linda's blog, you'll see I had a little problem with a front triangle. So... I'm going to cut out the tubes and make them my first sacrificial "test tubes." After that I'll get some tubes from McLean and try to build myself a frame. So, stay tuned on this front too.

In a different vein, I've found some sources for Metax stainless tubes fro the front triangle. So, some stainless projects are on about to come online very soon.

Expect to see activity starting to pick up again.

Cheers

Catching Up

Hey, it's only been a month. A month!!!! Yowza!

Work and the first bug of the year. It's been pretty much 7 days a week for the day job of late. And, the kids shared a virus from school. So I missed the Missouri MS ride and the Apple Cider Century. Boo on that.

Meanwhile the garage has been filling with parts (build kits and one-off treasures from EBay).

Add it all up, and I've been highly unproductive on the framebuilding front. It actually reached the point where I couldn't reach tools and parts in the garage. Ugh!!!

Last weekend I got back on the bike (34 & 32 degrees F on Sat & Sun at 6:30am).

I'm slow but it felt good. Last week I hoped to start reorganizing the garage and basement - but, some out of town clients came into town and it got busy. This week, I've finally got past the o-load and made some progress making space.

Tonight, I got back to work on Linda's frame. More on the other blog about that. The key thing is progress is being met.

One other thing that's taken time has been beginning to form up an organization that (for want of any better name) I'm calling the Lake Michigan Chapter of The Cycle Design Group. The intent is to create professional group that can advance the interests of custom/hand-built framebuilders. To few riders have exposure to what's available. Very few recognize or appreciate the incredible bargains a true custom handbuilt frame represents compared to a manufactured bike. And, there really are some legislative issues that could benefit from our input. So, onward with the LMCTCDG. More on this later.

Hopefully, there will be more pix to post in the next week or two.

Cheers,

Current Project Pictures

The front triangle is now bonded.

Lindas Bike

I'm building a bike for Linda using Deda's DCS carbon lug and tube set. The head-tube is bonded. This is a tricky operation as the headset cups are bonded into the lugs, so its imperative that the lugs be held during the bonding process in a manner that assures that they remain parallel. That is done.

The main triangle will get bonded this week and I'll be posting some pictures.

Sarah's Completed Bike

Here's Sarah's bike - finally complete.

It features the fine paint work of Gordon Lechner.

Sarah's Bike

Sarah's bike came back from the painter yesterday. Gordon did his usual good job, and it looks so nice. The light color paint shows off every errant file stroke - but its good for learning what to improve upon.

I don't know who's more excited, Sarah or me. Anyhow, I was up until 11:30PM last night getting it built. Then I took it for a spin. It tracks great and turns easily. With a very short stem, and wide flat bars, it's very easy to turn the front wheel, so the tracking is especially important for a 7 year-old. Despite the fact that my knees would hit the handlebar if I pedaled and turned at the same time, it was a hoot.

This morning I checked the size on Sarah. We need to cut an inch off the seat-post (originally a Mtn-bike post), so we can lower the seat to her proper height. Otherwise, everything checked out.

The build looks like this: Ritchey Scuzzy Logic head-set and Ritchey riser stem, Syncros aluminum flat bar, SRAM 5.0 rear shifter w/Lizard Skin grips, SRAM 12-34 9 speed cassette, SRAM X0.7 rear derailer, HKK 9 chain, Tektro brake-levers, Shimano Altus cantilever brakes, Performance Forte seat-post, Sella Royal (some old brand?) black suede saddle, Shimano 105 hubs, laced straight gauge 2X to Alex rims (BMX size), with 406x1.25" tires.

The net is a strong (easily can carry me at 205 lbs), light bikes that spins easily and fits (subject to seat-post as above) Sarah great and looks very cool IMHO.

General Update

Lots has been going on with little documentation. Let's fix that now.

After making a slight alignment tweek on the chain-stays, I installed the top tube on the track frame. I used a smaller tip on the torch which gave me better control, so these joints went faster than any of my prior filet joints. Also, cleanup of the joint was faster. In various places, different builders have suggested smaller or bigger tips for filet joints. My vote is smaller. Next step is an alignment check, then install seat-stays. After that a brake bridge, cleanup, and off to the painter.

I've been preparing to build a DCS carbon frame. The design is done and approved by the rider. We've figured out the build kit and she's forming her ideas on paint. The build has been held up waiting for the track frame to be done with the jig. I'll probably start the build by next weekend. I anticipate this to go fairly fast.

I've got a new client for another carbon frame. For this, we're going to use a Deda Corsa Nero. After going through the analysis, she fits it beautifully. Again, the build kit is decided on, so I'll be ordering that soon.

I've also ordered a new batch of 20 Cycles Noir decals. This will feature a more traditional design. I've also made the font bigger to take advantage of the real estate available on a carbon frame.

So, September should be a busy month with the delivery of a steel track bike and two carbon road frames. Yea!

After that, I'll get my new steel road frame finished and then move to building myself a steel track frame and see what comes next.

Sarah's Frame is Almost Done

Gordon is almost done with Sarah's frame, and shared some pictures on his flickr site (www.flickr.com/photos/bikedelic). Now they're posted here as well.

You can see his usual outstanding work. I can see a couple of my mistakes, and anticipate seeing a few more when the frame comes back. Still, I think it looks great and I'm sure that Sarah is going to be very proud to ride it.

BTW: Gordon hand painted Sarah's name onthe top-tube.

Dedacciai

I know I know, I'm late posting pictures. But soooon.

Meanwhile, I have to tell you that I have my first frame based on the new Corsa Nero from Dedacciai. It is a thing of beauty!!! You're going to love it.

Keel is Laid

I'm on the road rather than in the shop. The last week was a blur, with so many activities that it was hard to keep track what day it was. My hope was to finish Aram's frame and get it off to paint, but there was simply too much else going on.

Still, I stayed up late a few nights and made some progress. First, the chainstays were mounted in the bottom-bracket. The bottom bracket spigots required some grinding to allow for the 120mm rear end. After pinning, alignment was checked with the Bringheli table and looked good, so it was on to brazing. Post brazing, the stays were pulling together a bit. This was probably caused by more heat on the inside of the stays whiling pulling filler around the joints. A little cold set fixed this, along with a final check-out on the table.

Then everything when back into the jig to fit up the front and back ends together. When all looked good, the down-tube and BB where sanded and cleaned with some of Freddy's Al-Tife. Everything got fluxed up, the joint was put back together on the jig, and the pins were set.

Checking this on the alignment table, I began to see the limits of my cheap surface gauge. I'll probably want to get a good height gauge someday.

Anyhow, after a bit of fussing, things looked good, so I hung the assembly from the track-forks and brazed up the joint. This came out looking clean and neat - which is nice because cleaning filler around the bottom bracket is especially difficult.

Onto the table to find that the downtube was drooping by 1/2mm at the end, and that there was a slight twist to the head-tube. Bending a 35mm down-tube takes some work - but in short order the droop was gone.

Joe supplies a nice jack with his table. This was set below the head-tube in line with the axis of the down-tube. Then a long bar was fitted to the head-tube and the twist eliminated.

After re-checking everything we have a complete straight keel. By then it was 2AM, and that was time to quit.

More when we make progress again.