Holy sh!t . . these frames are the nuts

So i popped into SBR/Bonthrone bikes in fulham today to check on some part i ordered, only to be greeted by some of the most awesome SS frames i have seen.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=SW6+5HU&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=51.474594,-0.207968&spn=0.011547,0.043001&om=1

Turns out the polish mechanic downstairs builds his own frames, and does custom builds, under the name Katana - I though i recognized one of the frames, and sure enough Cavendish bikes have on built up, pics of which have been posted before:

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread5115.html

Anyway they have on display a built up bike, sh!t pic taken on phone so apologies:

Also a beautiful 650 front lowpro frame that i would sell my soul to get hold of, a specially designed 'freestyle' frame designed to make doing fixed gear tricks/barspins etc easier and several others, all fit for the bike porn thread, and all going for 600-650 quid. I had a long chat with the guy, and he said they can build whatever you want.

Strongly suggest getting your asses down there if you can to check out these frames, i gave him the website details and he said he would take some pics and post them up on here.

600 is way too expensive...i would rather get a proper frame.

that whole bike at the bottom costs 2000 pounds! yikes. and, in my opinion, it's horrible.

The seatstays look a bit sketchy - might just be the picture but it looks like they're just bent rather than evenly curved...

i think we did this one, and i stand by what i said.

these bikes are for hipsters, they look like shit.

600 is way too expensive...i would rather get a proper frame.

Proper frame . . . ? 600 quid for a full custom build seems pretty good to me, and the quality of these frames is top notch, certainly a step up from a Bob Jackson

And as for the 2 grand price tag on the one with carbon wheels, which dont really suit the frame, they probably sell that in no time in fulham.

i really doubt if these frames are a step up from bob jackson.

they've been building frames since before this guy's dad was even a twinkle in his grandad's eye.

Proper frame . . . ? 600 quid for a full custom build seems pretty good to me, and the quality of these frames is top notch, certainly a step up from a Bob Jackson

And as for the 2 grand price tag on the one with carbon wheels, which dont really suit the frame, they probably sell that in no time in fulham.

i'm sorry...i don't know what i'm talking about.

haha.

i seen so many west londoners carving it up on carbon wheels at £2000.

thousands. well, not quite. NONE.

VV's on commission.

i really doubt if these frames are a step up from bob jackson.

they've been building frames since before this guy's dad was even a twinkle in his grandad's eye.

Well IMO a bob jackson, whilst a nice enough bit of kit, is pretty much an entry level frame when it comes to the world of quality frames, and a companies age has got nothing to do with the product they put out. Anyway each to their own, but i was mighty impressed with the quality of work that had gone into these frames - and they certainly dont resemble the hhsb's and hipstermobiles you see cluttering up the eastend these days.

600 quid for a full custom build seems pretty good to me, and the quality of these frames is top notch, certainly a step up from a Bob Jackson

How do you know? Did you cut the joints up and analyse them or did you go by the paint and the "classy" graphics. All the ones I've seen look a step down from a Bob Jackson and about as classy as an Argos engagement ring.

haha.

i seen so many west londoners carving it up on carbon wheels at £2000.

thousands. well, not quite. NONE.

VV's on commission.

Ha . . Well maybe i should be . . but carbon wheels are fairly common round here - i see a guy comuting on a Specialized tri bike down munster road every morning for one, and some of the stuff you see folks in chelsea rolling around on these days would have been TDF kit only a few years back

Well IMO a bob jackson, whilst a nice enough bit of kit, is pretty much an entry level frame when it comes to the world of quality frames, and a companies age has got nothing to do with the product they put out. Anyway each to their own, but i was mighty impressed with the quality of work that had gone into these frames - and they certainly dont resemble the hhsb's and hipstermobiles you see cluttering up the eastend these days.

really?

entry level frames you say?

"IMO" total bullshit. this piece of cack is from elizabeth duke, like matey says above. i bet it lasts about five seconds before some catastrophic failure occurs as a result of the hipster's mullet snagging in the plastic lockring.

the biggest problem i have with these frames is that the persona of is it that they are imported from poland, the truth is they are made by someone who is polish not the same thing

^no. they are imported from poland. the guy who 'designed' them and sells them doesn't build them.

really?

entry level frames you say?

"IMO" total bullshit. this piece of cack is from elizabeth duke, like matey says above. i bet it lasts about five seconds before some catastrophic failure occurs as a result of the hipster's mullet snagging in the plastic lockring.

Whoa temper temper, i didnt say a bob is rubbish, just that its the first step into a world that can see you spending thousands of pounds on a frameset, i'd happily roll around on one . . . i do like the way you can tell its a piece of cack from a picture, and just so you know i have a background in mechanical engineering, and dable in a bit of metalwork myself, so whilst i'm certainly not a bike builder i can tell a decent frame from a sh!t one.

I am suprised at the response to these, i was just pleased to see some nicely made frames that you dont see every day, and the guy who makes em was happy to chat and explain what they could do build wise. Why dont you go and look for yourself before going on the offensive?

^no. they are imported from poland. the guy who 'designed' them and sells them doesn't build them.

ok i got it wrong

^no. they are imported from poland. the guy who 'designed' them and sells them doesn't build them.

That makes the price seem slightly more outrageous.

If they were handbuilt in a basement in fulham then 600 quid (while still steep) is a bit more justified (rent to pay etc), but that suggests it's more like they're built for absolute pittance in poland and shipped over.

sorry, didn't mean to come off as mean. don't even know why i'm defending them. but if you're gonna talk shit, at least get your shit straight.
and - pros to frame:
very nicely welded/lugged
high quality paint (though attention to detail needs some work - drips in clearcoat, etc)
good price for customness
cons:
shit graphics
horrible model names
dedaccai tubing (never liked the feel of it, personally)

i think they are well made, fairly high quality bikes. so? i still don't have to like em.
(and yes, the curve' on the seatstays really looks just like a bend in the middle)

I kept quiet last time round. The frame builder is a personal friend of Arsen design.

His frames are of a high quality. That said they're very expensive for a fixed wheel frame.
I personally wouldn't own one becuase they're not really my style. But they do seem to be nice solid builds. I get that it would appear he's jumping on a bandwagon but at least try riding one of the things before you slate them.

Also why the guy decided on the japanese-esque name is beyond me.

i seen so many west londoners carving it up on carbon wheels at £2000.
thousands. well, not quite. NONE.

Well, on a Tues or Wed night after Hillingdon I see the odd bling wheelset on racer's bikes riding home. Not £2k but certainly deep section carbon. This is at a race circuit thought so what do you expect? :)

Jesus talk about ripping a bike apart from just one picture.

whoever did the graphics for those frames needs to have their crayon confiscated to prevent further design crimes

I did say to him that i thought the name was a bit weird, as to me it gives the impression of trying too hard to look like a Japanese builder . . anyway i have to agree that the on they have in Cavendish bikes is not really my cup of tea, but the lo-pro and in particular the freestyle frame they had in SBR really impressed me.

With the freestyle frame you could really tell that a lot of though had gone into making the frame fit for purpose, with a steep steering angle, reinforced in all the right place so it can take a hammering without looking overbuilt, forks designed to be ridden both ways, and a lovely wishbone arrangement for the rear - it is also very subtly put together, beautifully stealthy if you like that look, which i do - just was really nice to see someone pushing fixed wheel/ SS design forward and away from the classic replica look that dominates today, and looking at building bikes that can handle the new direction that many riders are pushing what they do on there bikes in.