I am a frame builder AMA

But as @PhilDAS pointed out, i just found this picture on Ken Evan's instagram. Now I can clearly see the brazed in rings.

That's what I used on Frame #4 - tapered Columbus headtube with braze-in rings:

Brazing in the rings with silver is pretty easy. Mitering the downtube for the tapered headtube is a bit more involved.

I've finally got round to booking my place on a TBA course, and I think my first bike is going to be quite ambitious. I've already had the HT machined to match the fork and headset I'll be using, because it's going to be internal cables, AXS only. I've had quite a lengthy email thread with Andrew discussing the possibilities and limitiations of what is acheivable in a five day course, but I think I'm pretty set now. Really looking forward to it, let's see if it leads to an addiction!

Hi,
I just paid a fella to make some mods to a frame including sticking a disc tab on the rear. He has sent me photos of the finished job and there isn't a supporting strut between the chain stay and seat stay as I am used to seeing with these types of conversions. Should I be worried about that or is it not strictly necessary? cheers

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Depends

if its gaspipe frame maybe fine, but better to have it and not need it, ive only done a couple of disc tab mods but i have put in a brace both times.

With that particular tab, I’d be a bit nervous.

I prefer to do them with a tab that contacts the frame along its entire length as I figure it’s better that the forces are more spread out (I am not an engineer so no idea if it makes any real difference?).

Ps, I also put a brace on every one as well.

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Another vote for a brace. I don't think the tab will pull off, but it's going to try and bend the seat stay when you operate the brake.

Hoping this is the right thread...

Anyone know where i can buy some Surly or Surly style hooded track drop outs with decent travel? Closest found so far are Paragon drop outs but they look a little short me (big tyre fixed, would like to be able to flip wheel to change gearing if needed on ride).

https://www.paragonmachineworks.com/dropouts/dr2020-steel-frame-components-for-horizontal-rear-dropout.html

I’ve used those paragon ones, they seem to have a pretty decent amount of adjustability.

I did get a set of nos Surly ones on eBay which are now on my track bike (I think) but I wouldnt be surprised if I never saw another set for sale.

Edit: Yeah, they’re on my track bike

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Nice. Yeah i found this place in Indonesia that claims to have some but i get bounce backs on my emails to them.

https://www.bmtbonline.com/Surly-Rear-Track-Dropouts

Any idea on travel difference between the Surly and Paragon? It's a custom "do it all" build so it would be gutting to have something not as useful as a Steamroller.

Not sure how 'involved' you want to get. But I'm pretty sure Brain Curtis used to make that style of track end himself. Hacksaw, file, steel plate, tube. I guess a sharpie and a bench vice would help too. Making these small components also makes your end product unique and far more interesting, like Hunter/August/Curtis ect...

Any idea on travel difference between the Surly and Paragon?

I don’t off the top off my head, could measure the Surly ones when I’m in work tomorrow as that’s where the track bike is. I honestly don’t think it’ll be a massive difference.

Thanks that would be really helpful, if nothing else to tell me i'm overthinking this

Cheers for the tip, trying to limit the amount of labour on this but worth considering.

You probably do get about an extra 5mm out of the Surly ones.

Edit: That said, I’ve never thought the paragon ones were particularly short. Anything more than a link of chain’s worth is overkill right?

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Thanks mate that's super helpful. Think the Paragon's look shorter than they are as they have quite a tall profile.

Here's a puff piece about Atherton bikes, who are making custom Ti lugs with a 3D printer. Is this an exciting opportunity for small framebuilders? Seems like it might be a good way to offer custom carbon frames. Might be useful for tempting people away from factory carbon frames.

Hey MV, have you still got this and willing to sell? on second thoughts is it the same as this one.. can prob get it from ceeway if I end up needing it

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What fork crown did you got for in the end @.gaz. ?

I don’t think I’ve used it!

I’ve just replied to your pm about the other frames and I’ll happily send you the fork crown if I have it.

Still got the fork crown.

I’ll pm you.

Not a bike specific question but this seems like the best place to ask. I’m looking for someone in London to stick some bits of stainless steel together for me. It’s for the gooseneck attachment on a boat where the boom joins the mast. Something that looks like this - essentially a square of steel with a bolt and a couple of hooks attached.
Any suggestions? Thank you

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Would any of y’all build with these tubes?

They were given to me by an lbs. I think they are mostly too far gone.

I’ve cleaned a bit of the rust off of one of the brown rusty tubes and one of the orange rusty ones.

Putting on the brown rusty one shown below. Orange ones clean up a bit nicer so might hold onto them.

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I'd say you've got it right. Orange surface rust, fine. Brown pitted rust, no.

i've lost the downtube cable stop (the actual part originally welded on to the frame) for the front mech cable on an alloy frame making running a front mech awkward if not impossible.
the downtube is 40mm so a clamp-on cable stop is ruled out as I'm confident nobody ever made one that big.
my question is how feasible it would be to get a new cable stop / cable stop mount brazed onto the down tube..ive heard that aluminium is trickier to deal with than steel so finding someone to do it might be hard.