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I ride my fixed to work.

But I work in the Brompton factory.

Anyone seen the film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning? It's like that crossed with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Hello,

The WCMT have now uploaded my report on frame building in the USA, so please feel free to take a look:

http://www.wcmt.org.uk/reports/891_1.pdf

It may be a little basic for some of you that are more familiar with fame building, but one of my aims was to nurture interest in the craft in the UK. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Cheers,

Matt

http://www.ninelittletubes.wordpress.com

Hello,

As some of you may remember, I had a Willy Wonker-esque golden ticket opportunity to go and visit lots of frame builders in the USA.

I just finished uploading all the pictures & stuff to my blog, so please feel free to take a look at how they make bikes over the pond:

http://www.ninelittletubes.wordpress.com

I'm gradually moving into a workshop at 98 Webber St, SE1 with Ryan of Oak Cycles, although it'll be a while before I'm set up properly there. If you're passing and feel curious, have a knock on the blue doors at the side on Belvedere Buildings. Someone will hopefully be around.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=98+webber+st+london+se1&hl=en&ll=51.500702,-0.100443&spn=0,0.009602&sll=51.500563,-0.100298&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&layer=c&cbp=13,114.29,,0,21.27&cbll=51.500585,-0.100378&z=17&panoid=8_PiaywHa3rpjhbOPgQCmA

Cheers,
Matt

I want to get some dropouts made up to my own design, but I need to get them cnc milled, and to do that I have to draw them in a CAD program - does anyone use CAD software in their day job?
I downloaded a trial version of AutoCad but I got stuck.
I've only got a little budget for this but I can pay a sensible hourly rate.

Any leads or advice appreciated.

Ta.

Matt

Alright, er, I'm now in Niles, Michigan, on Doug Fattic's frame building course. I've been trying to blog my USA frame building trip. I'm a bit rubbish with todern mechnology, but I've been borrowing my fellow frame building student's (Bill from Tennessee) laptop. There are some pics here:

http://www.ninelittletubes.wordpress.com

Matt

That's a great idea re Serotta. They push the development side a lot. I also really want to fill in some gaps in my cycle fitting/sizing knowledge. I'll be hiring a car in Boston to visit outlying towns, so perhaps...

Oh, and I forgot to mention, on my return to the UK I have 3 months to complete a detailed report that will be available to all online.

Here's another frame I did for a mate (he added the beaten-up parts!).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matts_bike_stuff/5610580869/in/set-72157626492547552/

So tell me, what do you hope to get out of your trip?

Inspiration, confidence, knowledge, understanding, experience, friendships, connections, ideas, fun and lots of information and pictures to share with anyone interested back here.

Having a leaving drink at the Calthorpe Arms on Gray's Inn Rd this Friday (15th) after work - it's really for Lance the controller who's leaving, but I've hijacked it.. all welcome.

Sorry if this is a silly question but what's wrong with British framebuilders that makes you go to America, or have you already done them?

That's a perfectly good question. The answer is plain and depressing; no British frame builders could be bothered to reply to me and they're not generally on the bikelist.org framebuilders forum where I initially made connections with several builders, whereas the US builders are on the whole more organised, friendly, open and inviting, not to mention all the free advice they have given me.

US frame builders also have the benefit of more developed supporting industries, such as lug, tubing, flux, jig & fixture manufacturers. In the USA frame builders have traditionally always used more equipment than their British counterparts, so there is much more to see, learn, photograph and ask questions about.

The WCMT only funds overseas study/travel. I applied, made my case and won the travelling fellowship.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matts_bike_stuff/5610556929/sizes/l/in/photostream/

If anyone wants to follow my blog it'll be here:

http://wilkinsoncycles.com/

(I'm more comfortable with a hacksaw than a laptop, so sorry if it's a bit basic).

Cheers,

Matt

Had a great ride this year on 49/18 ratio, except for one brief lapse of concentration when I went to close to the edge of the tarmac while chatting to someone next to me and dropped the front wheel into a big ditch. Oops.

http://tinyurl.com/39qhp6s

Frame sold.

Frame sold.

This place isn't Bigtime enough for the 2 of us Miles.

it says 56.5cm on the thread title.....
lovely bike, have a free bump.

Yep, centre of BB to centre of top tube is 56.5cm. Remember that with a high BB the seat tube is shorter than a road bike with the same standover height.

Looks nice, how much?

Whoops, just edited to include price.

Frame sold

Truvativ's self-extracting bolt system is awful in my opinion. Rounds too easily, often needs threadlock or loosens.

My gut feeling is that the Record Pista left crank is just not beefy enough around the BB end for 15,000 mile a year messenger use pulling away from lights time after time (by a heavy git like me). To be fair though they're not designed for that. They're very slim cranks.

So send them the details.. and continue to keep us informed.

You don't say.

removed and reinstalled or repeatedly tightened?

Re-fitted on new BB.

did you grease the spindle? did you mix'n'match jis bb spindle and iso crank?

Copper grease, correct BB.

I have. They got back to me asking for details, pics, etc.

Sorry if this is patronising, but 3 days after the crash I can't walk properly, sit down easily or earn money.

I feel I have a duty to bring people's attention to a thread that I posted a little while ago:

http://www.lfgss.com/thread40318.html

I won't bore you any more.

Matt

Did you grease the BB spindle when you put them on?

I used a small amount of copper grease. I have been on about this subject on the bikelist framebuilder's forum, with many experts and engineering professionals, and opinion is still very divided on this subject.

After reading all the info, I have decided not to grease tapers in future, but maybe people should read this:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/installing-cranks.html

I've also decided NOT to fit a Record Pista left crank, but to fit another NEW ISO left crank with more material around the BB end, and possibly to bin this at the next BB change. I'm approaching 90kg with all my courier gear and I pull away quite hard.

It seems that I could've seen the crack beginning if I'd checked my cranks periodically.

Let this be a warning.