Just a quick note. The misses and I are away for a bit of relaxation time. I'll be catching this up on Friday. Just didn't want you guys to think I was ignoring you.
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Just a quick note. The misses and I are away for a bit of relaxation time. I'll be catching this up on Friday. Just didn't want you guys to think I was ignoring you.
Zank,
Drink some wine. ...just a suggestion.
For breakfast? Check.
david & ronnie buyin the wine....
watch out my friend and connoisseur --- "the warmth generated by the vine..."
ronnie
Hi James,
Typically yes. My process has been evolving to include fewer tacks and fewer reheating periods. This is all just my preference. In case something goes awry in the fit-up process, I find it easier to make adjustments if the pieces are just pinned and not tacked. Things still move once heat is applied. But as I fine-tune the process with each and every frame, the "moving" part has become more and more predictable and more and more minuscule. This has all been aided by the addition of a few nice tools, including the big granite surface plate and digital height gauge. I can't get too far from my data-lovin', number-crunchin' engineering background I guess. The goal for the evolution of a process, just like a tool, is high precision and high accuracy.
I like your next question because it's a different twist on why I might add new materials in the future. I'm still sticking to my guns and saying that I will add materials when two conditions are satisfied.
1) I become proficient in the fabrication method.
2) I think another choice will provide a benefit or solution to a customer.
Good sound strategy on the surface if you ask me, however, cyclists are a passionate bunch. We want to look, feel, and play the part of our heroes. Logic and full-blown research aren't always the driving factors in some purchase. Would I want to miss out on someone's passionate purchase. Heck no. Do I want to undermine my values? Heck no. But we're just talking about bikes here, it's not about trying to solve world hunger. Here's the nice thing. Materials and methods have evolved to a point where there are very few bad choices. It's like components these days. It's hard to go wrong with whatever you pick. It all works amazingly well. If it means a greater chance for my business to remain viable say 15 years from now, you bet.
Regarding cyclocross, yes, it has absolutely helped the business grow. Like e-RICHIE has always said, people will connect with you based on your passions. My love of the sport came before the business began. I couldn't be happier that the business has grown along side my passion. Being involved has helped get the name out, but I try to give back too. I try to help events by volunteering and sponsoring. If there aren't events, we won't be able to race. So that is where I want to focus my efforts for the next few years. I may try to expand my support of some riders in the future. We'll see.
Thoughts? Ideas?
its raining now and you could be building steveps frame.
darren
the poor guy only has 4 bikes... and a new kit in a box sitting by itself...
waiting....
Not necessarily Colnago in particular, but the influence on the road side is certainly tried and true European road racing specs. Nothing off-the-wall. Just designs that work. But regarding "long and low", that to me is more about position and contact points than geometry and handling characteristics. Was there an area of design you were most curious about?
The routine has been evolving. I get up with the misses at 5:30 most days. Since I do most of my computer stuff on my PC at home, I tend to do that in the morning with my coffee. I'm now trying to be at the shop by 7:00. Since I'm still getting used to the new space and some new tools, I haven't gotten my weekly or monthly routine dialed yet. I can see it happening over the next few months though. The planner in me would love to see the day that things were dialed to the point that I knew exactly what I should be doing a week from Thursday, but each frame is a little different and each will present its unique challenges. Let's revisit this in June and see where I'm at...
My business training started when I started with GE Plastics. I was hired into their Technical Sales Leadership Program. It was a two-year program broken into 6-12 month blocks. We were exposed to many facets of the business. Following that, I kind of fast-tracked through different engineering, sales, and marketing roles. All along the way, I was basically put through the GE sink-or-swim business training wringer. We did a ton of sales, marketing, and business training. The frame business grew alongside this, but almost in spite of my efforts. I was pretty focused on the day job. I am now relying on my previous training for sure. I certainly see the value in hiring somebody to help with the strategy and tactics of running the business though. It's a monster task.
The riding has been slim over the past 5-6 months due tot he amount of time it's taken to get things up and running in the new place, but it's starting to get back to normal. I have lots of rebuilding to do. I love criteriums and circuit races. My ideal season would be to race the mountain bike in the spring and early summer, switch to crits in July and August and then do a full season of cross. The big goal for this year is to get some fitness back over the rest of the spring and summer, have a good cross season, and then do a great winter of training for 2011. Basically, I like racing. It doesn't matter a whole lot what kind, except that I suck at road racing because I just don't have the endurance and power-to-weight that you need. I hate being pack fodder. If I can't mix it up, I don't want to be there. I'd rather be out riding with my wife and my buds.
Mike,
what's a tool that you use that you wouldn't want to be without? Not one you couldn't do without necessarily, just that you wouldn't, and why?
How long until Gloucester Grand Prix of Cyclocross, presented by Zanconato Custom Cycles? :amuse:
The fact that you're a GWRTSTS (in the original sense, not Patrick's bowdlerized version) matters to me. You're just as big a bike nerd as me, just a bit better with the torch :laugh:
I'm no marketing genius, and despite my comment above, I think supporting a regional or national team at the elite level is probably the best way to go. Race on Sunday, sell on Monday is no less true for being cliche.
Also: product photography matters. I really like your construction blog entries, because they showcase your passion, skill and attention to detail. But don't forget the finished product. Those sexy, well-lit closeups of lugs and dropouts and brand-new drivetrains draw people in (at least they work on me). Hire a pro and bring him/her back periodically.
I'm with you 100% on the photos. As I mentioned earlier, I'm going back to my old blog (the first new post is up). Posting pictures to the new blog is very cumbersome. If it's easy, I'll do it. That one wasn't. I am also setting up a little studio section of the shop to get some nice photos of those Keith Anderson paint jobs. And when the funds can support it, I'll be visiting Jeff Weir for some PRO treatment.
Regarding sponsorship, we'll see how things progress. I'd love nothing more than to sponsor some of the big races, maybe a series, or have a real elite team, but it's big money and time. No doubt there would be return, but it's the chicken and egg thing. We'll see how things play out.
First of all, I've really enjoyed reading this dialog and appreciate you taking the time to answer the questions.
What is your thinking on straight vs. curved forks? Based on the bikes I've seen posted, there appears to be an almost equal number of each on your bikes. This seems like a departure from your typical custom steel builder in that most tend to stick to one or the other.
Hi Keith. Thank you for participating! Glad you are enjoying the thread.
It really depends on the bike and the rider. In terms of "feel", I can't distinguish one from the other. I have two identical cross bikes except one fork is straight and the other is curved. The bike with the curved fork has other braze-ons and it serves as my pit bike and winter bike. I've one a bunch of back to back rides on both bikes off road and on road, with cross tires and road tires. I can't tell the difference at all in front end shock absorption. When you are rolling around on a cross tubular at 25 psi you're getting about an inch of suspension, so that mutes out most everything except for the bigger hits. On the road, I would ride over broken pavement (there's a lot of that around here!) and rail some corners. It felt the same on both bikes. Maybe I don't have the best senses, but I'm not sure I know any better way to test it. All that said, I do have preferences in terms of aesthetics. I think cross bikes look great with straight blade forks up to a certain size (60+) and then it leans back towards curved. Road bikes always look great with curved forks, but I like really straight forks too depending on the build. I don't have any hard and fast rules, but I will offer my advice. So, which do you like better?
Thanks for the reply. As for aesthetics, I would say that my tastes lean towards the straight bladed forks...but I'd be perfectly happy with either. I'm sure there have plenty of discussions/debates over the differences in handling between these two types of forks and to me it seems like the curved bladed forks would do a slightly better job of absorbing road vibrations...but who am I to say since I'm a software engineer and not a mechanical one.
It's one of those tough discussions and passions tend to overshadow empirical data. But how can one get real empirical data without crazy testing fixtures and pneumatic pistons? I dunno. I say go with what you like to look at. They feel about the same to me on the road and on the trail.
Just a quick note to let y'all know that I went back to my old blog. The new one was a pain to upload pictures to and that is the whole point of the blog, right? Now that I am in a good routine, I aim to update at least 3 times a week. Hey, thanks for looking!
New old blog
hey zank atmo are you doing any 'cross teams or similar support this fall?
man you were like sooooooooooo buffed at noho atmo...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/...5d101bbe_b.jpg
mike,
whats your current wait for a frame? i need a road bike to match my cross bike
Richie, you know I love the scene. My "team" kind of fell together on its own, with pals who wanted to buy kit and race in my colors. I was pretty lucky. This year, we're hoping to earn some good results out on the course and use them as backing for proposals I am putting together for suppliers that I want to build long term business relationships with. I view the way you run your team and business as the perfect model. You team up with sponsors that you live and die for. You become partners and are an integral part of their business as well. I look at what you've done with Cole, for example, and it just seems like a home run for both of you. That's what I want. I don't want to go to these guys just looking for a handout. I want a partnership that helps both parties grow.
I think at last count, I will have eight riders in New England, including one elite woman, three or four in Portland, one in WI, one in OH, and one in NY all wearing the kit. It's shaping up to be a great group.
I will also donate some cash to a couple of races. Sucker Brook Cross for sure and I'm hoping another one of my favorite races in the middle of the season. We'll see how that pans out. I like to support the events as well as the racers.
I'm already looking forward to your team email updates. I sense the time is near for the first one. Can't wait!
Here are a few...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...RecordBike.jpg
http://www.raydobbins.com/molteni_replica/photo39.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/...9e250e73_b.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aiTLRxFg-o...00/gp11-lg.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...Picture002.jpg
http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum...2&d=1230568358
http://indyposted.com/wp-content/upl...ze-theron1.jpg
Geez...how did that picture of super-hottie Charlize Theron get in there? I think toots edited my post and pasted it in.
No way, TT would never do that. xxoo, Josh
Mike,
one thing I've always been impressed with since I've been noticing your frames is how the decal or branding features such as engraved Z's help your bikes look complete. How long did that process take and is there any insight on how it happened? The Belgium themed cross bikes were pretty cool and a great way to have fun being different. Any plans to do more of that kind of stuff?
Jonathan
Mike,
You mentioned earlier in the thread you are using a Meco Midget torch. Is this your exclusive torch used for the whole build now or just the small bits? I recall people debating that torch on the frame builders list a few years back, some saying it was great and other saying it's too small.
Thanks,
Tom
Mike:
I'll tag on to Jonathan's question here a bit, and ask
what do you think are the things that make a frame a complete whole, versus a collection of braze ons, suspension devices, fancy head tube badges, or specially bent tubes-
You really can't add or remove from the best shaker furniture, and that stuff fetches quite a price these days in your neck of the woods.
In other words, looking back on old frames, what would you do differently again, and what would you retain as you- what are the things that distract, and what are the things that disappear seamlessly into the whole?
Mike,
I know you’ve got a few distinct frame genres in your repertoire already – Cross, Road, and the occasional Mountain.
Do you see yourself sticking with these, or are you interested in other kinds of frame? If so, what?
You mentioned earlier in the thread you are using a Meco Midget torch. Is this your exclusive torch used for the whole build now or just the small bits? I recall people debating that torch on the frame builders list a few years back, some saying it was great and other saying it's too small.
Torches depend on flow and tip jets, Pros just silver on a tip to make exactly what they want.
Reverse flow handles backfire more that though flow so maintaining them is important if you don't want a crisp thumb.
Mike knows what he is doing and uses learned skill to optimizie his joining work.
I hear you. This is something I sometimes take to excess and point beyond reasonable sense. There is always something that others can do better if for nothing else than experience. Are those skills i.e. painting and engraving something you would like to add to you skill base in the future? If not, why?
jeez h crist atmo you have nearly 8,000 views.
rawesome.
ok. back to whatever is scheduled...
Hi Jonathan,
I suppose my style has evolved from being leery of doing too much. After I did my fifth bike or so, I enlisted a pal from UMass to do the drawing for the current logo. We went through a bunch of iterations with different symbols and more elaborate fonts. None of it worked for me and I told him to just do something simple. The only guidance past that was the little swoosh from the "o" to the "t" at the end because that's how I signed my name. What he came up with has made me happy ever since. The Z is a little bigger than the rest of the characters for a little more impact and the top of the Z is aligned horizontally with the top of the "t". It just worked for me. But when we isolated the Z for the head tube, it looked odd. It was too wide and short. So we made it taller and all was right. So if you take a close look, you will see that the single Zs on the frame are different than the Zs in the full name. It's the little things that count and that has been my theme all along.
I knew early on that I wanted the bikes to have an identity when stripped of their paint. It started with engravings on the brake bridge and fork crown. I was happy how they looked, but the bikes looked a little unbalanced and they needed a few more little splashes of color in other spots. That's when I started doing the engraving under the BB, on top of the DT lug, and on the sides of the ST lug. I am happy now with the balance of simple flourishes that don't distract from the complete bike build.
Yeah, I have a lot of fun doing some of the theme stuff for some teams. I want the bikes to look interesting but not gaudy. The Belgian stripes and the "Shoulder Here" decal have ended up on quite a few bikes in other colors, which I think is pretty cool. I'd like to do more national stripes because I think people would appreciate showing a little love for their family heritage or their heroes on the bike. I've always wanted Italian Tricolore stripes incorporated into a paint job. I suppose I should get on the horn with Screen Specialty.
Hi Tom,
As Freddy mentioned, you can tune the tips a bit and get the results you want. I don't have the longer neck on mine and have never thought the torch was too hot, even after fillet sessions. I have a few tips that I have drilled out to get a little more heat, but the torch has always put out enough heat to braze bike stuff or make a few tools with silver or brass. I really like it. You can get flashback arrestors and check valves for it. I'm very happy with it.
The whole is the whole. Sorry, couldn't resist.
I don't look at frames much; I look at and admire bikes. And I don't want any one thing to distract me. The details should disappear seamlessly until you want to go looking for them. That's why I like to do the little engravings and the little Zs in the panel bands. They blend in until you look for them. And this goes for weird components that look out of place on the bike as well, stems in particular. A stem can kill the look of a bike. I've had decals come and go too. At one point I had decals on the top tube. They were distracting and annoying when the bike was built up, so they went. Make sense?
Nah, not really. The bikes I build are the bikes I ride and know. For instance, I've never ridden on a track, so I have no business saying I can build a track bike. Yeah, I could build one if you told me what to build, but then it wouldn't really be a bike from me, would it? I've never been afraid to say leave it to the guys who are experts in that arena. It makes the most sense for everybody.
That said, I want to do more experimenting with 29ers. I have this need for my mountain bike to feel more and more like my cross bike. So I'm not saying I don't want to keep learning, rather I want to learn more about what I am interested in.
Great question. Whether it's skill, experience, equipment, piece of mind, or just a good 'ole cost analysis, there are so many good reasons to use the services of an excellent vendor. I know that I can never do what Keith can do with paint. And I don't think the cost to purchase a pantograph is worth it for the small volume of parts I have engraved. I need to be doing the things that are of the most value to the business. But I'm at peace with that, as much I would love to learn to paint.