Baum Cycles

[Darren Baum]

Following a few PLLEEASSES from Richard I have finally found a few moments to (dictate while my lovely wife types) so that you guys can learn a little about me and ask the burning questions. I built my first bike when I was sixteen while on work experience with an eccentric yet highly skilled frame builder in Melbourne Australia. We lived out of town a bit, too far to run to see mates so riding was the only option. I did a whole lot of racing as a junior with guys who went on to ride for pro teams. At the ripe old age of 17 I was mowed down by a car travelling at 120kph (75mph) just meters from our front gate on return from a training ride. I still carry the scars and the biomechanically challenged body that the accident created.

In order to ride again without pain I took a keen interest in biomechanics and from there built myself bikes with seat angles of 75 degrees to 69 degrees.

I was lucky enough at a young age to have a mentor in the industry and to have access to a workshop full of tools. I then went on to complete an apprenticeship as an Aircraft Mechanical Engineer while still riding and building primarily for myself and a few mates. I started selling my first commercial bikes in 1996 and Baum cycles became a full time job in 2001.

Our business model in Australia is direct to the consumer, with majority of customers coming direct to the factory for a fit. The build and finishing process is completed in house at Baum, and given that I'm pretty damn fussy when it comes to details that suits just fine. I have built lugged, pressed and investment cast (both with silver and brass), fillet brazed (silver & brass), TIG in steel, aluminium and titanium. Currently primarily building titanium but I still ride a steel bike.

Darren Baum

Framebuilder

Baum Cycles
Australia

[GrantM]

Hey Darren,

Great to have you here to answer these questions, I'm a huge fan of your bikes!

What would you say are your influences outside of the bike industry that inform your approach to making bikes?
It seems to me that you have a very strong sense of what you want your bikes to be, can you talk a bit
about where that comes from?

Grant

[anomaly]

Darren,
Just wanted to say the ti bikes you've been sending to Above Category are the most impressive hand crafted bikes I've ever seen. They are really and truly amazing.

Any chance of demoing* a ti 29er while you are out here? I promise I'll beat it to hell.

Nate






*would not have funds to buy one for another 10-15 years

[BryanF]

Darren,

Two weeks on my Corretto, and I have to say it's really a thing of beauty. I love it, thanks....and look forward to meeting you later this month at AC.

Many thanks...I'm looking forward to many happy miles.

[anomaly]

Darren,

Two weeks on my Corretto, and I have to say it's really a thing of beauty. I love it, thanks....and look forward to meeting you later this month at AC.

Many thanks...I'm looking forward to many happy miles.

I'll be there. Someone should let Willy know when it is...

[steve garro]

I had no idea you were crushed by a car as well. Damn.
Sounds like it taught you allot about the human body, as it did me.

I am a big fan of your work, it just says "clean"
Keep up the good work, it's heartening to me to know that you have overcome and thrived!
- Garro.

[Darren Baum]

Hi Brian,

great to hear you are enjoying it, looking forward to meeting you when we arrive.
We might have a bit in common as the burnt orange is my favorite colour.

Darren

[Darren Baum]

Hi Nate,

Thanks for your interest,

Above Category has an Extensa 29er with a SID XX fork with XTR on the way, it will be at NAHBS and then staying on at AC as a shop bike.

Enjoy!

Darren

[anomaly]

Hi Nate,

Thanks for your interest,

Above Category has an Extensa 29er with a SID XX fork with XTR on the way, it will be at NAHBS and then staying on at AC as a shop bike.

Enjoy!

Darren

Hopefully it is built for someone taller than Chad, as I am =)

[BryanF]

Darren,

What's the story behind the unique chainstay design on the Corretto? I mean, they look pretty rad, but I assume there's some thinking in there beyond how they look...

[Darren Baum]

Hi Grant,

I would have to say that the greatest influence outside of the industry has been having the opportunity to work with some brilliant old school tradesmen.
They have a wealth of skills and knowledge to teach and if you are willing to listen it is yours for the taking.
Fit/biomechanics - l have had the opportunity to learn from Steve Hogg Welcome » Steve Hogg's Bike Fitting Website and given that he was able to fit my body to a bike and enable me to ride pain free l rate him fairly highly.
Handling- Jo Banks worked as a Crew Chief for a V8 Supercar racing team (like Nascar) here in Australia. He introduced me to the concept of post Race/Testing debriefing which we then applied to the bikes.
Comfort - My rear end and a whole lot of miles!
Stiffness - We have worked with elite athletes using SRM's as a base point
Graphics - We have been able to collaborate with a group of talented and passionate designers and through constructive/dec-constructive/argumentative discussion we have arrived at our current graphics point.

Thanks for your interest.

Darren

[e-RICHIE]

Thanks for your interest.

^ ^
Dividends paid back in spades atmo.
Yours is a great story.

[Mark Kelly]

I would have to say that the greatest influence outside of the industry has been having the opportunity to work with some brilliant old school tradesmen.
They have a wealth of skills and knowledge to teach and if you are willing to listen it is yours for the taking.

Darren

I'd like people to know that this is not a one way street with Darren.

A couple of years ago I went to his workshop and spent a (very*) hot summer afternoon talking to him about my crazy ideas regarding the interaction between the acoustic properties of frame materials and what we call "ride quality". Darren listened carefully, asked penentrating questions and offered me a great deal of help and advice on the subject and on the bike trade in general. He made a very generous offer to assist with my research which I was unfortunately not able to take up.

The bikes are beautiful but in this case the beauty is not just skin deep; there's some serious thinking going on in the background.




*This was the day that is now known here as "Black Saturday" - record temperatures (49 degrees in Geelong where we live - that's over 120 for those who still haven't caught up with the rest of the world) and whole towns engulfed in fire.

[Darren Baum]

I'd like people to know that this is not a one way street with Darren.

A couple of years ago I went to his workshop and spent a (very*) hot summer afternoon talking to him about my crazy ideas regarding the interaction between the acoustic properties of frame materials and what we call "ride quality". Darren listened carefully, asked penentrating questions and offered me a great deal of help and advice on the subject and on the bike trade in general. He made a very generous offer to assist with my research which I was unfortunately not able to take up.

The bikes are beautiful but in this case the beauty is not just skin deep; there's some serious thinking going on in the background.




*This was the day that is now known here as "Black Saturday" - record temperatures (49 degrees in Geelong where we live - that's over 120 for those who still haven't caught up with the rest of the world) and whole towns engulfed in fire.

Mark,

I remember that day well, absolutely the hottest day l have spent in the workshop but l can recall what we spoke about. We then drove down to Ocean Grove to a friends house and watched and listened as our state burned and hundreds of people lost their lives.
Your acoustic theory intrigued and challenged me, and strangly since l have had 2 people approach me with "this may be hard to understand, but l have an acoustic theory on bikes"!! l hope the winemaking is going well.
Darren

[Mark Kelly]

Mark,

I remember that day well,

I think we all will for a long time.

l hope the winemaking is going well.
Darren

Thanks. I work on contract each Vintage while studying (PhD on energy efficiency in winery processes). We're in the thick of it at the moment - best season I've seen for at least a decade, following 2011 which was the worst season for 37 years. Everything is, however, ripening at once so we're under the hammer - we're already at 20k tonnes where last year by this stage we'd done about 2k of the 46k we put through.

Maybe I can help with the alcohol if you and TooTall get together - I was also a Brewer for several years.

[Thylacine Cycles]

Hi Grant,

I would have to say that the greatest influence outside of the industry has been having the opportunity to work with some brilliant old school tradesmen.
They have a wealth of skills and knowledge to teach and if you are willing to listen it is yours for the taking.
Fit/biomechanics - l have had the opportunity to learn from Steve Hogg Welcome » Steve Hogg's Bike Fitting Website and given that he was able to fit my body to a bike and enable me to ride pain free l rate him fairly highly.
Handling- Jo Banks worked as a Crew Chief for a V8 Supercar racing team (like Nascar) here in Australia. He introduced me to the concept of post Race/Testing debriefing which we then applied to the bikes.
Comfort - My rear end and a whole lot of miles!
Stiffness - We have worked with elite athletes using SRM's as a base point
Graphics - We have been able to collaborate with a group of talented and passionate designers and through constructive/dec-constructive/argumentative discussion we have arrived at our current graphics point.

Thanks for your interest.

Darren

Geez, was 2003 that bad?

[BryanF]

Just home from the Above Category / Baum evening. I was blown away by not on the the display of jaw-dropping bikes there (headed for Sac...you HAVE to see the track Corretto) but the depth of knowledge that Darren showed about his frames, materials, process and biomechanics. One of them most rewarding builder presentations I've been to for sure. I was lucky enough to spend about an hour with Darren prior to event getting the fit dialed on my Corretto. He clearly has a passion for fit, and as someone with some anatomical oddities I really appreciated his his attention to detail. I'm somewhat flattened after hearing about all the thought and work that went into producing my frame...amazing stuff.

Many thanks, and see you in Sacramento!!

[DCT]

Darren,

I'm a huge fan of your bikes and will own one at some point. You need a dealer in Greenwich Connecticut so I can see them up close and personal.
Ohhhh BTW, great name.

Darren

[Darren Baum]

Darren,

Make your way to NAHBS, we are bringing them halfway round the world for you!
Above Category Above Category Cycling have offered Baum as a small builder, fantastic support.
Just dipping our cleats into the US pond slowly.

Darren

[DECO]

I love my Baums