Llewellyn Bikes

[Dazza]

crocodile dazdee atmo.

Crocs are too fast for me
these fellas are more my speed

[Too Tall]

I'll just say it. My favorite bikes you make are simple race bikes and the more elaborate ones that consume your waking hrs. and burn your knuckles I love for the skill, dedication and preservation of what is a rare art in the world of bicycles.

Brother it is a days work to bust your ba!!s becuase you are humble and competent. NONE THE LESS I'm looking for to that day to come (wink wink).

When I look at your body of work and hear the man's words what rises to the top are your burning passion to properly fit riders onto your bikes, give them builds that will likely last longer than they care to own them. Good stuff.

I'm a little disturbed you've only created bicycles that accomodate riders up to 6'3". You may be the Babe Ruth framebuilder of OZ but sir....you are a heightest ;)

Peace, Josh

[Dazza]

I'll just say it. My favorite bikes you make are simple race bikes and the more elaborate ones that consume your waking hrs. and burn your knuckles I love for the skill, dedication and preservation of what is a rare art in the world of bicycles.

Brother it is a days work to bust your ba!!s becuase you are humble and competent. NONE THE LESS I'm looking for to that day to come (wink wink).

When I look at your body of work and hear the man's words what rises to the top are your burning passion to properly fit riders onto your bikes, give them builds that will likely last longer than they care to own them. Good stuff.

I'm a little disturbed you've only created bicycles that accomodate riders up to 6'3". You may be the Babe Ruth framebuilder of OZ but sir....you are a heightest ;)

Peace, Josh

Thank you Josh,
but I think that the root of my "Heightest" problem is I don't know what 6'3" is. Is that that old imperial stuff or some thing?
down here we got with the times in 1975 and went Metric
its millimeters here for the last 35 years
just like the rest of the world :-)
Now fill out the form below and Paypal me the deposit and I will fix my "heigtest" problem with a new simple race bike.

[Dazza]

Wisey, have you got professional help yet for that Gitane fetish you are suffer from?
I am only riding to get fit to make you suffer up the Mount Glorious road

[Wisey]

Wisey, have you got professional help yet for that Gitane fetish you are suffer from?
I am only riding to get fit to make you suffer up the Mount Glorious road

Only thing better than a crappy old gitane is a funny bike.
Only thing better that a crappy old funny bike is a gitane delta funny bike.
Don't let Dazza fool you all with this purist nonsense of his. He's built a funny bike or two in his time. I have one! 26" front and everything! =)
....... ok, so that was quite a few years ago. ;-)
As for professional help, that's all the drinking I do with you, mate. We drink, we get drunk, you tell me I'm a nutter for collecting gitanes = therapy.

[WFSTEKL]

Only thing better than a crappy old gitane is a funny bike.
Only thing better that a crappy old funny bike is a gitane delta funny bike.
Don't let Dazza fool you all with this purist nonsense of his. He's built a funny bike or two in his time. I have one! 26" front and everything! =)
....... ok, so that was quite a few years ago. ;-)
As for professional help, that's all the drinking I do with you, mate. We drink, we get drunk, you tell me I'm a nutter for collecting gitanes = therapy.

I might suggest that you reinforce your Therapy by showing us some of your Gitanes, eh?

[Wisey]

I might suggest that you reinforce your Therapy by showing us some of your Gitanes, eh?

Ohh, that is so tempting. Mostly because I know just how much that would get up Dazza's nose. However, if I were to attempt to describe the workmanship on your average gitane, as compared to Dazza's workmanship (the point of this thread that I have led astray) then it would be something akin to comparing the beauty of the Sistine Chapel to the (insert sarcastic tone) panache of Paris Hilton. Thus, I will refrain from sullying this site with any photo of a gitane. They were simply the best marketed, cheap production bike of their day. (and were ridden by some very cool characters) Most people around here know a good shore line when they see one, and I'll not be responsible for causing 85% of the members of this forum to puke on their keyboards. Now, back to Dazza..........
Here is Kay's Cookie Monster.

[Gregory Townsend]

Dazza,
I hope you don't mind me using the term "Bike Tragic". When you first mentioned it to me, I knew what you meant.

There have been a few diversions but cycling has remained deeply rooted. I can't think of a better description.


Your advice is always spot on and greatly appreciated.

It's fantastic you send so many frames out with stems, It completes the package for my eyes and most of my frames now go out with a stem.

and don't have kids to feed!

I do wish you had mentioned this sooner so I guess I'll just have to work harder for now. It's teaching me a new level of perseverance but I do get to watch Wallace & Gromit quite a lot.
Cheers,

[fc356]

I am a fortunate owner of one of Dazza's fine bikes. I must say that not only is it the most beautiful bike that I have ever owned and ridden, it is so satisfying on so many levels. Obviously the sheer artistry and craft of the frame, fork and stem is the first thing you may notice. And it is a joy to behold. But the first time I got a chance to ride this bike under demanding conditions is when I truly appreciated all the work that Dazza put into it. Number one, I have never had a frame fit me so precisely,with incredible fit and everything falling under my seat, hands and feet so perfectly. The balance going thru twisting turns, on camber, off camber, climbing and then descending is impeccable. The acceleration going uphill is amazing. I felt like the cyclist I was 25 or 30 years ago---I am 64 now. The bike was that easy to ride hard, and seemingly without the effort I normally have to expend. I was literally grinning ear to ear. I have several very well made bicycles that I rotate, depending on the type of ride that day, the weather. the distance etc., but I must say my Llewellyn is the one I most want to ride.


Dazza was great to do business with, the whole process was not only painless, but was exciting. Dazza kept me very informed during the building process with great shots of the frame and how it was progressing. Joe Cosgrove did a stellar job with the paint, and I really appreciate all the hard work. I heartily recommend Dazza for that very special, once in a lifetime bicycle that you will ride and cherish for many, many years.

Tailwinds
Frank

[Dazza]

I am a fortunate owner of one of Dazza's fine bikes...............
Tailwinds
Frank

Thank you Frank
you were also a sweet customer to work with.

[Dazza]

Dazza,
I hope you don't mind me using the term "Bike Tragic". When you first mentioned it to me, I knew what you meant.

There have been a few diversions but cycling has remained deeply rooted. I can't think of a better description.


Your advice is always spot on and greatly appreciated.

It's fantastic you send so many frames out with stems, It completes the package for my eyes and most of my frames now go out with a stem.



I do wish you had mentioned this sooner so I guess I'll just have to work harder for now. It's teaching me a new level of perseverance but I do get to watch Wallace & Gromit quite a lot.
Cheers,

No I don't mind be called a bike tragic, I call myself that all the time.
You don't have to have kids to watch Wallace and Gromit!
Nick Park is one very talented man who toiled and persevered with his creativity
we all can enjoy the results

[suhacycles]

Hey Dazza,

Love what you did with this:

Brett built the frame up and sent me this picture.

Any stories or insights into its design? What kind of rider is Brett? The tubes are XL but it looks so PERFECTLY proportioned that it doesn't look 'fat' at all!

-Hansen

[Dazza]

Hey Dazza,

Love what you did with this:

Brett built the frame up and sent me this picture.

Any stories or insights into its design? What kind of rider is Brett? The tubes are XL but it looks so PERFECTLY proportioned that it doesn't look 'fat' at all!

-Hansen

Brett is a solid lad, he can lean on the pedals
So the XL tube size is the best choice for his weight and grunt
Many times onlookers cannot tell the difference between OS and XL tubes until it is pointed out to them or they notice the HT is bigger in diameter.
That is a standard XL Compact frame set. This was my first frame lug set I designed and produced in 2005. They work well, but these days I rework all the shorelines to a better shape that pleases me before I use them. I am actually shaping a set of these XL compact lugs at this time for the current frame I am building.
These are the same tube sizes as the Cadenzia frame set. the Cadenzia has a level top tube.
I use 17mm seat stays on these frames, some times 19mm for trackies.
and I chose .7/.4/.7 or .8/.5/.8 wall tubes depending on road or track use and how solid the riders is.

Brett was after a head turner and he sourced the silver parts himself.
So a Lucentezza finish was commisioned, which is the full stainless caper and lug cutting, finished off with Joe's Candy Apple red over gold, with the white panels.

[WFSTEKL]

While we're at it, Dazza why don't you show us some more of your XL machines so that we can stymie this growing Max infatuation.

[Dazza]

While we're at it, Dazza why don't you show us some more of your XL machines so that we can stymie this growing Max infatuation.

I hear you
I am with you

Try building a lugged MAX with a sloping top tube, HA!
Try building a lugged MAX with 28.6 fork, plastic or steelo, HA!
Try getting seat posts to fit on some MAX frames, HA!

Trouble is, I never take pics of every thing post paint
here is a couple of XL frames, one sloper TT frame and a Cadenzia with a level TT'

[briordon]

I love the sloping lugset...thanks! What size seat post are you using for the xl set?

[Dazza]

I love the sloping lugset...thanks! What size seat post are you using for the xl set?

I like and use the Columbus 31.7mm Life seat tube so one needs 30.60mm seat post to fit sweetly.
(the Cadenzia XCr frames will use the same post)
I have US made 30.6 Wound Up posts here that were made to fit so so snug. (if you ever need one, contact me)
I also have a Kalloy for a cheaper heavier version
For other 31.7mm seat tubes you may need 30.40, but I like the Columbus ST.

[briordon]

Thanks Dazza, I got the same Columbus seat tube. I'll PM you for details.

I made a fixed gear this summer with your sloping lugset and it was a big hit with the customer...I look forward to working with the XL set too. Did you really design these in 3D CAD or did you start with physical parts?

[Dazza]

Thanks Dazza, I got the same Columbus seat tube. I'll PM you for details.

I made a fixed gear this summer with your sloping lugset and it was a big hit with the customer...I look forward to working with the XL set too. Did you really design these in 3D CAD or did you start with physical parts?

My way was
in the beginning the stem lugs and the XL Compact Lug set was done by fabricating a lug set (a lathe is a beautiful thing) along with which I drew some 2D AutoCAD drawings for some principle dimensions.
A draftsman at the foundry (LongShen) did the 3D working drawings that the tool maker uses.
However there is a loss of interpretation from the intended vision to the item in the hand during these processes.
Longshen's tool maker works in Solidworks, this got me thinking.........
I also took a trip to Taiwan (2005) and visited LongShen, to better understand the process and advance my Phd in lugs.
At home I got the text books, did the lessons and spent way too much time getting my head around a way to obtain true perpendicular shorelines to the tube axis in a lug. This is actually not done by their drafts person, they use a series of planes and cuts, which some times does not give the best result.
Anyhow I eventually got that to work well enough to do some lugs models.
I did the simple DT gear cable casting (the little fellas) in 3D and the whole process from design to item in the hand was sweet.
So from then on I knew the only way was the best way and that way was to create my own 3D models of the parts I needed here to make the frames I desired.
So yes, I did the 3D drawings here at my desk listening to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds or Vivaldi.
The next three lugs sets from 2005 to 2010 are the OS compact, OS Custodian and the last one which was available last June is the XL Cadenzia lug set which was a Pegoretti Llewellyn collaboration. Also the socket dropouts with M5 eyelets and the Limpets are all started from 3D models I create.
One has complete control of the design as it is hard enough dealing with one's own incompetence let alone the incompetence of others.
One can email the CAD file and get plastic rapid prototypes made locally to confirm details and or aesthetics before the tooling is made. It is truly science fiction.
It is a lot of work and hassle, and I finance it all from the equity in our home, but I do this because the parts did not exist before, I need them here to make frames the way I desire, to allow things such as lugged construction in XL tube sizes.

I am not motivated to create and produce a part for exploiting any perceived need the market may suggest.
The part exists because I needed it to fill a hole in my day to day work in my workshop. I see no need or sense to duplicate any thing that already exists in the frame building world for my Llewellyn frame construction. However to justify the costs involved I offer the lugs to the market so eventually if all goes well I might recoup the outlays of $ and time and resources that my one and only pair if hands cannot do here with me just making frames with these parts.
It is rewarding to see and hear from builders using these parts, it is very nice and I thank them and I urge them to keep sharing their pics with us all.
So we now have a OS and XL lug set for sloping top tubes, and in June this year the Cadenzia lug set for XL tube lugged frames with a horizontal top tube.
No such lugs ever existed for road frames.
Any questions?

[briordon]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

The cast parts that I've made (~1000L vacuum vessels) were all sand cast...this process is really tough since you have to design in many of the process limitations: location of parting lines, draft angles, core shift, etc. With investment casting, I think a lot of this goes away? Did Long Shen help much with the transition to production?