Dornbox Bicycles

[Too Tall]

Bicycle related designs or just a portfolio of designs? I do have just a design/art portfolio, they're basically resume's for architects, but I stopped working on mine about a year ago. I'm no crazy industrial designer... those cats come up with sick stuff and can get the cash. I'm more of an artist/graphic design/architect/psychologist kind of designer. In a perfect world, I probably would be designing and building my own sustainable structures and selling them, that takes a lot of cash though. Building bikes would either be hobby or side business where I was more of a idea/design/prototype guy. In the real world, I love where I am and look forward to what's ahead.

Sorry I digress, If I where to put a bicycle oriented portfolio together, it would have oodles of paint and graphics stuff, some dropouts and other components too, but not very much by way of string bikes or Brompton's.

Here's a little of my past: www.dwellwrightstudios.com

Many thanks!!!-Chris

Thank you for the considered answer. I'd think you could orient the portfolio to highlight your abiliites to create / design without prejudice rather than a collection of your abilities. "From design inception to maketable execution"....hehe. It's not so far out. I'll bet even money that if an NYC design squad motivated (pick almost anyone from S.O.) one of the builders here to create an fabric or a sconce it would be done well and well done. That's all I'm saying. Accomplished framebuilders have a fairly impressive range of creative, marketing and fabrication skills under their belts to be successful. Why limit yourself to bicycles, stop me if I'm wrong. You have expressed a wide range of interests and continue to refer back to things like sustainable structures. Is framebuilding enough? Hey, I'll quit pestering you bub....that's what they pay me to do ;)

[Dornbox]

Hey, I'll quit pestering you bub....that's what they pay me to do ;)

I'm not sure I'd pay you to pester me but the whole bike camp thing is looking good! As far as the creativity and craftsmanship here on V, like you said, I'm sure some sick a$$ (insert your favorite objet here) could be designed and fabricated by anyone of the members.

Thanks for the kind words.-Chris

[Jonathan]

I think you confused David and I above. It's ok though because we're brothers by different mothers.

I'll ask another.

What turns you off about a design found in a certain style frame? Is there anything that gets the blood flowing? For instance, I like flat fork crowns....

[Dornbox]

What turns you off about a design found in a certain style frame? Is there anything that gets the blood flowing? For instance, I like flat fork crowns....

from the hip I think everything has it's place (example curved steel forks: NASTY! but I've seen some builders use them on the right bike and they looked gorgeous! Remember the chrome and blue bike at Richmond... Japanese builder I think, SUPER SEXY!!!)... with that: What turns me off, curved forks make me limp especially if they're on a modern frame and the thin steel touring bendies! Oi! (Yes I have a ouzo pro on my bike... it rides awesome, it's a mighty fine fork but it was what I had on hand. Bike #2 will have a 3T) and tall head tubes. I wish I was shorter some times.

Turn-ons: 49 to 54 cm TT frames, tiny fillets, steel stiletto forks (Wow!), and stainless bits left unpainted... and dropouts. I have a dropout fetish. There I said it.... mock me if you must but I'm a fool for a nice set dropouts.

Thanks Jonathan!-Chris

[e-RICHIE]

(Yes I have a ouzo pro on my bike... it rides awesome, it's a mighty fine fork but it was what I had on hand. Bike #2 will have a 3T)

chris -
you're a steel guy, right; why don't you make your own forks atmo?

[Dornbox]

chris -
you're a steel guy, right; why don't you make your own forks atmo?

ATMO-
I've only made one bike where I would have killed for a steel stiletto to put on her. Also, I think there are some super duper carbon forks out there and they look really sweet with my OS 35-39mm DT's.

I would like to start having some billet crowns milled though, ala the old neoprene bushing Answer forks, and fab my own lowers for 29ers... and maybe CX bikes. As for the road bikes... I'll get there someday. Besides the liability and not having been formally trained to turn a set out, making forks equals more jigs, more jigs equals more money put into the shop. Baby steps! It is certainly a part of the craft I will eventually pursue.... Wanna teach me?!?!?-Chris

[e-RICHIE]

ATMO-
I've only made one bike where I would have killed for a steel stiletto to put on her. Also, I think there are some super duper carbon forks out there and they look really sweet with my OS 35-39mm DT's.

I would like to start having some billet crowns milled though, ala the old neoprene bushing Answer forks, and fab my own lowers for 29ers... and maybe CX bikes. As for the road bikes... I'll get there someday. Besides the liability and not having been formally trained to turn a set out, making forks equals more jigs, more jigs equals more money put into the shop. Baby steps! It is certainly a part of the craft I will eventually pursue.... Wanna teach me?!?!?-Chris

dude (did i spell that correctly?) -
i part the room when i opine about this, but i think putting an F3 (fork factory fork) on a handmade frame, especially a steel one,
is a sign of defeat; it says," i give up", or worse yet - "i didn't finish reading the manual". it's akin to sending up a white flag. i have
heard every version of an excuse from, "i was born too late", to that chestnut of all gems, "...it's what the customer asked for atmo".
you have a deal. i will teach you sometime in the next 12 months. consider it a life preserver tossed over towards providence atmo.

[Dornbox]

dude (did i spell that correctly?) -
i part the room when i opine about this, but i think putting an F3 (fork factory fork) on a handmade frame, especially a steel one,
is a sign of defeat; it says," i give up", or worse yet - "i didn't finish reading the manual". it's akin to sending up a white flag. i have
heard every version of an excuse from, "i was born too late", to that chestnut of all gems, "...it's what the customer asked for atmo".
you have a deal. i will teach you sometime in the next 12 months. consider it a life preserver tossed over towards providence atmo.

dude would be correct! And I am sooooo going to hold you to this!!!! What do you need for Christmas? Having ATMO show me anything bike related, priceless!

[e-RICHIE]

dude would be correct! And I am sooooo going to hold you to this!!!! What do you need for Christmas? Having ATMO show me anything bike related, priceless!

i'm jewish atmo.
we do the eight days, a gift a day thing.

[edoz]

ATMO-] making forks equals more jigs, more jigs equals more money put into the shop. Baby steps! It is certainly a part of the craft I will eventually pursue.... Wanna teach me?!?!?-Chris

You're a talented dude, build a fork fixture. I have about $20 in mine. I couldn't build a better fork on an Anvil fixture. (although Don's fixture is way nicer than mine:)

[Dornbox]

i'm jewish atmo.
we do the eight days, a gift a day thing.

Good thing I live nearby. I grew up with a Hanukkah Tree and we had 9 crazy nights! Ok seriously though, I did grow up with a Hanukkah tree (I'm not sure how we worked out the other details anymore) and while my mothers relationship with Ron only lasted about 5 years, my addiction to matzoball soup still lingers and we relapse about once a week in my house. Crack atmo. -Chris

[Dornbox]

You're a talented dude, build a fork fixture. I have about $20 in mine. I couldn't build a better fork on an Anvil fixture. (although Don's fixture is way nicer than mine:)

post some pics Edoz!

[edoz]

If you count the dummy axle, I actually have $55-60 in the set up. I did build the first 3 or 4 with a long axle and axle nuts though.

[edoz]

Here's a bit more on that fixture, a little bit of history and another use that I adapted it for.
Tooling:) « Edoz Bicycles

[Dornbox]

Here's a bit more on that fixture, a little bit of history and another use that I adapted it for.
Tooling:) « Edoz Bicycles

I sent you a PM, I have questions! Thanks Eric.-Chris

[Dornbox]

Number 8 is a limbo bike but probably the hottest bike to date (10 may bump it though).

Number 8 currently sitting at Bryan Myers shop.


The Crow by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[anthonymaietta]

What's going on with the chain stays?

Number 8 currently sitting at Bryan Myers shop.


The Crow by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

What's going on with the chain stays?

Those B DORNBOX Specials dude! That's like the third bike I've made with em. They're uber ridged and hug the wheel all aero like, I save them for the bigboys.... and the pink and blue bike which was for a lil woman. That whole rear triangle is super beef because it's for a 225 pound rider.

[e-RICHIE]

Those B DORNBOX Specials dude! That's like the third bike I've made with em. They're uber ridged and hug the wheel all aero like, I save them for the bigboys.... and the pink and blue bike which was for a lil woman. That whole rear triangle is super beef because it's for a 225 pound rider.

nix the plan suzanne.

the big boys won't feel the rigidity but they will know as soon as the clearance issue arises atmo.
their big hands will be touching up the areas where the tires rub the paint off. really atmo - start
simple, and with basic framebuilding.

whatever problem you are trying to solve there isn't a problem for the rest of us, so focus on the
assembly skills rather than aesthetic flourishes.

[Dornbox]

nix the plan suzanne.

the big boys won't feel the rigidity but they will know as soon as the clearance issue arises atmo.
their big hands will be touching up the areas where the tires rub the paint off. really atmo - start
simple, and with basic framebuilding.

whatever problem you are trying to solve there isn't a problem for the rest of us, so focus on the
assembly skills rather than aesthetic flourishes.

Why would the tires rub? There's about .75 a cm on either side of the tire. I think my Poprad only has a hair more (granted it's a bigger tire) and that's a cross bike. I'd have to guess if there was going to be a flex issue, it would have show in the dirt. Besides people seem to like em outside of the V. My wife's bike has the same chain stays and people were chatting her up like crazy on the last century she rode. I swore I sold a dozen bikes that day. Seriously. -Chris