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Thread: Thrive Cycles

  1. #1
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    Default Thrive Cycles

    I offer my own story here not because I think it is extraordinary, but rather because I feel it is common. I entered into the world of framebuilding in this millennial midst of time where things crafted are attractive, authenticity is valuable, and entrepreneurship looks romantic, empowering, and obtainable. Even with my doe eyed gaze fixed upon building bikes, I knew in the beginning it was not going to be any of those things.

    Just like many of you, my love connection with the bicycle was founded at an early age and has only continued to prosper, as I have gotten older. Riding and racing eventually led to a wrenching job at our local bike shop. I spent more time fixing flats and repairing department store garbage than building up high-end machines. I didn’t mind it though; I was doing something I loved. It was but only a matter of time before my passion and ability would align. I had to learn.

    Using my hands to create is where I am most comfortable. I have fabricated a lot of things, but building a bicycle was somewhat uncharted territory for me. I have also been misplaced and have lived the majority of my life in Missouri. There really aren’t any builders nearby that I could beg for table scraps. I gorged myself on all things framebuilding. Blogs, forums, e-mails, books conversations, and pictures were just a start. At the bench is where I had to apply it all. I even took on the task of building all my own fixtures in hopes to gain a better understanding of the process. Most of my hands on experiences resulted in what not to do and in moments of frustration even rethinking the whole endeavor. Teaching myself only seemed to remind myself of how far off I was. However, in those unexpected moments of persistence, repetition, and even ignorance the answers would slowly reveal themselves and the motivation would swell.

    I am new. I am also uncertain of when or what makes that feeling go away. Regardless, I have been building bikes for barely three years. The majority of my professional career has been in metrology and calibration. I am always obsessing over decimal points and precision. I can’t help but pour that same mindset into the frames I produce. In a sea of budding and aspiring new builders all I truly care about offering is the ability to do it right. My deliberately simple approach takes it back to the basics and puts focus on construction, design, and quality. It is my desire that over time that my commitment and consistency will result in a reliable choice for customers wanting a hand built frame. In the meantime, I will keep the torch burning, relentlessly strive to build better bicycles, and hopefully thrive in doing so.
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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Hi Darrel

    I've always admired how clean your work is, and I can't get enough of your nice process shots, you do not only have true skills but also a nice eye

    Keep it up!

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Darrel - keep up the good work friend. I've admired your bikes I've seen here on vSalon over the years, you and I have the same sense of what looks right. I love that your bikes are all so simple looking, no frills, no unnecessary do-dads, no heart shaped cut outs, etc. Simple, clean, and purposeful. Love it.

    Lets talk geometry. Do you build your bikes to handle a certain 'signature' way, or do adjust to fit what the customer is asking for? What do you like, for you personally?
    Dustin Gaddis
    www.MiddleGaEpic.com
    Why do people feel the need to list all of their bikes in their signature?

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Hi Darrel

    I've always admired how clean your work is, and I can't get enough of your nice process shots, you do not only have true skills but also a nice eye

    Keep it up!
    Aimar, thank you so much! Likewise, I have always related to your style as well. I have a whole new respect for TIG welding as I have been slowly adding that arrow to my quiver.
    Last edited by DeeDub76; 01-10-2017 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Quote newbie
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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Do you build your bikes to handle a certain 'signature' way, or do adjust to fit what the customer is asking for? What do you like, for you personally?
    Dustin hey buddy! Good question.

    I do not have a signature handling characteristic to my bikes. When I communicate with customers I listen to what they desire and consider the bike or bikes they have been riding. We will also talk about their local terrain as well as riding style. I translate that into millimeters and angles. I stick to what I know and do my best to explain to them why I won't build something with a ridiculous head tube angle or super low BB.

    As for myself, on my SS MTB (which sees the most ride time) I tend to favor XC race geometry. I run longer chainstays (430mm - 440mm). The trails here have short punchy climbs where you need that rear tire to stay planted and not break loose while centering yourself over the front end. Head tube angle is pretty standard, but I like a shorter 90mm stem to suit my preferences.
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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Everybody loves pictures right?





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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Nice stuff, Darrel. How do you arrive at the color schemes for your bikes? Fully customer selected, chosen from a palette of your design, or some other source of inspiration? I ask because I find your bikes' colors to be just off from what I might normally expect for a typical paint job and I mean that in the best possible way. Seriously, they're all great and generally atypical in a visually pleasing way.
    "I guess you're some weird relic of an obsolete age." - davids

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Nice stuff, Darrel. How do you arrive at the color schemes for your bikes? Fully customer selected, chosen from a palette of your design, or some other source of inspiration? I ask because I find your bikes' colors to be just off from what I might normally expect for a typical paint job and I mean that in the best possible way. Seriously, they're all great and generally atypical in a visually pleasing way.
    Matt, absolutely no offense taken. What can I say, my customers have great taste when it comes to the paint they want. However, I'll be honest, sometimes, when I hear what color they want, I think to myself, "Hmmm, that color is going to look horrible." But when I get it back from my painter I am always blown away by how good it actually looks.

    There was a brief period where several bikes in a row were all painted a pastel color, but once again I loved each one! I will also admit that I am a sucker for any bike painted sea foam green.

    Here is my personal gravel bike I showed at NAHBS last year. Of course it is sea foam green with an emerald pearl that is only noticed when you get really close up to it.

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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Quote Originally Posted by DeeDub76 View Post
    Matt, absolutely no offense taken. What can I say, my customers have great taste when it comes to the paint they want. However, I'll be honest, sometimes, when I hear what color they want, I think to myself, "Hmmm, that color is going to look horrible." But when I get it back from my painter I am always blown away by how good it actually looks.

    There was a brief period where several bikes in a row were all painted a pastel color, but once again I loved each one! I will also admit that I am a sucker for any bike painted sea foam green.

    Here is my personal gravel bike I showed at NAHBS last year. Of course it is sea foam green with an emerald pearl that is only noticed when you get really close up to it.

    Love it. I have a seafoam bike and an emerald bike, so I'm bound to love that paint.
    "I guess you're some weird relic of an obsolete age." - davids

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Your bikes are gorgeous. I like that subtle branding + monocolor combo that it is easily recognizable yet doesn't try to steal the show.
    --
    T h o m a s

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Darrel - as already stated your photos are often a highlight of Friday night lights for me. Your bikes just have the "it factor" for me. Very clean, classic looking bikes. If my wife was on board with N+1 you would be on my short list for sure.

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    I get a lot of requests to do internal routing. I understand the desire for a a clean and uncluttered look. With that being said I have usually executed this by finishing the entrance and exit ports flush with the tubing but, in the back of my mind I wondered about sacrificing the strength doing it this way. So to help reinforce the opening I had some small pieces laser cut. It is important for me not only to just make something aesthetically pleasing, but more importantly to make it the best I can.





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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Always improving and refining, while preserving that uncluttered aesthetic.

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    I wrapped up this fun little machine. I now realize how hard it is to shoot pictures of white bikes. As with frame building I am always trying to improve my meager photo skills.

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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Your photo skills are top shelf!

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Here is a great picture one of my customers sent to me. This is what makes me most happy about building bikes. I am grateful for the opportunity to make a simple and reliable machine that allows a person to take a hall pass from the rigors of our daily lives.

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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Sweet bicycles!
    These pics made me flip-flop a dozen times between wanting a seafoam green frame and wanting a white frame.

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    These pics made me flip-flop a dozen times between wanting a seafoam green frame and wanting a white frame.
    Get one in each color. Problem solved.
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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    Columbus meets Paragon

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    Darrel Williams

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    Default Re: Thrive Cycles

    tight
    Bill Fernance
    Bicycle Shop Owner
    Part Time Framebuilder
    Bicycle Tragic

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