[TimJ]

slightly OT, but I don't know where else this would go. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with making bike components? I've got a couple ideas in my head and I'm just wondering if that sort of thing can be done on a small scale by hooking up with manufacturers. Rivendell has their dream bar from nitto and they've got diacompe making shifters for them, I wonder what sort of capital investment that takes or if it's pretty simple in that, once you have clear design schematics, you just pay someone to make the stuff.

Anyone know?

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[ridelugs]

first you need to know CAD pretty well. in terms of making things in japan by nitto, it helps to know japanese. seriously. you can get things made in china or tiawan easily, shifters costing maybe 10,000-20,000 dollars in tooling (friction downtube), but cranks, needing expensive forging dies, cost far more. more local companies like white industries, (whiteind.com) will do CNC machining on a smaller scale, and understand bikes and parts well, so would probly be helpful in that area. still expensive. time on the CNC machine doesnt come cheap. also, remember, CNC is only good for non structural items, ie brakes, levers, but not posts, cranks, ect.

[ridelugs]

one more thing, also remember that rivendell ie grant had a working record via bridgestone with those companies, so i'm sure they cut him some slack in one way or the other. you dont, so good luck. what are you trying to make?

[Nessism]

Pacenti specializes in interfacing between the large asian production industry and small business here in the states. You might want to give him a call.

http://bikelugs.com/pacentidesign.html

[TimJ]

That's good to know. This is future-tripping for sure, but my curiosity needed satiating. My dad used to teach cnc machining. Too bad he's not still doing that, he actually made a stem for me back in 88, something like that. For free!