Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - yet another custom frame builder...plus other meandering thoughts

solo velo (http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/solovelo/index.html).

it would appear that he is right down the road from me here. i think i checked out this page two summers ago while i was looking for a new frame, and, here i am again, looking for new frames (or maybe just a new fork) and i come across his page again. looks like some decent stuff, but he's not taking orders for 2004 yet due to some rennovation.

anyone know anything about his operation??

i'm torn...really, really torn. i like riding my track bikes, but i've got two of them, and i want a new bike pretty badly and i can't decide if i should get another track frame, or a new road frame. as it stands, i have what could be the most perfect road bike ever for me...and both of my track bikes are nothing to scoff at either, but...i want new toys!!!

so...i don't know what to do. i want a new bike, because i haven't had a brand new bike since i was a kid and my folks got me a new bmx for x-mas one year. i've been tossing around the idea of a nice, but not too nice harry havnoonian frame, or a thylacine to replace my lotus. but thinking about it, a new fork could be all the lotus needs to liven it up a bit...a nice, track-rake fork would tighten it up a bit, and might make it feel like a whole new bike!

hmm...i think now i am leaning more toward just getting a new fork. that makes the most sense for me financially right now....yes. a new fork. a black fork. possibly from solo velo...or...should anyone else have a better idea (NOT SOMA. NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT SOMA), feel free to suggest it.

you could contact my friend eric baar at www.groundupdesigns.com. he could make you a lugged or fillet brazed track fork. he made a gorgeous lugged one for scott's gios. sometimes he's bad about email. let me know if you're interested and i'll ask him how much...

I'd like a custom frame too...I've been looking around...but I think what I might do is do some research and braze my own frame out of a tubeset and lugs and just give it a go....I've got some welding experience and I've done techniques similar to brazing, just with copper instead of steel...I saw a woman on fixedgeargallery that made her own and then documented the process, going step by step..I dunno...I'd like to try it.

I'd like a custom frame too...I've been looking around...but I think what I might do is do some research and braze my own frame out of a tubeset and lugs and just give it a go....I've got some welding experience and I've done techniques similar to brazing, just with copper instead of steel...I saw a woman on fixedgeargallery that made her own and then documented the process, going step by step..I dunno...I'd like to try it.
I'd love to do it, but I couldn't find the time. I've thought about it though and I suggest that you read through the archives of the Framebuilder's Forum LINK (http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/framebuilders). After you've read up on what others are using, and followed the many links you will find, you can ask some questions there.

Have fun

I'd like a custom frame too...I've been looking around...but I think what I might do is do some research and braze my own frame out of a tubeset and lugs and just give it a go....I've got some welding experience and I've done techniques similar to brazing, just with copper instead of steel...I saw a woman on fixedgeargallery that made her own and then documented the process, going step by step..I dunno...I'd like to try it.

i've been looking into doing it myself too. i think if i had the money, i would prefer to go to UBI and build my own. but i think the biggest factor in doing that after i had the money would be finding the TIME to go do it.

"I'd love to do it, but I couldn't find the time. I've thought about it though and I suggest that you read through the archives of the Framebuilder's Forum LINK. After you've read up on what others are using, and followed the many links you will find, you can ask some questions there."

yeah I was looking at that...thanks for the link! people ahve said god things about the forum.



"i've been looking into doing it myself too. i think if i had the money, i would prefer to go to UBI and build my own. but i think the biggest factor in doing that after i had the money would be finding the TIME to go do it."

yeah, I looked at the UBI site too....I'd LOVE to go take that class...but, like you said, I don't have the time....the money I could maybe manage, but not the time.

I was just going to order a tube set and lugs and try and get a hold of some equipment and then go at it...or maybe try and find someone in the los angeles area who would maybe give me some pointers for a fee or something.

I was just going to order a tube set and lugs and try and get a hold of some equipment and then go at it...or maybe try and find someone in the los angeles area who would maybe give me some pointers for a fee or something.
I haven't done it, so this is kind of like the blind leading the blind, but perhaps this will encourage some more experienced people to jump in.

If you follow the framebuilder's list for a while, (and filter out occasional personality conflicts) you will learn an awful lot. Some of the finest framebuilders in the country hang out on that list. There are also some really good, but pretty expensive books you can read.

I think if I were going to do it, the first thing to do would be to email Hank @ Henry James Lugs. LINK (http://www.henryjames.com/) I understand that for a relatively low price, you can buy odd bits of tubes and lugs to practice with. Then either learn brazing on your own or take a class at a community college. After you braze up each joint you can then break or grind it apart to see if you did a good job. If you do a half-a** job on a real bike, you (or even worse, someone else) could get hurt real bad.

I don't believe frame design or framebuilding are magic, but it is a difficult and specialized skill that requires a substantial investment in time and a moderate investment of money.

yeah, I totally hear you. that's what I'm scared of...having the joints fail. I meant I would give it a go after much research and lurking on that board... I wish there was just a class nearby though...I'd really be into doing it soon...and I'm not sure I even have the money for all the equipment.