Don’t count me as a fan of Talbot’s book. Let me explain why because I am one that hates the many negative things written on the internet where disagreeing in a civil manor is not standard practice. However it would also be irresponsible for me to let some beginner think this book is worth today’s market price. I bought my copy in 1979 (I still have it) and hoped that it might be a supplement to the frame building classes I was teaching at the time. I realized then that it contained some serious errors and should not be used as a primary source of information. That said, some ideas of how to do things without professional tooling were reasonably clever. Somewhere in its index is a list of 60 professional frame builders in the USA at that time of which I was one. Many of them have passed or retired or now do something else.
This book is a essentially a documentary of how Talbot made his very 1st frame after consulting with some American builders in the late 70’s. That fact alone should be a caution to anyone seriously seeking the best knowledge. He was a writer not an experienced builder. When I wanted to learn how to build frames I convinced a master builder in Europe to teach me. I think anyone that wants to be really good understands that being taught by a master is the best way. And I continually make the argument that the trial and error frames made trying to figure it out on your own leaves a litter of lesser quality work that can damage reputations long after skills have improved.
Talbot's description of how to build a rear triangle is wrong. The problem was he used a sequence that requires accurate fixturing that does not translate over to simple tooling. There are many different ways to build a bicycle frame accurately but his rear triangle method is not one of them. It would only be by blind luck that a rear wheel would center with the procedures he used. There are other problems in the book but I am using this glaring example to show it should never be used as a primary source of information.
The book does contain some useful ideas even though some of what he wrote won’t work well. The problem is that someone new wouldn’t know what is okay and what to ignore. It is on my bucket list to turn my frame building class manual into a how-to-build-a-frame book (or series of books). I’ve spent hundreds of hours over the years writing and rewriting descriptions of all the details (especially brazing and filing) of how to make a frame in my class. That way if a student doesn’t take good notes he will have a decent reference to refer back to when he tries again by himself. The problem for me in writing such a book for the general public is that I believe the best way to learn is by hands on being taught by a master teacher/builder. This helps protect the integrity of the craft since there are no entry standards. I’m uncomfortable facilitating an inferior way. It is obvious that someone will think I’ll buy the book and fixtures instead of taking a class.
Doug Fattic
Niles, Michigan