just search the forums for the keirin builder thread.

Dude come on, Remington is prominent, so is Level, and Anchor? They're Bridgestone...

Put in some Baramon, Lightning, Ohtaki, Katakura Silk, RAP... those are the small ops for sure.

i thought the reminton builder passed away and no more of those are being made

also i would take a denti
romic is/was from houston

ok, I was kinda trying to ask deathhare to give names of smaller builders, not meaning the ones I listed were those. But yeah, I later also remembered Tomity's posts here with the full NJS list.

I listed the ones i think are most interesting.

I have been traveling back to Indy.
I am staying out of this now. I have been saying for years now to buy local...someone finally paid attention.

DW

? I know youve sold more than one frame in the past few years.

Yes, but its the fact you listened. I never would have thunk....

DW

Yes, its true. I just ordered a DW frameset.
BMX Track frame. Bar spins with 700c and and painted triple gold arrospok green.

Why doesn't Skyway make 26" and 700C wheels? They would look nice (well, less of a horse vomit than aerospoke, anyway, would be definitely strong and would cost 1/10th of the Aerospoke.

Should we petition Skyway?

Cause theyd be brick heavy and flex like hell. Even 20" Skyways flex a lot.
Ive ridden/broken many of those wheels and they flex quite a lot.

If you are going to lie, lie big!

he ordered a 29er fixie, with a low BB. and clearance for fenders.

DW

If it's a 29er, clearance for fenders is a given, duh. Is this what they call an "oxymoron"?

By the way, DW, if someone ordered a 29er from you, would you deny their request?

Most super beautiful keirin frame I have seen lately: M Idea

to elaborate (via wikipedia):
Random House's Guide to Sensitive Language states "Other words (e.g., Oriental, colored) are outdated or inaccurate." This Guide to Sensitive Language suggests the use of "Asian or more specific designation such as Pacific Islander, Chinese American, [or] Korean." [4] Merriam-Webster describes the term as "sometimes offensive,"[5] Encarta states when the term is used as a noun it is considered "a highly offensive term for somebody from East Asia" [6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental

Piwonka nice post! I would ride anything too, as long as it was ****ing nice.

HERE IS THE VIVALO STORY---------
Kusaka San changed the medium he was using for brazing for about 1-2 months in 2007. Turns out it was probably not a good idea. The crash that brought the frames to NJS attention, involved a rider heading into a crashed pack of riders. Of course his frame was damaged, but it was the way it was damaged that suggested there was a flaw with the fork.
The fork cracked, but what should have happened, is the whole fork/head tube should have bent back into the main frame, creasing the top tube and down tube near the head tube. Similar things have happened to pretty much all Keirin framebuilders over the years, but the fact that on this occasion, Kusaka had changed his medium, NJS decided it was clearly a manufacturers fault.
Of course he went straight back to his old medium, but it was too late to restore NJS certification.
(this came from Kusaka San, in Japanese, but I am pretty sure I understood everything. He was very disappointed but has moved on, and respects the decision).
(PS sorry if my terminology is wrong, I am not a framebuilder!)

Sorry but what actually is that 'medium' the text refers to?

filler metal, like silver and brass.

Yep. Thats the first sign of the impending apocalypse...

DW

wow, US vs. Japan turns ugly! When did we mutate off the subject this far, and why?

DW

EVERYONE KNOCK IT OFF! i understand the reaction and desire to respond but please report the offending post or move it to another thread.

This thread had something going for it and i appreciate DW, Acoldspoon and even deathhare keeping things on track.

As hard as it may be I'm going to ignore the bigoted comment above, skip the globalization issues, the generalizations about generic taiwanese frames vs custom builders and whatever else went sideways in here.

There are several framebuilders i would love to have frames built from, because i respect their craft and the value of the object beyond a simple bicycle. I intend to have this done as I age and have more expendable income. I would love a Kalavinka or Toei frame, but right now i have too many bikes to justify another custom build...

My argument for owning a custom locally built bike is not the support of the local economy (although it is a nice benefit) but the connection to the builder which comes before and after the bike is done. Im speaking from a privileged position, since im good friends with my bikes' builder, but similar relationships can come about from meeting your local guy.

In following the process with my guy, ive gained a tremendous appreciation for the craft and what goes into it. I can appreciate the time and effort that goes into filing lugs, creating bridges, and all the other factors that go into framebuilding. I would not have gained that connection if i had bought internationally. I am willing to pay a premium for the service and relationship which continues beyond the frames completion.

When i was hit by a car we spent a couple hours in the shop, with him talking me through the realigning process. When a different friend acquired a wrecked vintage track frame of note, after hours the builder showed how to drill out the pins and pull the tubes for replacement. We can discuss with other handy people in the city who is going to make the trophies for the upcoming messenger or polo event and spend time doing that. People are able to come to the builder just for questions or consultation in other projects they may be working on.

Obviously Richard Sachs, Sasha White, and even Don Walker wont have the time to share their space with all those waiting for a frame from them, or everyone they have built frames for. But neither do kalavinka or vivalo or bridgestone. Your local builder is supporting your "bike scene": (i know many of you dont believe in that idea, but they are) either by donating frames or sponsoring racers, supporting younger up & coming junior racers, giving a local bike mechanic a job setting up their finished frames, sharing knowledge and know how, sending customers to a local bike shop, etc. & that is why i would sooner support them.

In the early '80s, when I was living in Madison, WI., I passed on a 3Rensho road bike because the 56 cm frame was a little small and the 58 was a little big. I bought a 57 cm Appel because Mike Appel was a local builder and I could talk to him about the geometry, tubing and size for ME. Also, I thought he made one of the finest fillet brazed frames I had ever seen.

I now ride a 58 cm 3Rensho.

Gale

well, i'm riding a british frame now.

who in japan wants to send me a nice keirin frame. i need a 57cm top tube....anyone, anyeone? let's deal.