Should You Take a Bicycle Framebuilding Class?
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- čas přidán 2. 12. 2018
- There are many ways to learn how to build bicycle frames. What are the advantages to taking an actual bicycle framebuilding class, and is it worth the costs?
In this video I talk about the framebuilding class I took in 2010 with Doug Fattic (Niles, MI), the role it played in my development as a framebuilder, and the factors I think anyone should consider when deciding whether to enroll in a bicycle framebuilding class yourself.
Website: cobraframes.net
Instagram: / cobraframes
Richard Talbot's 1979 book 'Designing and building your own frameset: An illustrated guide for the amature bicycle builder' was hugely instrumental in my own journey. Read it first in 2009 via the Seattle Public library. Been out of print for a long time but it's an amazing resource. Designed for a hobbyist to build with simple/limited tools.
Haha. My first frame was also a track frame. Ah the late aughts ☺️
I found your youtube channel researching brazing aluminum....I have been a bike guy since my teens and I'm 52 now....on my "bucket list" is making my own bike frame...I can build bikes...lace wheels etc....building a frame and fork to my dimensions...is the dream....good shit man!!!! I don't have the money but I have the desire! What this video does for me....gives hope to a dream.
Joe, you are a great orator, but yet down to earth at the same time! Wonderful explanations and examples of how and why what may be best for a range of people. I am going to work my way through your videos and look forward to more. One thing I will mention is that classes can be quite costly at around $3,000.00 plus travel, lodging, rental car etc... [but still a good value]. Doug on the other hand is a real saint and charges very little [so very worth it].
That frame looks great, super job, sounds like an excellent class
This was a fantastic video. In 2011 I found my dad’s frame kit in the attic from 1976. He bought it from a little shop in Maryland called Proteus. Still have the original catalogs and manuals as well. I learned frame building from reading through that, countless hours on the web, but most importantly for my own development, I bought the Paterek manual.
It definitely is amazing how much having a class helps, especially when trying to figure out how to hold braze ons without proper braze on clamps/jigs.
A framebuilding class is actually very expensive. I went to the Titanium class at United Bicycle Institute in Portland Oregon. The class fee is at least $3300. A flight to Portland would at least be $500. I stayed at the hostel near the school. So that was affordable but still around $700.. I ate out for food because Portland has amazing food. The course was good but its actually a lot of welding practise. If somebody told me they wanted to take a course I would tell them to take a intro welding course. There is a lot to learn about welding and making mistakes at a intro welding course is better then when you weld your first frame/dream frame. For example, At the school they have fixed shade helmet for the student to use. Some students have a hard time with these helmets and would better off buying auto darkening helmet. It would better to learn this before going to the framebuilding class. Another coming issue is close up vision. This year I realize I need prescription reading glasses. If I had them when I took the class, I could probably weld my bike better. Finally TIG welding is hard so good luck.
Yeah, the classes definitely do get expensive! All in I was able to take my class for about $2400 because I could drive to the class, lodging was super affordable, and Doug's class is less than others. I made my own food in the kitchen where I was staying and I was between semesters in college so I didn't have to go out of my way to get the time off of work or anything. I think generally for folks the time and money consideration is tricky when it comes to classes, andI agree that if you are taking a TIG framebuilding class, it would be great to have some familiarity with TIG welding before you show up so that you can get the most out of it. One of my hangups with traditional classes in welding and machining like at a community college is that they move so slowly and I tend to want to dive in to whatever I'm learning in an immersive environment. I only know how it was for me and so others who have taken classes could add a lot of value here in the comments by sharing their experiences. Thanks for chiming in!
David Payumo I took the Steel Tig class at UBI in Ashland. I left pretty satisfied. I came in with ZERO welding experience. The first week was practice welds and bike design. The second week was full on fabrication.
I’ve managed to build a handful of bikes since then, with a homemade Arctos (which is what we used in Ashland) and some flimsy mitering jigs.. I’ve decided to bite the bullet and get some of Sputnik’s fixtures.
Hey Joe thank you for making the videos, I really have enjoyed them. This Vid in particular is was great for me. I had been stashing away money and preparing to go to Waltworks in Utah for a class. I've got the welding/fab aspect down enough to feel comfortable building but need to get into an environment where I can get a jump start and pick someones brain about fitting/bike cad/tubing selection for a solid week..... A milling machine came up for sale a few blocks from me and gone is my frame building class stash $$ lol. Metal nerd at heart. I guess building out the arsenal of tools and finishing my fixture was more important at this point in time. Hopefully Walt's garage in the spring :) Your enthusiasm is apparent in everything you do and i appreciate it! Keep up the excellent work!
I started down the framebuilding rabbit hole in 1998, so I feel like I have a pretty good perspective on all this. In my opinion, you make a lot of great points in this video. Some great observations here. Nice video!
I've wanted to build my own frame for some time now, this video got me looking at classes
probably the most useful video I have ever watched. Thank you
Hey thanks! I’m just one guy talkin.
This is good advice! I want to take up hobby frame-building and am trying to figure out the smartest way to do that. Luckily in Minneapolis there are many extremely talented builders with many different approaches. Several offer regular classes. They're "pricey" but I think priced appropriately for the time. Thank you
Did you ever get started? I've been to the Hack Factory, but wasn't aware of any formal classes. About to get a torch to start out!
How to teach bycycle frame to build and what is to buy bike tools, mini machine lathe, home made frame tools with hollow pipe and etc...
Thank you so much,
Does Doug fattic still have classes? I looked him up on google and couldn’t find his website
Please use subtitles in your video
RIP 2010 era Flickr
It's not totally dead. JP Weigle, Alistair, 44Bikes etc are still there. But it's certainly not 2010 anymore...