Writenride 

Hi,

I know Rivendell gets talked about a lot, and if this is more appropriate for the Framebuilder's Forum, please move it. But I think like you, I'm more of a C&V guy and this may be an interesting discussion here.

We know Grant Petersen and Co started Rivendell way back in 1994 just a few months after Bridgestone Japan closed their US division, and since then, many framebuilders and companies popped up within the industry creating lugged, steel framesets, selling Nitto bars and stems, Honjo (and Honjo inspired) fenders, bags, etc. But Rivendell, as we know it in 2023 is a far different company than when they started. Personally, I wonder if they're finally making a profit now, and/or Custom framesets any more. The individuals and companies who manufactured Rivendell framesets, including their custom framesets have drastically changed. It kind of shows with the longer chainstays and wheelbases, step-through frames and more. However, Rivendell doesn't produce any frameset with a Aheadset system. I don't know if they ever did. Don't get me wrong; the Aheadset system is a great system, and the stem, headset bearing designs and headtubes on the framesets are arguably improved, but for me, I still like old school 26.4" threaded headsets, quill stems, and smaller headlugs. That's why I search for older mountain bikes and road bikes. They just look right.

My question: Is there a framebuilder, or company out there who produces vintage, but modern mountain bike and road frames with quill stems? If there is, I sure like to find out about them.

Oh, and, yes, I've done a Google search, but honestly, I think you guys are far smarter than Google (and cooler).

repechage

Kurt Goodrich still building?

ehcoplex 

Chapman, Coast....?

Classtime 

Fuji Feather and some bikes on Bikes Direct

twolve

Curt is not longer building bike frames unfortunately. But if you can find one that fits, I promise it will be worth it!

etherhuffer 

If I had to buy a new bike on an unlimited budget, I would go to Mercian in England. Look at their site for custom and off the shelf builds. They will build your frame on the tubing you want. And they seem eternal. Will be around for a long time

squirtdad

dave kirk Kirk Frameworks | Custom Bicycles make fantastic road bikes (no longer does mtn bikes)
Not inexpensive, but worth every penny for a bike that sings ride faster (and in reality no more cost than high end bike at the LBS)
the process is smooth and you have a lot of options as an example mine is 1" head tube so I could do a quill stem for aesthetics and future flexibility. also did eyelets for rack and forks to support commuting without a back pack and fenders

dddd

Unless one needs custom touches on their frame or the uncommon features like studs for centerpull calipers, there are just too many fine used 1" frames to choose from.

But supporting the custom builders is good for those who can afford a nicer frame.

I found a trashed 1970's Centurion Pro Tour and it would be hard to imagine a nicer frame than this if it were freshly painted. I keep mine as original because I use the bike for errands where it gets left unattended for some minutes at a time and I won't carry a heavier lock than goes in my jersey pocket.
Sporting geometry and just 24.0lbs all up as shown:

merziac

@Writenride

Many framebuilders that are building now will build a quill stem bike for you.

Dave Levy at TiCycles is at the top of my list, he can and will build anything out of anything and do it as well if not better than most any others.

2019 Strawberry built by Dave.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ou-decide.html



There is a big framebuilding show here in PDX next month.

https://made.bike/

Robvolz 

Bantam (former Bilinky builder) in Portland OR

merziac

Writenride

My #1 priority was in person, could/would not do it without that, ever.

Emails, phone calls, video chat, no bueno for me, hands on and in person fitting a must.

Not sure who's in the Milwaukee area but I would dig in and find out, should be others here that can weigh in.

It was easy here in PDX, can't swing a dead cat without......

Polaris OBark

https://www.milwaukeebicycleco.com

dedhed

https://www.elliscycles.com/history

​​​​​​https://www.sotherlandbikes.com/

​​​​​​https://bluesteelbikes.com/customBikes.html

​​​​​​https://schlickcycles.com/bikes/schl...-steel-frames/

Schweinhund

Gunnar Caylor still building?

bikemig 

I really like Jeff Bock's bikes and he does a fantastic paint job. Alternatively get a vintage top end mountain bike and go to town on the build.

merziac

Just in PDX alone.

Dave Levy, TiCycles

Bob Kamzelski, Bantam Bicycle Works, former head builder at Bilenky

Joseph Ahearne, Page Street Cycles, worked together with Chris Igleheart until last year when Chris moved back to the East coast.

Ira Ryan Cycles

Tony Pereira, Breadwinner Cycles

And many more including Vanilla but I doubt they will do a quill anymore.

Not long ago we had almost 100 builders in Oregon with many here in PDX where they have been in force since the early 70's.

squirtdad

YMMV but not in person was not an issue for me with Dave Kirk. 99% of his frames are not in person. He even caught that I was riding with my seat too low from measurements. I had chatted with him at cino 2021, but that was more about disk vs rim brake.

of course everyone has their own comfort level

merziac

Yep, I truly get it but you did have an in person connection beforehand so....

And you're absolutely right, any builder that can be included in this discussion absolutely should be able to get it right regardless.

Most are so good that even if they don't drill down on a small detail, they will get it so right it may not matter, I think it did with mine but what do I know.

I had too many fussy, PITA things that I knew would be challenging and Dave did do some head scratching to spin his magic up.

79pmooney

Another second to Dave Levy, TicCycles. Although I think ti more than steel with him as he had built me 2 ti frames, a ti stem and 2 ti posted seatposts. (And two TIG welded steel stems and repaired TREK seatstay caps, brazed Raleigh Competition lugs that missed that step at the factory, tidied up seat lug and other detail on the Mooney, built me unique parts ...)

Dave is not only a first class frame builder, He is also a superb problem solver. Engineer and machinist. But I don't think he would kill me if I said he in not entirely a C&V framebuilder by nature. I cannot see him spending hours carefully filing all of the lugs to make a gorgeous work of art. He would much rather machine miter two frames and do nice clean TIG welds in that time. That said, he's done very nice repairs on some of the finest customs out there. I believe some of the best builders routinely send Dave repairs they would rather not break their work flow to do.

Dave and quill stems? Now that's not a big deal for him. He built the bike of my avatar for a quill stem. (My first of his bikes I went with 1" steerer and somewhat grudgingly went threadless. When that headset dies - if I'm still alive; it's a King - steerer will be threaded and I'll go quill.) He doesn't have an axe to grind re: threaded or threadless and knows some of us prefer threaded for good reasons. (I swap "cockpits on that avatar bike. The whole assembly of bars, stem, brakes - both levers and calipers - can be lifted off and a completely different setup dropped on in 5 minutes. No torque wrench required. No headset to adjust. And changing stem height before or during rides is so easy! (You did grease that stem liberally, no?)

The Golden Boy 

If'n I were to have a custom built and I could throw down big bank- It would totally be Dave Wages at Ellis. I've had secret plans for a while about getting an Ellis.

I'd like to get a Milwaukee- I have a friend with one- it's cool, and I love Ben's Cycles but the bikes are a touch to 'modern-y' (sloping top tube and welded) and I want lugs.

There was/is a member here who got a Tomii. That thing is slick: https://www.tomiicycles.com

merziac

You may be right but he had no problem doing my "Strawberry" in traditional lugged construction.

I didn't want much thinning but did want strong, stark shorelines which he delivered in spades to me.

Andy's flat ornate crowns speak for themselves when done right and match the BB, headlugs and dropouts perfectly when done so well as is the case here.

The front crown had a huge standoff from the design for the casting on the bottom where it needed room for 700c wheel that I wanted, Dave reworked it to fit and it also came out much more elegant than it originally was having been made for 650b.

So quite the opposite for me, I think Dave showcased his lugged prowess on this but you may be right that he would prefer not to do this all the time.

I have no doubt he could and would do whatever degree of lugged wizardry a person could want.

nlerner

Corey Thompson, Washington State: https://thompsoncustombicycles.com

Writenride 

Brian Chapman is really, really good. He’s an ex-BMX Freestyler turned framebuilder. His IG and Flickr accounts show exceptional work. Oh, and he’s cool to talk to.

Coast? I don’t know anything about them.

Writenride 

Dave Wages is a real artisan. He got started with Ben Serotta, and later Waterford Precision Cycles, until he broke out on his own with Ellis. Good guy. Stainless steel lugs, and primarily builds road bikes. I’m not sure if he ever did a touring bike, but it wouldn’t really surprise me if he did. I’ve never seen any bike he made with a traditional OS threaded headset and quill stem, though.

Also, Dave has a close connection with Ben’s Cycle (Milwaukee Bicycle Co.), since he lives just south of the bike shop. BTW, Milwaukee Bicycles are/were made all by Waterford Precision Cycles, until Richard Schwinn and Mark Muller closes shop this year. Not sure where Ben’s will source out for manufacturing next, if I would speculate, maybe Taiwan, but don’t quote me on that.

I’d recommend visiting Ben’s sometime for a future visit. The building they’re in used to be an old movie theater. Their warehouse occupies where the seats were all on two floors. It’s expensive fixing old buildings, but that’s why Ben’s keeps up on their website and Milwaukee Bicycle Company’s website too. Oh, and Ben’s has a great inventory of used bikes and vintage parts, which makes it even more cool.

As for Tomii, I’ll have to check them out.

Still, what about old school mountain bikes with bullhorn bars?

.

Writenride 

What kind of tubing did Kirk use? Gosh, it almost looks oversize, or maybe the color is playing with my eyes.