C&V Inspired: I made a frame
08-07-16, 02:34 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
C&V Inspired: I made a frame
I decided to make a frame several years ago now, slowly accumulating the knowledge, tools, and skills to do so. It took a long time, often neglected, with mistakes, but lessons learned. In retrospect I would wholly recommend a class to those interested.
My first result is a rather crude (rusty from sitting), but standard frame, very similar to a vintage trek. It was meant more to be a test to make something rideable, using low end modern components. The result was surprisingly great, plush, lively, and solid. Made better by knowing you've made it, and it tracks straight and true as any bike. I thought I'd share for anyone interested.
My first result is a rather crude (rusty from sitting), but standard frame, very similar to a vintage trek. It was meant more to be a test to make something rideable, using low end modern components. The result was surprisingly great, plush, lively, and solid. Made better by knowing you've made it, and it tracks straight and true as any bike. I thought I'd share for anyone interested.
Last edited by smallpox champ; 08-25-16 at 01:04 AM.
Likes For smallpox champ:
08-07-16, 02:39 PM
#2
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,006
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 280 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2198 Post(s)
Liked 4,600 Times
in
1,764 Posts
Very nice! Color me impressed.
08-07-16, 02:50 PM
#3
Senior Member
Very cool, this is certainly on my bucket list. Did you use a jig?
__________________
Semper fi
Semper fi
08-07-16, 02:57 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 1,268
Bikes: Bianchi Ti Megatube; Colnago Competition; Planet-X EC-130E; Klein Pulse; Amp Research B4; Litespeed Catalyst; Trek Y11
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 605 Post(s)
Liked 480 Times
in
260 Posts
That's badass. Great work!
08-07-16, 04:00 PM
#7
Senior Member
08-07-16, 04:01 PM
#8
Senior Member
AWESOOOOMMMMEEE!
I'm not sure why but it makes me think of a Viscount frame - the angles,... the geometry overall. There's something about it that says to me Viscount!
I'm not sure why but it makes me think of a Viscount frame - the angles,... the geometry overall. There's something about it that says to me Viscount!
08-07-16, 04:30 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 833
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Suberbe, '92 (German) Centurion Equipe, '85 Schwinn Peloton, 1983ish Zunow Road Racer project, '69 Squanch Super Tourer, 1980 Bianchi Super Corsa, '82 Austro-Daimler Vent Noir, '89 Miyata 914 project, 1982ish Bianchi Rallye
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 294 Post(s)
Liked 9 Times
in
9 Posts
Beautiful. Brazing looks better than what's under many of my bikes' paint. Looks cool bare too.
08-07-16, 04:36 PM
#10
Bike Butcher of Portland
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,635
Bikes: It's complicated.
Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4678 Post(s)
Liked 5,796 Times
in
2,282 Posts
Incredible, awesome, and knowing it rides like a champ, fantastic! Details! How, what, did you take a class or do it on your own...
Naw, that's silver brazed except around the dropouts. Anytime you need to fill a large gap, brass is the way to go.
Naw, that's silver brazed except around the dropouts. Anytime you need to fill a large gap, brass is the way to go.
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
08-07-16, 11:06 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks all.
@sloar I did not use a jig, just surface plate, blocks, and pinned lugs.
@Bad Lag, gugie is right, it's 56% silver for the lugs, and 45% for the braze-on's, which is slightly more yellow.
@realsteel I used a basic "light" tube set from here: ROAD TUBESET 8/5/8 TT AND DT :: TUBE SETS :: Nova Cycles Supply Inc.
With 16mm stays and round chainstays. The complete frame is 1920g, and the fork 700g.
@gugie I did it with the guidance of the wealth of information available online from generous people. Many pdf manuals, image galleries, youtube videos, and forum posts. After some coaching with the torch, the rest was research and practice, cutting tubes with a hacksaw and files, and figuring out what tool should be the next purchase. Originally I practiced fillet brazing, wanting to make a fast fat 26er, but after practicing with silver decided to make a traditional frame first. This frame used a surface plate and tube blocks to line up the main triangle. The lugs were bent and fit, then drilled and pinned while the tubes were clamped down to the plate, and the joint brazed on the work stand. The rear triangle was hung over the edge of the plate and a dummy axle held like so:
The fork needed a makeshift jig which resulted in it being slightly off spec, my next purchase will be aluminum extrusion to make a proper fork jig.
@sloar I did not use a jig, just surface plate, blocks, and pinned lugs.
@Bad Lag, gugie is right, it's 56% silver for the lugs, and 45% for the braze-on's, which is slightly more yellow.
@realsteel I used a basic "light" tube set from here: ROAD TUBESET 8/5/8 TT AND DT :: TUBE SETS :: Nova Cycles Supply Inc.
With 16mm stays and round chainstays. The complete frame is 1920g, and the fork 700g.
@gugie I did it with the guidance of the wealth of information available online from generous people. Many pdf manuals, image galleries, youtube videos, and forum posts. After some coaching with the torch, the rest was research and practice, cutting tubes with a hacksaw and files, and figuring out what tool should be the next purchase. Originally I practiced fillet brazing, wanting to make a fast fat 26er, but after practicing with silver decided to make a traditional frame first. This frame used a surface plate and tube blocks to line up the main triangle. The lugs were bent and fit, then drilled and pinned while the tubes were clamped down to the plate, and the joint brazed on the work stand. The rear triangle was hung over the edge of the plate and a dummy axle held like so:
The fork needed a makeshift jig which resulted in it being slightly off spec, my next purchase will be aluminum extrusion to make a proper fork jig.
08-07-16, 11:20 PM
#12
Senior Member
08-08-16, 07:50 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Holland
Posts: 952
Bikes: 2007 Nagasawa with C-Record, 1992 Duell with Croce D'aune/Chorus, three Gazelles, M5 recumbent
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 47 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times
in
15 Posts
That is a good looking frame, way better than my 1st (and up to now only) frame.
08-08-16, 08:36 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,704
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1949 Post(s)
Liked 2,010 Times
in
1,109 Posts
Very very nice. Did you bend the fork blades?
08-08-16, 09:02 AM
#15
Not lost wanderer.
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Lititz, Pa
Posts: 3,328
Bikes: In USA; 73 Raleigh Super Course dingle speed, 72 Raleigh Gran Sport SS, 72 Geoffry Butler, 81 Centurion Pro-Tour, 74 Gugie Grandier Sportier
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 885 Post(s)
Liked 990 Times
in
522 Posts
So simple, so sweet.
__________________
Cambodia bikes, Bridgestone SRAM 2 speed, 2012 Fuji Stratos...
Cambodia bikes, Bridgestone SRAM 2 speed, 2012 Fuji Stratos...
08-08-16, 10:47 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Bronx, NYC
Posts: 1,885
Bikes: '19 Fuji Gran Fondo 1.5, '72 Peugeot PX10, '71ish Gitane Super Corsa, '78 Fuji Newest, '89 Fuji Ace, '94 Cannondale R600, early '70s LeJeune Pro project
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 293 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
101 Posts
That is very impressive. I hope to learn how to do this in the future once I have more time free of obligations. I hope that you update us with photos once it is painted (that is if you go that route).
08-08-16, 11:13 AM
#17
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,465 Times
in
1,433 Posts
Fantastic. Can you describe what pinning lugs is?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
08-08-16, 11:34 AM
#18
incazzare.
Looks great, man! Good job!
__________________
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
08-08-16, 02:31 PM
#20
Senior Member
Nicely done! That looks like an excellent first effort.
You'd better start working on a response for the inevitable "what kind of frame is that??" that you'll hear from now on.
I built a Mixte for my wife using that same Nova tubeset, some think it comes from the Dedacciai mills.
If you're like me that hardest decision will be color..
You'd better start working on a response for the inevitable "what kind of frame is that??" that you'll hear from now on.
I built a Mixte for my wife using that same Nova tubeset, some think it comes from the Dedacciai mills.
If you're like me that hardest decision will be color..
08-08-16, 02:48 PM
#21
Semper Fi
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,942
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1172 Post(s)
Liked 358 Times
in
241 Posts
Great looking frame, very much in the classic design style. Even your choices for the current components look good on it. As nice as it looks, I'd be for getting it painted soon, maybe something with contrasting panel on the down tube, and the same for the head tube, kind of a modern take on the classic British frames of the past.
Bill
Bill
__________________
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
08-08-16, 04:08 PM
#23
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,465 Times
in
1,433 Posts
Did you follow the design of another bike?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
08-08-16, 05:03 PM
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks again all!
@paulkal I wouldn't mind seeing your effort if you felt like sharing.
@Classtime yes, after trying several quick and cheap methods I settled on buying a nice bender: FORK BENDER - HAMMILL ENGINEERING WITH 10 INCH MANDREL :: TOOLS :: Nova Cycles Supply Inc.
@Cassave ah yes, I do need to work on a concise response! I hadn't heard that about Dedacciai.
@noglider I didn't exactly intend it, but ended up fairly closely matching the geometry of a vintage Trek, 73 degree seat and head angle, 56cm seat and top tube, 43cm chainstay, 55mm fork rake. I had many crazy ideas, but rather than push the envelope I stuck closely to the angles of the lugs and that was the result.
Pinning lugs is an older method of holding a joint together to be brazed outside of a jig. I'm not exactly an expert, but basically after the lug and tubes are fit up together at the right angle, in a jig, you can drill through them both on opposing sides of each tube and hammer in nails, and the joint will be held aligned after you remove the assembly from the jig. The pins I used come with a nice tutorial: Our Famous ?Pin Kit? « Cycle Design
And here's a pic of the pins still sticking out after brazing in the chain stays
@paulkal I wouldn't mind seeing your effort if you felt like sharing.
@Classtime yes, after trying several quick and cheap methods I settled on buying a nice bender: FORK BENDER - HAMMILL ENGINEERING WITH 10 INCH MANDREL :: TOOLS :: Nova Cycles Supply Inc.
@Cassave ah yes, I do need to work on a concise response! I hadn't heard that about Dedacciai.
@noglider I didn't exactly intend it, but ended up fairly closely matching the geometry of a vintage Trek, 73 degree seat and head angle, 56cm seat and top tube, 43cm chainstay, 55mm fork rake. I had many crazy ideas, but rather than push the envelope I stuck closely to the angles of the lugs and that was the result.
Pinning lugs is an older method of holding a joint together to be brazed outside of a jig. I'm not exactly an expert, but basically after the lug and tubes are fit up together at the right angle, in a jig, you can drill through them both on opposing sides of each tube and hammer in nails, and the joint will be held aligned after you remove the assembly from the jig. The pins I used come with a nice tutorial: Our Famous ?Pin Kit? « Cycle Design
And here's a pic of the pins still sticking out after brazing in the chain stays
