Ken Cox

My wife and I went down to Ashland, Oregon, to see two plays, "Richard III" (too much screaming and blood) and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (absolutely fantastic, do a search on Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues) and have a great dinner.
Upon leaving Ahsand this morning, my wife suggested we go by United Bicycle Insitute and check them out.

A very nice building in a mixed residential/industrial area, John, the man in charge, came out to meet us in the parking lot.
He took us into one of the main classrooms and work areas where we watched about ten students, each at a completely equipped work station, repair bikes.
The classes have two to five instructors, and the two present that day looked like riders as well as teachers.
We then wandered into the Frame Room where another ten or so students worked on their individual frames.
The place looked clean and organized, well equipped with various machine tools, professional drafting tables for each student, and a workstation for each student with a full complement of tools, torches, etc.
This Monday morning represented the first day of the second week of instruction, and the students had frames up in jigs; most of the students still working on the basic triangle.
They had designed their own frames with instruction and supervision, and I saw one drawing with the seat tube lug laying on the drawing as if emerging from the paper.
John explained they operated on their own solar power and that the two week frame school costs a little less than two thousand dollars, which includes materials, consumables and instruction; and the student gets to keep the frame he or she makes.
They also have a nice dormitory there for students.
Out front I saw a beautiful lugged steel fixed gear bike with Dura Ace components and no front brake.
One of the instructors had recently finished it.
It had a nickel plate finish.
I had never seen a nickel finish on a bike before.
It has a much more subdued look than chrome, something like a nickel one might find in his pocket, sort of a silvery glowing look without reflections.
A very nice first impression.
I would feel good about doing this myself and my wife thinks I ought to start saving up my money.

weed eater

wow. golly. that is fantastic. thanks for telling us about this Ken, I didn't know such a thing existed. I am going to be an Oregon resident in a year or so and I believe this will become a medium-term goal for me.

mattista

Interesting. For a grand you could have a custom bike built. For twice that you get a custom designed and built bike, learn a ton of interesting stuff, and at the end get to say, "I built this." All in two weeks. Okay, so your welds might not be super pro, but think of how much you'll learn . . .

HAUS!

https://www.bikeschool.com/

They've been around quite a while too.... I remember looking into them about 10 years ago. Lost the motivation back then but building ones own frame still sounds very appealing.

johnnytoobad

from what I understand it helps to have an introduction to tig welding and/or brazing before you go to this school. not necissary, of course. my bf is planning on attending UBI soon and is taking welding courses to be fully prepped before hand. I think this way he'll take a lot more with him when he leaves the school.
its pretty awesome though.
I have a degree in auto graphics (gilding, pinstriping, airbrushing, etc...) I think in the end we'll make a good team.

shiftlessbast-

Well, if I can take credit for first putting the bug in your ear,
https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...1&postcount=63
I would have to say if UBI looks good, you should go for it. You're a thoughtful guy, and you fly choppers--no doubt you can braze a few tubes together into something of rideable beauty, especially with five sets of eyes looking over your shoulder. Can you get it built in time to ride on your 60th birthday?

ImOnCrank

Anyone know of anything like this in New York. Maybe not framebuilding but at least somewhere where you can do a weekend advanced bike maitanence course or something?

eat_raw

The only thing I know about is https://www.parktool.com/park_tool_school/index.shtml
at Bicycle Habitat.

Registered for this a while back but didn't complete it as it really wasn't hands on.

I'd definitely be interested in something in the area as well (especially something with a fixed focus)

fixedpip

I'd second this. I attended UBI and most of the students on this course I spoke to suggest that you have some prior welding before taking this course. People without welding experience said they were struggling in parts of the class.

So its not necessary but recommended. A lot depends on your aptitude with a welder; some folks are just naturally great.

I would also recommend Ashland Commons as a place to stay, right by the school. Owner is great and its more social than the Cycle Hostel. But both are a decent walk from Ashland proper.

ImOnCrank

The mait course at habitat seems like a little bit too much of a commitment for me (i'm gone in 7 weeks) and it spends a whole crap load of time on derailleurs and the such. Would anybody in nyc be interested in trying to get a group of people together and then talking one of the local wrenches into doing an intensive weekend course (with monetary incentive of course) on bike maintinance? There are plenty of good wrenches in town who might be willing to help out.

beppe

Don't forget Koichi Yomaguchi's school!

https://www.yamaguchibike.com/school/index.htm