Fred Smedley

Well I certainly can tell your a ass..........welcome to the club

Kurt David

Do you remember where Mike Appel's shop was in Madison? I am interested in Trek history and live in the Madison area.

thanks

monogodo

I remember it being on the East side, somewhere just off East Washington, if I'm remembering correctly. That was about 20 years ago that I visited his shop, so I very well could be wrong. I could check with my brother who lives in Madison if he remembers.

unterhausen

Mike Appel was pictured in a lot of early Trek ads and brochures.
Probably shouldn't hot-link to Vintage Trek, but if you follow my link, Mike is on the left and Dick Nolan was on the right.
I'm guessing the picture was taken in '76 or earlier.
Picture of Mike Appel


He is meticulous, which is probably why he was putting on braze ons when I was at Trek and not actually making frames.

JohnDThompson 

Mike Appel was one of the original Trek brazers, but by 1979 he was already on his ownin Madison. He still maintained pretty close contact with Trek, and a number of Trek builders used to hang out at his shop, including Joe Starck, Dave Tesch (both later with Masi CA), Chris Fiorini (last I heard he was with Waterford), Kelly Gamble, and myself. He was a great framebuilder and quite a perfectionist but unfortunately not much of a businessman. He was always struggling to make ends meet and often lived in his shop to cut expenses. He quit frame building several years ago and sold all his tools and fixtures. As of last year anyway, he was back at Trek doing custom paint jobs.

JohnDThompson 

He had several locations over the years; first just off Washington near Ella's Deli in an old gas station, then on First Ave just north of Washington by the Yahara river, then on the west side on University Avenue toward Middleton near where Whole Foods is now, and in the "small business incubator" in the old warehouse by the new Madison Metro bus garage on Washington.

luker

so...does he do the project 1 custom paint jobs?

isoglenn

Hello, I just found the appel racing cycle thread, and it is good to see (took me seven years to type in the right info). I bought a semi- forgotten black with turqoise size 53 back in 2003, and stripped her down, and rebuilt her up in full Dura Ace. A bike messenger in San Francisco could barely part with her, but I swore to be worthy. All he told me was that it came from waterford, and handbuilt, which was obvious. One ride down mission street, and I was hooked. I then rebuilt her back up, and started to do 60 mile loops around lake baryessa 5 times a week, and the oakland hills everyday that I could. 2-3 hundred miles a week for several years. When I rebuilt her up , the paint was worked , so I had a pro repaint her in silver, Henceforth she's been silvi' ever since. At size 53, she's always been a good size too big, and I conformed to love this bike. I finely bought a 52 big leg emma about 4-5 years ago, but never parted with silvi'. I try to ride her with stationary cycle ops, but still a stretch with the size. This bike gave me hope after moving to New York the day before 911, and being a block away when the second tower fell. Needless to say I came back to california, ( there was no getting a job at that point) I found that frame, and she's still as strong as the day I bought her. Appels are strong for people working things out the hard way. Thanks, I never new about mike appel.

appelapprentice

Hey all, new to the forum and saw that people were asking questions about Mike Appel and ARC (Appel Bikes) I am currently apprenticing with Mike. So please if anyone has any questions for him, I'd be more than happy to ask your questions and try to get some answers for you.

topuqua93

hello so you still work with mr Appel?

kanawa 

Beautiful frames. The lug coutouts on mine are very subtle and elegant.

bg18947

I went to the shop in 1982 to order a Harry Quinn and the shop owner suggested that I look at a new frame he got in. It was an Appel. I saw the quality of the work and placed an order for an Appel instead. There is no SN stamped anywhere, but I am pretty sure I took delivery of the frame either late 82 or early 83. I raced it in my first year which was 1983. It has a sloping top tube (minor angle) and a very tight wheelbase. Excellent for racing criteriums. Stiff as heck! The paint job wasn't the best on my collection. The paint was thin in a few spots and I can spot surface rust, but otherwise excellent lug work and build quality.

Overdue maintenance and full cleaning during COVID-19. Notice how close the Conti Sprint Gatorskin comes near the front derailleur clamp.

Front decal missing part of the A. His logo at this point used the Davida font.

Another close up of lug work, keep in mind almost 38 years old. Radius hole added to Cinelli lug cutout.

Reinforced chain stay bridge. Cinelli BB shell.

Got the front and rear brake arm mixed up, but that is OK because there isn't a rubber nub on either one for frame protection.

Chainstay bridge close-up

Standard Appel seat binder and fancy seat stay caps. I believe it's all Cinelli caps, lugs, and BB shell of the early 80s.

alexihnen 

I found this Appel listed for sale in Vermont recently. Thrilled to have the build sheet on this one. Now I just need to decide on a final build and how much touch-up or repaint to do.

bikemig 

Interesting to see this thread come back from the dead and to find out that at least some of the '77 TX 900s were built by Mike Apple as I have one.

kanawa 

perfect saddle. Frame looks great. I wouldn’t mess. Super Or Nuovo full gruppo if it was mine. Gorgeous bike.