lmatteis

Hello everyone! New joiner here from Netherlands. I’ve been building bikes from parts for a while and wanted to try to build my own frame (purely for learning and fun). Any recommendations on how I should start building something? I was thinking to look online for workshops that teach you how to do this but wasn’t able to really find much.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers 👋

Tandem Tom

Trying contacti Marco @ Bikes for Travel in Rotterdam. We bou a raw frame from them a few years ago when we were there. He might have some though.

guy153

I would start with learning how to weld or braze (or both) because that's the skill that takes the most practice. You can also cut up old scrap bike frames for a cheap source of practice material and it can be interesting to see how they were made. Then the next thing to think about is making a jig, designing the frame, buying some tubes and getting stuck in. Watch all of Paul Brodie's bike building videos on YT, weldingtipsandtricks is the best channel for learning how to TIG, and I really like Pithy Bikes.

Doug Fattic 

I've taught frame building classes in the US since the late 70's and have had many European students. My students lately have included Tandom Tom and a Dutch guy that works for Sram. The most convenient place now for those in Europe is The Bicycle Academy in the UK. I've taught some advanced classes to a couple of their graduates who said they liked the Academy's course. David Yates in the UK has taught classes for years. The biggest school in the US is UBI in Oregon. They are a state government recognized school that can help with a visa application if your can't come into the US just as a tourist.

When the bike boom happened in the States in 1970/71, earlier American frame builders had died or retired. Adult Americans just weren't into bicycles After WWII. Those of us that wanted to learn had to go to Europe. I was a high school teacher when I went to Ellis Briggs in Yorkshire, UK.

Marten Gerritsen in Kiel Windeweer is a very experienced framebuilder that might be willing to make a frame with you. He doesn't teach framebuilding classes but has held other bicycle related workshops at his place. He identifies online as M-gineering. It is probably worth your while to give him a ring. I taught him how to paint in the US.

Here is a picture of one of the frames Patrick the very Dutch guy made in my class last year. He still had to do the bridges and braze-ons and some finial finish work. He made 2 frames, one a traditional lugged frame. He carved the lugs out of blanks. And a fillet brazed frame with light weight oversized tubing.

duanedr 

I would disagree a little bit with Guy153. Well, maybe not disagree so much as propose an alternative approach.

I don't like the advice to cut up old frames for practice tubing. Stripping paint isn't really part of framebuilding so you're going to spend a lot of time making a mess and doing something that doesn't directly contribute to the goal. Once you start heating those tubes up you release a bunch of bad fumes into the air which isn't good for anyone. 4130 or mild steel tubing in 'bicycle sizes' is so cheap that I think it just makes sense to go that route. I may be speaking from a position of privilege as I'm about 20 min drive from Online Metals warehouse and don't have to pay shipping for pick up orders. I just think it makes sense to start with clean material.

I do agree with cutting up as many frames as you can to see how they were made and how bad some joints are that last decades. Just remember you're not establishing an acceptable bar by seeing how bad some productions bikes are. We're still aiming at the best we can do, not what will get by.

guy153

Your approach is definitely preferable if you have a good source for new tubing. Here in UK the only tubes as thin-wall as frame tubing I can easily get hold of are actual bike tubes-- either Columbus or Reynolds. The local steelyard only has mild steel which is the same to weld except the thinnest wall is 1/16in. I make lots of other non-bike projects out of that stuff and it's good welding practice too, but you definitely need the hood time on some 0.8mm.

As for paint-stripping, it was easier than I thought using a bird's nest wheel on a grinder, and you get a lot out of coupons out of each tube.

mikeread

If you are making an order from Ceeway they have cheap tubes (and lugs if you need them) to practice on.

Chromoly tube is not cheap in the uk or easy to get hold of. It is not made in the UK any more I believe!!!

guy153

Good point about Ceeway! I had forgotten they had practice tubes on there. Reynolds tubes are sort of made in the UK but I suspect they only do the butting and heat-treating in Birmingham. The actual metal is probably coming from Europe.

duanedr 

I worried that my perspective was one of privilege. I live about a 20min drive from Online Metals warehouse. Online Metals isn't necessarily cheap but if you factor out the shipping and the fact that i can generally pick it up the next day, it's a pretty nice situation. Anyway, I'm glad no one took offense at the difference of opinion. I just cringe when folks suggest going through the hassle of stripping tubes and exposure to burning paint/chemicals for practice joints. In the end, the one thing that will help as a framebuilder is problem solving so, do what you have to do!

Feelgood1

I just built my first frame and it took me almost 2 months lol. The modern tech comes with different installation instructions so it took time to learn.

This channel is decent on building a road bike. But I watched hundreds of videos over and over and used ****** for questions. Good luck!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...xvk7qz41K3JItn

unterhausen

That might be a good channel, but it's the wrong meaning of "building a frame"

guy153

Yes I just eagerly went to have a look... and saw something about "unboxing a dengfu".

Wiel

There is info in the Netherlands too; just google velofilie. There is even tubing , lugs etc.

paulkal

About 5 years ago I build my own frame, ordered the parts and some practice tubing and lugs from Ceeway. Went to a welding school here in Gouda, they teached me brazing. I used the equipment at that welidng school to build the frame.

unterhausen

Thanks for telling us your experience. Was the welding school a general technical school?

Now I'm hungry for some cheese.

fadhly29

You can check yamaguchib*ike.com
or @yamaguchibike on IG
he is also opening class for welding and framebuilding