Smoother Bikes-Who are they??
11-15-22, 06:45 PM
#1
WV is not flat..
Thread Starter
Smoother Bikes-Who are they??
I picked up a Smoother bike today with a headbadge of "Smoother Bikes- Birmingham Alabama". It is a mix of parts including True Temper AVR frame, Deore XT thumbshifters, XT RD, Suntour XC Pro FD, XT headset, Deore LX hubs, Ritchey Logic cantis and Brahma bars. It was so different I had to have it. Assuming a custom build of course, but I cannot find any information on the company at all. The stem is going to have to go because that is as far as it will go down. Might be a keeper depending how it rides. Anyone know about these?
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11-15-22, 07:19 PM
#2
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11-15-22, 10:36 PM
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Those fillet brazes sure are smooth. That is pretty impressive.
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11-15-22, 10:42 PM
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"With a name like that, it has to be filleted."
"The bike your King Sting wishes it was."
They even managed to make a unicrown fork look good. Now that's talent.
-Kurt
"The bike your King Sting wishes it was."
They even managed to make a unicrown fork look good. Now that's talent.
-Kurt
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11-16-22, 05:48 PM
#5
WV is not flat..
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11-16-22, 08:30 PM
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Man, it is a mystery. It looks like a well made frame and yes, "what a King Sting wishes it was", yet, there seems to be no internet information on Smoother . Of course, the interwebs are not the real world, so I would hope someone would know something about Smoother bikes or frames.
To me, that bike looks like it was bought as a frame and the new owner built it up with a combination of pieces he had or liked. And that stem was a much later addition.
To me, that bike looks like it was bought as a frame and the new owner built it up with a combination of pieces he had or liked. And that stem was a much later addition.
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11-16-22, 08:36 PM
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https://www.bizapedia.com/al/smoother-bikes-inc.html
Filing Status: Dissolved (Voluntary Dissolution)
Filing Date: March 23, 1995
Company Age: 27 Years, 8 Months
Products/Services: MANUFACTURE/PAINT/ASSEMBLE & REPAIR BICYCLES
Owner of the company was a John R. Hodgkins.
This thread from 2005/6 has a comment from a forum member (@AndyGrow - hasn't been active since 2011) about him: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...-confused.html
-Kurt
Filing Status: Dissolved (Voluntary Dissolution)
Filing Date: March 23, 1995
Company Age: 27 Years, 8 Months
Products/Services: MANUFACTURE/PAINT/ASSEMBLE & REPAIR BICYCLES
Owner of the company was a John R. Hodgkins.
This thread from 2005/6 has a comment from a forum member (@AndyGrow - hasn't been active since 2011) about him: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...-confused.html
Thank you.
Yes, I cut the tubing, did all the filing and pre-fitting, and did SOME of the brazing...all under the VERY watchful eye of Joe Bringheli. I also helped do the cold-setting to get the frame and fork perfectly straight. So I guess I can say yes, I DID build it!
A gentleman by the name of John Hodgkins in Fairhope, Alabama did the painting for me.
Yes, I cut the tubing, did all the filing and pre-fitting, and did SOME of the brazing...all under the VERY watchful eye of Joe Bringheli. I also helped do the cold-setting to get the frame and fork perfectly straight. So I guess I can say yes, I DID build it!
A gentleman by the name of John Hodgkins in Fairhope, Alabama did the painting for me.
-Kurt
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11-16-22, 09:28 PM
#8
WV is not flat..
Thread Starter
That is amazing research. Thanks so much. I'll do some searching for them and maybe come up with some other bikes that might be out there. now I really want to keep it.
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