Nice that Richard mentions Cliff shrubb a few times he was a master frame builder i have a 531 frame he made built up with modern 2008 Dura ace its so smooth.
Nostalgia time! My brother and I built a handful of framesets back in the '90s, all fillet brazed as we didn't feel like messing with lugs. I won our state TT championship on one of them in 1996, it had a 700c rear and 650c front wheel, before the rules were changed mandating same-sized wheels on both ends.
Excellent presentation and Richard seems very passionate and knowledgeable about his art but very humble at the same time. Such like frame building is an art and it's great to see a man like this keeping that art alive. More please.
My two favorite bikes are Columbus steel and Isawata steel TUBING. Both have lovely investment cast fork crown. Due to the frame geometry they ride entirely different. One rides sooo SMOOTH over all the little road imperfections, really amazing and the resilient nature of that frame made ot good for climbing the many hills around the San Francisco bay area. Other frame great handling and ready for the Sprint to the finish line. Last forever given reasonable care. Steel is real my friends. Loved this video. Thank you....stay safe.....
This reminds me of a RUclips series from years ago called Obsessives by Chowhound - each video followed a master of a specific aspect of food such as Coffee, Pizza, knife making etc. It was fascinating and I think you could have a great deal of success with more videos like this.
buenísimo. I had to replay like 6 bits because of... well... welsch. Absolutely loved the tale, the honesty and brittish dryness, which i think is quite fair to how demanding it must be to build a bike, and his work is absolutely gorgeous. loved it, and convinced me more of learning how to braze
@@davidarthur Your timing for publishing this is ripe: The resurgence of interest in steel bikes increasing. I ride an 'Argos Renovated Reynolds 531' frame, original builder unknown, but Argos did the reno in the first year or so they started their business. I've rebuilt it a number of times in the fifteen years or so I've owned it. I couldn't wish for a better 'member'. I use that term as it is an extension of my body...and soul. This was a wonderful video.
Yeah it's lotsa work building even a bike frame, I'm a old boilermaker/welder so I know, one tip is to draw a line around the area to be brazed on both sides with a pieac of boiler chalk and the brazing will stay perfectly in those lines with better brazing build up 😉👍
That's a very nice little film David! Great to see Richard at work - I have reason to be grateful to him for effecting an introduction for me to join 'the new 3T' as it was then
Oh this got me hooked on steel bikes and this video. Can’t wait for the next part on this series. :) thank you for such a relaxing and informative content.
Had a pang of nostalgia watching this - almost like getting the factory lycra band back together. Might have to break out the skateboard so the scruffy crew are represented now! 😂
I wish we have frame builders here in PH ready to pass on their knowledge. We only have a handful really. I want to build a frame for myself and some friends and maybe keep the art alive for many more years to come. Great content! Cheers!
Frankly, I find the opposite: Classic and clean steel frame machines are far more catching to the eye. The modern carbon bikes are on par with modern running-shoes: Akin to the vulgar.
When cutting the seat tube to bottom bracket mitre , I centre the cutting tool over the work first . I noted the seat tube to bottom bracket mitre required extra filing to bring it close to centre again .
I dream of making a frame for myself, and then maybe a few for my friends. It seems, though, that many tools and materials will be hard to source here in the Eastern Europe.
I know that cycling is massive now its trendy and COVID has also accelerated that, but that spike has burst the cycling bubble and some bike suppliers have gone under. However I prey that there will always be a place long into the future for cycle craftsmanship.
@@davidarthur Yeah, I was web searching on that, couldn't get past distributor depictions, all of which are shallow descriptions. I'm intrigued as to the inner ring mtg center diameter. At a distance, it looks like the TA Cyclotouriste or Stronglight 99 BCD. Just found more info by including "circumference" in my search: [middleburn ring mounting circumference] I picked up a new Stronglight 99 triple late last year, but the middle ring size was too tall, found SPA Cycles in the UK not only carry the rings, they also carry TA and others, including their own brand. They have an exclusive distributorship with Stronglight, who make them for many retail brands, TA included.
@@aryanraina1076 that’s an interesting answer I was just wondering about the fusion on the brazing because it’s def not as strong as tig welding brazing is more like soldering than welding I would assume they want strength in the joints that’s all and good tig welds are just as beautiful as they are strong but thank you for the answer. I’m a welder and happen to look at things like a welder does but thank you for the info
@richpitty6927 no problem. Also richard's teacher taught him how to make frames by brazing not tig so he's probably more good at the old school technique and decided to specialise in it. Tig is stronger. Many framebuilders I've looked at like paul brodie argue brazing a lugged joint is more than strong enough relative to what forces a frame has to endure. Many brazed frames are still intact today. Some like that the lugged socket joint is spread over a larger area than tig or fillet brazing.(brazing a circle of brass/silver on and around the joint to penetrate between tubes to stick tubes together) Many people like brazing lugged joints because they cut them into many artistic designs, even if the weight is mire than tig. some like fillets because of the smooth curved look they give. Before the 80s most bike tubing would lose significant strength with tig welds, but now tubing is well engineered for tig welding. tig is faster and strong hence it is the most common in bikes.
I wonder if it's to do with the use of a purge when tig welding stainless. I know he is welding fillets but any kind of gap between the joints could result in the weld oxidising at the back, which would seem to me that brazing is a safer option. I'm not too sure, I have been thinking as to why hes brazing it as well..
Steel is perfect for any bike frame. Carbon and aluminum came from the overtaking of cycling by hedge funds. And people like Boardman giving their name.
That's a problem with welding, because it's very hot in a very localised area, and then it contracts as it cools, this can put big stresses in the welded joint. For a brazed joint, all of the metal is brought up to the same temperature, which is less than the temperature of a weld, but because it's all hot it doesn't distort as it cools (if done well).
You can minimise the distortion with welding by doing a little bit one side, little bit the other, back n forth, that stops the joint distorting. Aluminium needs hear treating after welding to 'let out' the stresses introduced during welding.
@@glennoc8585 indeed, there are whole books on this, and people who examine failed welds (in industry, not cycling) to figure out why welds crack and fail.
Maybe. There are still a lot of framebuilders in the UK: Jason Rourke, Tom Donhou, Ellis Briggs, Ricky Feather, Enigma, Demon Frameworks, Saffron Frameworks, Woodrup, Field Cycles, etc etc. Several of these have videos on YT.
Because neither material offers more or less flexibility than the other. The whole thing about one material offering a particular ride feel is just marketing wank.
@@bill8791 . I had years ago a racing bike made out of Columbus sl, it was the harshest ride I ever had. But I think that was more to do with the wheels than the frame. But, I would still rather have steel than a plastic/carbon frame. I just don't trust the carbon.
@@DennisNowland Start by looking up Young's Modulus. A frame is as hard or as plush as you want to make it regardless of material. I've got a carbon framed MTB. It has much higher tolerances than the same frame in aluminium, it can't me made in steel due to the shapes and it has a lifetime warranty, so no issues.
@@bill8791 I think that's true in terms of ride quality, comfort and tyre clearance. Both carbon and steel can be tuned to give whatever ride characteristics you want. However, it's generally not cost effective to make frames in custom sizes and geometry in carbon. I know there are tube to tube methods as used by Calfee, but the swoopy flowing shapes of most carbon frames are achieved by laying up the carbon fabric into moulds. The other aspect where steel scores is in braise on's. It's much easier and probably stronger to add mounting points for racks etc to steel.
WOW, thats truely one of your best ever videos, facinating.
Wow, thanks!!
Nice that Richard mentions Cliff shrubb a few times he was a master frame builder i have a 531 frame he made built up with modern 2008 Dura ace its so smooth.
Nostalgia time! My brother and I built a handful of framesets back in the '90s, all fillet brazed as we didn't feel like messing with lugs. I won our state TT championship on one of them in 1996, it had a 700c rear and 650c front wheel, before the rules were changed mandating same-sized wheels on both ends.
Excellent presentation and Richard seems very passionate and knowledgeable about his art but very humble at the same time. Such like frame building is an art and it's great to see a man like this keeping that art alive. More please.
What a wonderful production
All I can say is WOW ! What a sight to see this fabulous video and real craftsman. RS. Canada
Elder brother i like your artistic journey... God bless YOU
I am form Bangladesh ❤ you so much Bangladesh.
always in awe of any sort of master craftsman
Thanks to both of you, really enjoyed that interview and demonstration. Cheers.
My two favorite bikes are Columbus steel and Isawata steel TUBING. Both have lovely investment cast fork crown. Due to the frame geometry they ride entirely different. One rides sooo SMOOTH over all the little road imperfections, really amazing and the resilient nature of that frame made ot good for climbing the many hills around the San Francisco bay area. Other frame great handling and ready for the Sprint to the finish line. Last forever given reasonable care. Steel is real my friends. Loved this video. Thank you....stay safe.....
Very, very cool. Thank you for making this doc, David!
To me there's nothing like the amazing ride quality of steel frame bikes.
Brilliant, love watching steel frames being made. Hope you do more vids like this, the steel frame makers deserve their skills to be appreciated.
Brilliant really enjoyed watching that always love a good steel frame when you can you should do more videos like that 👍😊
Thanks 👍
This reminds me of a RUclips series from years ago called Obsessives by Chowhound - each video followed a master of a specific aspect of food such as Coffee, Pizza, knife making etc. It was fascinating and I think you could have a great deal of success with more videos like this.
Thanks Mike I'll check out the series, definitely want to do more videos like this
Lovely work, both of you. The sage advice on the business side should be heard loud and clear
Thanks Nick 👍
buenísimo. I had to replay like 6 bits because of... well... welsch. Absolutely loved the tale, the honesty and brittish dryness, which i think is quite fair to how demanding it must be to build a bike, and his work is absolutely gorgeous. loved it, and convinced me more of learning how to braze
Fantastic to see another passionate frame builder & I enjoyed the explanations.
Great video, be great to have more of this sort of content. Production was perfect.
Thanks, definitely want to do more and the positive reaction is all the motivation I need
@@davidarthur Your timing for publishing this is ripe: The resurgence of interest in steel bikes increasing. I ride an 'Argos Renovated Reynolds 531' frame, original builder unknown, but Argos did the reno in the first year or so they started their business. I've rebuilt it a number of times in the fifteen years or so I've owned it. I couldn't wish for a better 'member'. I use that term as it is an extension of my body...and soul.
This was a wonderful video.
Yeah it's lotsa work building even a bike frame, I'm a old boilermaker/welder so I know, one tip is to draw a line around the area to be brazed on both sides with a pieac of boiler chalk and the brazing will stay perfectly in those lines with better brazing build up 😉👍
That's a very nice little film David! Great to see Richard at work - I have reason to be grateful to him for effecting an introduction for me to join 'the new 3T' as it was then
Glad you enjoyed it Martin :)
Oh this got me hooked on steel bikes and this video. Can’t wait for the next part on this series. :) thank you for such a relaxing and informative content.
This was excellent. ❤️
Had a pang of nostalgia watching this - almost like getting the factory lycra band back together.
Might have to break out the skateboard so the scruffy crew are represented now! 😂
Brings back memories of going to my grandfather's workshop as a boy where he made his frames.
I wish we have frame builders here in PH ready to pass on their knowledge. We only have a handful really. I want to build a frame for myself and some friends and maybe keep the art alive for many more years to come. Great content! Cheers!
Search paul brody framebuilding lessons on youtube.
beautiful craft! master builder richard.
Great video!!! Really interesting to watch and learn more about frame building👍👍
My first time trial low pro was a Cliff Shrubb back about 1990 even had the ' what were they thinking ' paint scheme .
Great video!
Dave this is excellent thanks so much for making this content
Beautiful steel frame.
🙂 thanks for posting this.
My pleasure!
I want a Richard Hallet version of The Brothers Karamazov audio book.
2:37
Audio made me think I was having a stroke
Brilliant. Love steel and titanium.
I just prefer the sporty sleek look of carbon modern frames. But you’ve got to love the passion of an artisanal frame builder, chapeau to this guy
Frankly, I find the opposite: Classic and clean steel frame machines are far more catching to the eye. The modern carbon bikes are on par with modern running-shoes: Akin to the vulgar.
Steel is real, baby
When cutting the seat tube to bottom bracket mitre , I centre the cutting tool over the work first . I noted the seat tube to bottom bracket mitre required extra filing to bring it close to centre again .
I dream of making a frame for myself, and then maybe a few for my friends. It seems, though, that many tools and materials will be hard to source here in the Eastern Europe.
This was great, thank you!
Great Dave. Thanks!
David Gilmour of Bicyclism. 🙂
What's the music at the beginning of the video? It's beautiful.
I know that cycling is massive now its trendy and COVID has also accelerated that, but that spike has burst the cycling bubble and some bike suppliers have gone under. However I prey that there will always be a place long into the future for cycle craftsmanship.
Very nice work
Sir you are good Teacher
No sabia q david gilmour hacia bicicletas👍🏽
What is the crankset on the Green Touring bike at about 8 second? It's beautiful!
It's a Middleburn
@@davidarthur Yeah, I was web searching on that, couldn't get past distributor depictions, all of which are shallow descriptions. I'm intrigued as to the inner ring mtg center diameter. At a distance, it looks like the TA Cyclotouriste or Stronglight 99 BCD.
Just found more info by including "circumference" in my search:
[middleburn ring mounting circumference]
I picked up a new Stronglight 99 triple late last year, but the middle ring size was too tall, found SPA Cycles in the UK not only carry the rings, they also carry TA and others, including their own brand. They have an exclusive distributorship with Stronglight, who make them for many retail brands, TA included.
Добрый день. Вы строете hand bike?
What is the reason you do not tig or oxy fuse weld is it because the weld is weaker around the edges of thin pipe?
Brazing is tried and tested, for more than 100 years. Why not use brazing?
If i could live life over, I'd seriously consider building bicycle frames.
My favourite bicycles were Cro - mo or Reynolds tubeset based .
He should be a narrator, wow that voice. :P
He Remind me of David Gilmour
😊😊😊☺
Just curious why do you choose to torch weld instead of tig weld your bike frames. Just a curious question
Some people feel like filler brazed or lugged frames are more beautiful than tig welding.
@@aryanraina1076 that’s an interesting answer I was just wondering about the fusion on the brazing because it’s def not as strong as tig welding brazing is more like soldering than welding I would assume they want strength in the joints that’s all and good tig welds are just as beautiful as they are strong but thank you for the answer. I’m a welder and happen to look at things like a welder does but thank you for the info
@richpitty6927 no problem. Also richard's teacher taught him how to make frames by brazing not tig so he's probably more good at the old school technique and decided to specialise in it.
Tig is stronger. Many framebuilders I've looked at like paul brodie argue brazing a lugged joint is more than strong enough relative to what forces a frame has to endure. Many brazed frames are still intact today. Some like that the lugged socket joint is spread over a larger area than tig or fillet brazing.(brazing a circle of brass/silver on and around the joint to penetrate between tubes to stick tubes together)
Many people like brazing lugged joints because they cut them into many artistic designs, even if the weight is mire than tig. some like fillets because of the smooth curved look they give. Before the 80s most bike tubing would lose significant strength with tig welds, but now tubing is well engineered for tig welding. tig is faster and strong hence it is the most common in bikes.
I wonder if it's to do with the use of a purge when tig welding stainless. I know he is welding fillets but any kind of gap between the joints could result in the weld oxidising at the back, which would seem to me that brazing is a safer option. I'm not too sure, I have been thinking as to why hes brazing it as well..
@@richpitty Brazing and bronze welding is tried and tested, over probably more than 100 years.
Steel is perfect for any bike frame.
Carbon and aluminum came from the overtaking of cycling by hedge funds.
And people like Boardman giving their name.
He sounds like David Gilmour
18:57 why is he welding/brazing after having threaded the tube? The threads will surely distort with that amount of heat.
That's a problem with welding, because it's very hot in a very localised area, and then it contracts as it cools, this can put big stresses in the welded joint. For a brazed joint, all of the metal is brought up to the same temperature, which is less than the temperature of a weld, but because it's all hot it doesn't distort as it cools (if done well).
You can minimise the distortion with welding by doing a little bit one side, little bit the other, back n forth, that stops the joint distorting. Aluminium needs hear treating after welding to 'let out' the stresses introduced during welding.
Depends on whether the couplings are acting as heatsinks.
@@glennoc8585 indeed, there are whole books on this, and people who examine failed welds (in industry, not cycling) to figure out why welds crack and fail.
This was just a demonstration not an an part that will be used on a frame
I wonder if anyone has ever made a solid steel frame and forks
😻
👍🙂
Soon to be one of the lost arts.
Why?
There are several people in the UK currently building steel bike frames.
@@RPaton Totally, but as we rely more and more on factory-produced frames it will become a lost art.
Maybe.
There are still a lot of framebuilders in the UK: Jason Rourke, Tom Donhou, Ellis Briggs, Ricky Feather, Enigma, Demon Frameworks, Saffron Frameworks, Woodrup, Field Cycles, etc etc.
Several of these have videos on YT.
His sound is similar to Liam
Just watched it I still don’t know how. Lol
I'd work for free in his shop!
Buy a TIG welder!
Too short.
I find it very interesting that people choose carbon bikes for the ride comfort and people also choose steel bikes for the ride comfort.
When done well both materials can offer exceptional comfort
Because neither material offers more or less flexibility than the other. The whole thing about one material offering a particular ride feel is just marketing wank.
@@bill8791 . I had years ago a racing bike made out of Columbus sl, it was the harshest ride I ever had. But I think that was more to do with the wheels than the frame. But, I would still rather have steel than a plastic/carbon frame. I just don't trust the carbon.
@@DennisNowland Start by looking up Young's Modulus. A frame is as hard or as plush as you want to make it regardless of material. I've got a carbon framed MTB. It has much higher tolerances than the same frame in aluminium, it can't me made in steel due to the shapes and it has a lifetime warranty, so no issues.
@@bill8791 I think that's true in terms of ride quality, comfort and tyre clearance. Both carbon and steel can be tuned to give whatever ride characteristics you want. However, it's generally not cost effective to make frames in custom sizes and geometry in carbon. I know there are tube to tube methods as used by Calfee, but the swoopy flowing shapes of most carbon frames are achieved by laying up the carbon fabric into moulds.
The other aspect where steel scores is in braise on's. It's much easier and probably stronger to add mounting points for racks etc to steel.