OK, so you've read the book, taken the course and bought the jig. You've completed your first forays into the wide and wonderful world of custom framebuilding.  So, what's next?

Well, how you present your product is of paramount importance – and  perhaps one of the biggest reasons behind the success or failure of budding frame marques.  In the minds of the bike-buying and riding public, an eye-catching color scheme and professionally designed and produced graphics speaks volumes.  For today's fickle consumer, it not only has to ride well, it has to look good too.  Image is everything, and today's rider is every bit as concerned over image as they are with equipment decisions.

So, once you come up with your winning graphics and logos, you really  need to pay attention to what's going on up front.  Forget those stick-on blown vinyl bubble badges; if you want the Wal-Mart look, get a Wal-Mart head badge.  A far better option is to give your work its well-deserved  crowning glory with a solid, elegant handmade head crest.  Nothing says 'quality bike' like a finely-made, attractive head badge. 

So, if this is next on your list of must-have items (or just been added!), then look no further than Jen Green of Revolution Cycle Jewelry.   

Jen hand-carves custom-made badges and crests ( along with other items of bike bijouterie ) one at a time in her Philadelphia workshop. A jeweler by trade since 1994, Jen made her first head badge for a buddy. Says Jen:

"I first made a badge probably 4-5 years ago when a friend of mine asked me if I could make him something for his Moots singlespeed. He wanted a Buddhist OM.....so I made it for him with a singlespeed cog as a frame. Since he ordered the Moots through Speedgoat Bicycles (the renowned Pennsylvania bike specialist), and they have a webpage that posts all their builds, a bunch of people saw the badge.
The guys at Speedgoat were kind enough to post a link to my website with the badge photo. So I started getting orders there and then and it all really snowballed from there".

Jen has kindly let us into what's behind the process, giving all you budding brand managers some insight  into what's involved in her work and what possibilities it holds.

The process starts with your idea. This can be a simple sketch or a full-blown graphic file - obviously, the more detail and you can give Jen, the faster and more pleasing the result will be.  From this, Jen will refine the design, perhaps discussing with you what's workable and what needs a rethink.  When everything is good to go, Jen gets on with the task of producing a one-off badge.

First, the design is printed out on paper and this forms the template for the initial cutting pattern in the metal of choice.  Bronze, copper, silver, stainless steel – as well as various combinations (such as bronze with copper) – are all on offer. 

For this example, the first badge is being hewn from copper sheet.  First comes the cutting out, followed by painstaking trimming, filing and shaping of the main body of the badge.  More drilling and cutting follows, after which the first of the sculpted elements gets transferred to the carrier. This is done by soldering to a sheet metal which will eventually form the main body of the badge.

What follows is another series of cutting, shaping and finishing steps resulting in a flat badge, practically identical to the original paper template.

It's at this stage that the really clever bit comes into play. 

With the original, Jen can then produce a mold which means that subsequent copies, each identical to the original, can be produced.  It means that a replica of that original design can then be offered to all your customers, either as your stock badge, or as a value-added option (the choice is yours). 

It's virtually impossible to distinguish between the two, so for this example, they've been produced in differing metals to make identification a bit easier.

From the mold Jen creates comes a badge in every way as attractive and desirable as the original. This also receives the final delicate sanding, buffing and shaping the original undergoes during completion.

Now, with Jen's work done, the job of fitting the badge is left you and attachment by either a suitably strong adhesive or small screws is all that remains. 

Once in place, there's no doubt the the badge attracts admiring glances;  in eye of the beholder, the perceived value of any bike is instantly raised. 

From the photos, Jen's skill as a jeweler (as well as her degree in Fine Arts) makes a complicated and intricate process look quite a simple task. 

But don't be fooled into thinking it would be an easy job - a finished article this good only comes after years of skill-nurturing and hands-on experience!  The results of her work are quite stunning both before and after fitting. Not only that, but the design possibilities are many and varied, as can be seen by her portfolio of earlier commissions.

As for the cost, for a start-up concern, not only does Jen's fine craftsmanship produce superior results (compared with factory-produced items from Italy or the Far-East), the initial financial outlay is considerably less too.  There are no batch minimums - which can be a big hit on the pocket of the small builder on a budget choosing to go to mainstream sources.  Then there is the finish and material options and combinations, plus the ability to use the same design over a range of head tube diameters tipping the scales in favour of Jen's process. The cost, in terms of hours spent in production, is also favorable over the currently fashionable in-house-produced stainless steel braze-on seen on the heads of a lot of today's frames.

In short, If you want to add a quality touch to your work, you should seriously consider commissioning Jen Green to produce one of her gems for you.   Whether as a showtime one-off or as a 'special feature'/ optional extra for you to offer clients,  your hand-made, specially-commissioned head badge would undoubtedly become a worthwhile talking - and selling - point of note.

For sure, the end results speak for themselves, sending out  positive messages to potential customers.
Judging by the evidence, the message carried will be "You've arrived"  !

 ( ***Click all images to open in a bigger window)

Click HERE for Revolution Cycle Jewelry's website