The 'Vergine' by Zullo of Italy. Built with Columbus XCr stainless steel tubing
The latest masterpiece from San Diego, California legend Brian Baylis.
A 2006 're-working' of a 1961 Masi, by Californian master Rob Roberson.
Close-up of the Masi 'Clone Project'; stunning from any angle.
Frameforum's 'Bike Of The Year': the minimalist beauty of Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Superb in every detail; nothing is left to the ordinary on Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Frameforum is a site dedicated to the art and craft of the handmade bicycle. It’s about the people who make them; it’s about the people who ride them. Frameforum is the place to be if you’re considering the 'custom alternative' – a bike that gives you everything 'off-the-shelf ' bikes don’t.
It’s about you - not Mr or Ms. Average. A custom bike is more than just a paint job. A custom bike isn't about shaving grams for bragging rights either. It’s about you and your builder considering every aspect of the bike. The process starts with finding the best dimensions, followed by designing and building the frame, then deciding on each and every component part of the bike - your bike.
A bike that's been custom-built for you will fit you better than a stock bike ever could. It can be as individual as you are; it can suit your particular style of riding, your particular needs and be built from a material that suits you ... not the coffee stop crew.
Frameforum is also a great place those who build, or aspire to build, custom bikes. In the forum section, you’ll find members embarking on their first steps in framebuilding as well as some of the greats of the framebuilding game; iconic builders making iconic bikes. If you want to ask questions and get answers on frame building from the folks who actually build them, this is the place.
In short; if handmade bicycles are your thing - whether rider, collector or creator - make Frameforum your first port of call!
Alistair Gow has been a stalwart of the West of Scotland cycling community for more years than he cares to remember (or admit!).
He’s the archetypal ‘clubman’; a tireless worker for his club Glasgow Nightingale CC and a font of knowledge on all things cycling.
Over the years, he’s helped literally hundreds of Scottish cyclists find their feet when they first enter the sport; just read the chapter of Graeme Obree’s autobiography on his formative years in the bike game to find out the part "Big Al" played in Graeme’s transition from 'gringo’' to world beater.
As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also a first-rate wheelbuilder and mechanic.
With his encyclopaedic knowledge of hubs, rim types and spoke lengths, he’s the man Scottish bikies go to when they need ‘real’ wheels. The West of Scotland is hard on riders and hard on equipment. In this age of boutique, factory-built hoops with exotic lacing patterns, he’s as busy now as he ever was. Gram-shaving ‘for racing only’ stuff doesn’t really cut it around here.
Alistair’s talent for building wheels means his small but well-stocked shop, Wheelcraft, in the picture-postcard village of Clachan of Campsie, is a magnet for local riders. Pick up your wheels from Alistair, and he’ll tell you to drop them back for a quick check-over after a few hundred miles. Chances are they’ll need no adjustment, thanks to Alistair’s ability to get it right first time and his good judgement in applying just the right number of turns on the nipples.
For this set of wheels, only one requirement was made – silver rims. Alistair settled on the Ambrosio Evolution for their consistent quality, their resilience, and importantly, the cost of replacement if a rim gets pretzelled. Like I said, the roads round here are hard on equipment and no rim is invulnerable to Scottish pot holes.
If you’re ever close by, pop in and say hello. You’re sure of a warm welcome, a hot coffee or a cold beer. Oh, and a disapproving glance at your boutique wheels.....
Alistair after all, knows best!
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better....it does just that!
The latest version of BikeCAD PRO is about to hit the streets. Version 6.0 takes BikeCAD Pro to new levels of excellence. The list of enhancements and additions contains features that only a few short years ago would have beyond the reach of most bike builders. Never before has a collection of bike-specific software applications with this power and versatility been combined in such an easy-to-use, RAM-friendly program.
Not only are they just so amazingly intuitive, the latest features are also incredibly useful for both amateur and professional alike. From what started out as a Java-based aid for framebuilders has evolved into a complete suite of 'virtual power-tools' for framebuilders, bike-fit specialists, mechanics and bike stores.
Take a look at what's new in v.6.0...
On the frame, dropouts are now a feature - with all dimensions variable.
This allows a dropout design to be accurately displayed, but with the added ability to store the custom dropout specifications in a database. This means it's as easy as a click of a mouse to introduce a previously-mapped design from the dropout library into another frame configuration! As with all the other features of BikeCAD PRO, make the slightest adjustment in any dimension and the program automatically and instantly converts all other dimensions, reflecting how the change will affect the overall design.
For the mechanic, BikeCAD PRO can now accurately calculate spoke lengths via the new wheel spec module.
Virtually any wheel configuration is possible and once the hub, rim and lacing pattern specifications are entered, you get an instant answer to your spoke-length question!
Other new highlights include :
More detailed modelling in the fork area.
Users get the ability to implement offset seat & down tube placement values on the BB shell.
There are new dimension points added to those you can view on screen.
There's a brand-new notation system for adding virtual 'Post-It's' to the on-screen display.
A handy 'undo/redo' feature has been added for those 'what if..' moments.
Overall, the user interface is greatly enhanced, with a menu bar of easy-to-understand function icons running along the top of the work area.
More specialised - but nevertheless an invaluable tool - is another BikeCAD first; a UCI Bike Design Regulations module.
This amazing feature makes easy work of interpreting the UCI Tech Regs with an easy-to-understand visual representation of exactly what is 'UCI Legal' and what's not. Simply look at the color representation of the UCI parameters being superimposed on your design to check what's 'in' - and what's 'out'!
For anyone involved in designing and building bikes for use at the highest level of competition, this new module is a godsend...it's nothing short of genius.
That's not all - there are even more tools and modules planned for version 6 and these will be rolled out in the coming months after exhaustive testing.
If you're heading for Indy, make the most of the trip - check out the BikeCAD booth and prepare to be be amazed!
This latest version is a tool no builder, bike-fitter, race mechanic, product manager or pro shop can afford to be without. It may be an often used cliché, but BikeCAD Pro v.6. truly is 'state of the art' bike-design software. Nothing else comes close.
Get yours now!
Screenshots: ( hover for description, click to go large )
