IOLO Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 hello all....as some of you know i needed a big fun very random trip ....so in mid april i flew to vancouver, was homeless ... bought a crappy old dodge van and lived in it for the summer...i rode trials alot, and downhill at whistler, and skateparks.dirtjumps etc too...i also drove south along the coast to near LA, then came back inland with some friends over a month...i then traveled round Vancouver island and the sunshine coast too...surfing and riding lotsthen i made my last trials video...(iolo in canada)then i moved into a small lorry (climbing the property ladder )then went on another amazing trip south and east to Wyoming and then north through the rockies and back to vancouver..a huge amount has happened in all that.. without sounding stupid, it really has been the trip of a lifetime, and im still on it !!! then i was well and truly skint !!!!!!!! well below skint i suppose...so had to find work for the winter..im now living in my lorry on a small island called 'quadra' off the coast of Vancouver island.it feels quite remote. (yes its so f**kin cold i had to build and install a wood stove into my van.)and im working for a custom bike building company called 'naked bicycles'im sure those who know me will realise this is basically my dream job.... after running iolobikes.com its been really nice to learn alot and refine skills too.naked bikes has alot to its name ! considered one of the best bike builders in the whole of north america. also won alot of awards for show bikes..sold bikes to quite a few famous people (including Lance Armstrong ! yes !!) and produced bike for shimano to display new stuff on at shows..two main big projects for me lately have been designing and building a road frame myself for a friend in my spare time.and at work we have been putting in effort to get a full bike worth over 1200 can dollers finished, its basicalyy the most bling custom bike in the world. hahaso heres some pictures of the frame iv just made,,i cut holes in the front to make it less boring than a usual road/touring frameand made my own lug for the front end.also polished the hell out of the stainless dropouts so they look chromed. (just wanted to see if it could be done)and after 11 and a half hours of polishing, yes the dropouts were done. hahaha (holy crap !!)i also put an internal cable guide in the top tube for the rear brake. this goes in on the second big hole though the tube, then out in the usual way.im really proud of it ! for my first frame build in a few years . throwing some Pearly dust into the first two layers of clear coat paint made the whole thing look way better too.so heres some pics....more to come 1 sec...forgot to mention the frame is nearly all TIG welded with a bit of brazing, but TIG is way nicer !!! hahaand a couple more.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr kenny Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Hey man,Ali was telling me about the job when i was over at work the other week, glad to see you are enjoying yourself!they look good!Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOLO Posted December 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 to see pictures of the super bling expensive bike go to ......... http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakedbikesthis bike features an upside down headset , so the fork crown clamps like the stem would.so... we could put a headlight inside the stem. (one piece bar and stem)also features super bling wooden mahogany grips and pedals ( with mother of pearl inlay)and a rear mud gaurd made of stainless and stretched rubber (with rear light )has wooden rims built onto chris king hubs etc...ohh and alot of chrome and polishing here. and a good few layers of clear paint.. and some more polishing.and our website is . . . . . . . www.timetogetnaked.comall comments welcome.. and sorry its not trials...though we do build trials frames.. as well as bmx, dj,freeride, dh, road, timetrial, touring, etc etc... everything !! im sure im be building a trials frame int he future when i have funds..miss you all in the uk.iolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Looks absolutely amazing, time and detail thats gone into that Sounds like you've had an awesome time too, i know what you mean by remote too, i stayed on Quadra fora a few days the first time i went to British Columbia, not a lot going on but i guess thats part of the appeal.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordMersey Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 That looks amazing!!!! Would the trials bike have wooden rims? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Wow! Good effort with those drop outs they look amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phatmike Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 Stunning, Aran.The light-stem looks absolutely excuisite! Top effort, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Arnold Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 really good stuff aran! didn't have a clue thats what you are up to. really jealous truth be told! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.McMillan Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 amazing stuff there, i love the built in stem and light, that is like my ultimate riding to work bike, looks so cool, and love the work that you have done on your frame too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullapool Trials Rider Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 Got some good stuff there. It takes a huge amount of skill to build frames. By the looks of those photos, your doing a good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bionic Balls Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 Awesome story and top job on the frame You really look like a lorry driver with that shirt on by the way.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 That looks seriously awesome. Very nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycholist Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 (edited) That fantastic work - It's inspiring to see some proper artisan bike building and this is a cut above anything I've seen recently . Couldn't justify the cost of anything other than the stuff the far east churns out the way I treat bikes though - time spent polishing is time that could better be spent riding ...If there's anything in a long travel XC hardtail with a nitrided finish I'd consider it though ... Edited December 20, 2009 by psycholist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terratology Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Woooaaa dude! Like your skills and the workshop you get to work in, i'm well envious as the most i can do is weld extra gussets on frames to make them stronger. Looks like you've landed lucky on the job front.....good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walker Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Now that is something special Iolo!! Truely unique, Top craftmanship.Sounds like your having a blast of a time over there, fair play for sticking the winter out.The UK is missing you man! Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoppellStereo Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 wow, thats awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomturd Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 Very nice, good to see you're getting back into it Did you start the courier service? Or was that someone else.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOLO Posted December 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 yea tom , i did start the freight bike courier service in manchesterdid it for a year or so. was hard going,,, but a really good experience .massive thanks for comments !!!i just need to save up lots and then hopefully at some point i can order a titanium tubeset for a trials frame. miss riding with everyone in the uk... see you soon,, well sometime,, erm at some point. iolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskimo Posted December 22, 2009 Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 Beyond belief. Speaks for itself really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totaltrials Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 That is one absolutely goegeous bike.The original Pace RC100 had the upside down headset clamping, far ahead of it's time, gives the stem such a clean look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the trials mop Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I actually now idolise your lifestyle, its the kind of life I could only hope for, possibily looking into fixies/ traditional style track bike could be an option as theres a fair size scene in north america Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOLO Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 haha erm thanks....dont worry its not all traveling about meeting people, riding lots and making nice bikes..theres a fair amount of being in debt, eating cheap noodles and riding alone involved ! haha still wouldnt change any of it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the trials mop Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 haha erm thanks....dont worry its not all traveling about meeting people, riding lots and making nice bikes..theres a fair amount of being in debt, eating cheap noodles and riding alone involved ! haha still wouldnt change any of it !I may not have phrased it quite right, if you want to make more frames and make some more money fixies could be could be worth a look into.I bet the good bits cancel the bad bits out by a mile though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOLO Posted December 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 yea thanks for the advice, theres quite a bit of money in the fixie trend.but without being harsh,.. we kinda HATE IT !plus we are booked up for a LONG time with , full sus mtb, single speed hardtails, dirt jump frames and road/ touring bikes..we are very happy to make fixie frames, just not that into pushing marketing at frames that match neon sunglasses, or bikes with handlebars 5 inches wide.function comes before fashion, even if your gonna put holes in frames for fun, haha.iolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali C Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 YO!Sounds like you are having a pretty amazing time! Those frames look pretty awesome!I am also pretty envious of what you have done, but I guess you had the guts to actually go ahead and do it!I will have enough money to come and see you soon, would you be up for some company? Got a spare bed in your van? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.