JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Hey guys, I've recently been faffing about on a small computer program called BikeCAD. Allows you to design bike frames and parts, and I had a bit of a brain fart (idea)! I'd really love to start a small bike company, but I'm only 16 with no real experience in building frames or forks - only building bikes up and setting them up. If anyone has any advice about frame suppliers, how to build my own frame and forks or knows someone who I could hire/pay to build me a custom one that would be much appreciated. Here are some of my designs: (Also any feedback on the designs themselves would be appreciated! e.g. if at the right price would you buy? etc.) And I also have frame geo's for all designs Edited December 16, 2011 by JJ_ONeill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewEH1 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 If you want some simple steel frames build with custom geo it might be worth getting in touch with Marino. A few people off here have bought frames from him and it seemed to be reasonably trouble free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 If you want some simple steel frames build with custom geo it might be worth getting in touch with Marino. A few people off here have bought frames from him and it seemed to be reasonably trouble free. Would steel not be too heavy? I was rather hoping for Alloy or Aluminium - possibly a 7005 Alloy or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I-LUV-TRIALS Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 also have a word with alex dark as he made his own aluminum frame good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 also have a word with alex dark as he made his own aluminum frame good luck with it! Thanks! And who is Alex Dark? :$ Is he on Trials Forum? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I-LUV-TRIALS Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 heres a video, im sure he wont mind me posting this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 heres a video, im sure he wont mind me posting this Thats pretty amazing to watch lol... So what would I do? Just send him the picture, and frame geo or something? Work out a price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 How much are you willing to spend? £700? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I-LUV-TRIALS Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Thats pretty amazing to watch lol... So what would I do? Just send him the picture, and frame geo or something? Work out a price? nah he just done that as a project for the college i think, but i know doubt he could give you a few pointers on how to go about doing it, and what he got stuck with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 How much are you willing to spend? £700? Not really thats a huge amount of money! - I'm only 16 and have no source of income. Once I had frame done it'd be a very long, slow process lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Well for someone to make you a one off, completely custom alu frame I wouldn't be suprised if they wanted near the £700 mark. Just sayin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Well for someone to make you a one off, completely custom alu frame I wouldn't be suprised if they wanted near the £700 mark. Just sayin'. Wow... So would be cheaper for me to educate myself about the whole process and build one myself no? How much you reckon I'd need for the metal :/ Not to mention aftermarket parts, but they'd come after... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Well if you want to do it yourself you might as well spend the next few years learning to weld alu. Rob Leech on here did a similar thing, he should be able to answer your questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Well if you want to do it yourself you might as well spend the next few years learning to weld alu. Rob Leech on here did a similar thing, he should be able to answer your questions Thanks a bunch. But a couple of years... Christ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Buying a half decent tube set is going to cost you quite a bit. You'll need access to mills and lathes unless you want to pay out extra for having someone do that for you. You'll need to learn how to weld (properly). Then you'll need to find somewhere to get the thing heat treated which is going to add more £££ Altogether it'll end up being quite costly. I'm not trying to put you off - just be prepared for alot of hard work to get anywhere near a result you'll be happy with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ_ONeill Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Buying a half decent tube set is going to cost you quite a bit. You'll need access to mills and lathes unless you want to pay out extra for having someone do that for you. You'll need to learn how to weld (properly). Then you'll need to find somewhere to get the thing heat treated which is going to add more £££ Altogether it'll end up being quite costly. I'm not trying to put you off - just be prepared for alot of hard work to get anywhere near a result you'll be happy with. Fair do's. I spose it'll have to be an idea for the future really but thanks for the advice it helps a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Yeah, it's a bit of an 'if you have to ask...' type affair really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannytrialskid Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 It's one of them things that gets stuck into teens heads. You get the idea of making your own parts or frame and then you get obsessed with it and start like drawing stuff up etc..., but in reality, what education in that stuff do you have? - Mechanical Engineering, Welding, Spraying etc..? Also then you have to work out the exact dimensions you need. If for instance you calculate things wrong then it could ruin the whole project, you would then have to re-calculate that part and make sure it's right etc... I suppose it includes a lot of trial and error. I'd suggest getting into something like Mechanical Engineering and college. I spoke to several people that make frames, including certain trials manufactures (as I wanted to do this too about a year ago) and they said that Mechanical Engineering is the way forward. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 You seem surprised that it's so expensive and hard to do? If it wasn't, we'd all make our own bikes wouldn't we... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 I'm going to go against what everybody else has said. You won't learn unless you try. This was my first attempt at making a trials frame, built out of recycled tubing from other frames: I didn't use a proper jig, just used some old forks and some random bits of metal and bolts to hold everything in place whilst i tacked it. It took me just over an evening, including filing all the fish mouth joints (i didnt have a suitable holesaw). I would suggest you get learning how to braze/mig weld at school/college/with somebody who has the equipment first, then once you feel confident enough, get making! Do what i did, and recycle the tubing, or make it out of cheap tubing to start with. Once you feel you have it nailed, buy in some nice tubes and get making! I would recomend making a jig over my method, it doesnt have to be complex, search on google for the ones people have made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Vandart Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 I agree with this guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Leech Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 It's one of them things that gets stuck into teens heads. You get the idea of making your own parts or frame and then you get obsessed with it and start like drawing stuff up etc..., but in reality, what education in that stuff do you have? - Mechanical Engineering, Welding, Spraying etc..? Also then you have to work out the exact dimensions you need. If for instance you calculate things wrong then it could ruin the whole project, you would then have to re-calculate that part and make sure it's right etc... I suppose it includes a lot of trial and error. I'd suggest getting into something like Mechanical Engineering and college. I spoke to several people that make frames, including certain trials manufactures (as I wanted to do this too about a year ago) and they said that Mechanical Engineering is the way forward. Good luck. Sorry chap, but i've gota agree with this. It is something that most people on here would love to do, but it takes a lot of commitment and time to even make one frame, let alone start a business producing them without any prior knowledge or experience in the trades that will be requiered. The part i wouldnt agree with in that statement is where you go with your education. I would say that if your interested in the actual manufacture of the frame, definately try and find a fabrication apprenticeship, this will help you alot more than any degree in mechanical engineering due to the fact that it is taught on the practical side of the project, rather than the theory, a lot of which you wouldn't need for this sort of thing. Depending on the company, you would also gain experience of the stages a project would have to go through in manufacturing, ie, design, pricing, assesments of the project, ect,ect. I've made 3 frames to date, all with there own problems that have been extremely difficult to overcome, in one case, it didnt happen at all which stoped the frame in it's tracks and is now sat in a corner of my bay at work . If you really want to have a go at it, even just a one off, start looking at how other people do it, heres the last one that i made and a full picture "story" of how i did it- Hopefully that helps you more than a bit of rambling by us . Cheers, Josh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchman Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 I'm going to go against what everybody else has said. You won't learn unless you try. This was my first attempt at making a trials frame, built out of recycled tubing from other frames: I didn't use a proper jig, just used some old forks and some random bits of metal and bolts to hold everything in place whilst i tacked it. It took me just over an evening, including filing all the fish mouth joints (i didnt have a suitable holesaw). I would suggest you get learning how to braze/mig weld at school/college/with somebody who has the equipment first, then once you feel confident enough, get making! Do what i did, and recycle the tubing, or make it out of cheap tubing to start with. Once you feel you have it nailed, buy in some nice tubes and get making! I would recomend making a jig over my method, it doesnt have to be complex, search on google for the ones people have made. Now thats some good advice. I spent two years a good few years ago working repairing mainly wheel building and bike frame painting equipment. The big manufacturers just buy all the components from India and China and eithe have them assembled in the UK or built in China/India But I have to admire your ideas, give it a go you have noting to loose. This company supply most of the frame building stuff and its not expensive http://www.shuztung.com/new/web_c/html/02_products/en/products.html Cant remember the Indian one I just googles these http://www.ceeway.com/custom_uk_bicycle_framebuilders.htm Find one near by and see if you can go along. I dont know of any large volume frame builders in the UK.Just noticed you are in Nottingham, have Raligh shut the nottingham factory? Ask around as some of the old staff may be willing to help you out. Just because you are 16 and to some people may not have a clue if you are keen to learn and will listen to peoples advice they you can achieve it. As for making a living at it this is very hard. Most people see this as a hobby and run a bike shop for the income and make the odd frame. I was very interested in HI FI and had designed some speakers that worked very well, but once you start manufacturing them on a large or small scale you open a can of worms. If dealer a takes all you can make say 3 a month, dealer B who has seen good reviews of your product wants some, as he cant get any he may well rubbish your product as he cant have them. So people stop buyig from dealer A and you go bust throug no fault of your own and with a good product. I would give it a go as a hobbie and see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Just noticed you are in Nottingham, have Raligh shut the nottingham factory? I used to live round the corner from that factory.. or where it's meant to be. It's shut, they sold out and got their bikes made in Taiwan or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchman Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Sorry chap, but i've gota agree with this. It is something that most people on here would love to do, but it takes a lot of commitment and time to even make one frame, let alone start a business producing them without any prior knowledge or experience in the trades that will be requiered. The part i wouldnt agree with in that statement is where you go with your education. I would say that if your interested in the actual manufacture of the frame, definately try and find a fabrication apprenticeship, this will help you alot more than any degree in mechanical engineering due to the fact that it is taught on the practical side of the project, rather than the theory, a lot of which you wouldn't need for this sort of thing. Depending on the company, you would also gain experience of the stages a project would have to go through in manufacturing, ie, design, pricing, assesments of the project, ect,ect. I've made 3 frames to date, all with there own problems that have been extremely difficult to overcome, in one case, it didnt happen at all which stoped the frame in it's tracks and is now sat in a corner of my bay at work . If you really want to have a go at it, even just a one off, start looking at how other people do it, heres the last one that i made and a full picture "story" of how i did it- Hopefully that helps you more than a bit of rambling by us . Cheers, Josh. I was lucky I served a formal apprenticeship and the company made you learn every trade, so I have to learm Fabrication and welding, electrical, pipe work, turning and milling etc, this was a gift as now I can still do most things, many younger trades men cant even weld. The Carbon tubed frame is very nice but I do wonder about the cost LOL, not only materials but the time etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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