CX race frame to Seattle

This customer is going big- the frame you see is nearly identical to the frame I built for the same customer last year. Two bikes means having a fresh one in the pit- hopefully someone working there to hand off the bike and wash the muddy one when it comes in. CX season is almost here !

Steel gravel frame for a local

Every once in awhile I get to ride with this guy. I'm honored that he chose me to build his next bike. This one is steel with a flat mount matched to a Whiskey CX fork- the newest one with the flat mount as well. Most likely this bike will get set up with Shimano- the stuff that always works.

New shop

In case you were wondering, yes- I did move the shop, although it is only a block from the old location. The new shop is at 719 Swift st. # 10 in a much newer building. I am sharing the space with a woodworker. Our respective spaces are well defined and my space is in the back. I have an open floor plan, something I have not had in more than two decades. The shop phone is out at the moment so email or my cell (831) 334-5874 would be the way to get in touch with me.

CX/ Gravel frame for S.F.

 Nice fade on this one- maybe one of the nicest fades I have seen on one of my frames in many years. This paint was courtesy of Allan Neymark. He told me over the phone that it was 'beautiful' - he's a guy who usually never gets excited about his own work. He has a reason to be proud of this one.

 The Whiskey fork is painted to match. The flat mount in the rear coupled with the post mount in the front is by design. This frame is getting Paul Component 'Klamper' mechanical disc brakes that fit either style with the proper adaptor.

The King headset is the NTS taper that is on most of my steel frames.

New frame, new shop

 The frame you see here is the first frame built at my new shop. Yes, I'm still using an electrical box for the photo shoot- didn't want to give up that tradition just yet. The frame is for a customer who is currently living in Mexico. He will be coming back to the US in the fall and his frame will be ready for him.

 In the coming weeks I'll be putting up photos of the new shop so that people can see how the layout of the workspace is much better than the old shop. Sure, the old place had character but there were some real issues with my welding area. I have a nice open floor plan and I'm already enjoying the space .

I have storage for about 35 built bikes and 40 frames. It really looks like a bike shop. If you would like to visit you can find the shop at 719 Swift st. # 10, Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060. It is only about a block from the old place but it is literally on the other side of the tracks. I think I'm on the right side now !

First full work week in the new shop

 I have to say- moving might have been a total pain but the new shop is looking to be a better environment to build in. My new welding area is free of clutter and the new welding table is at a height that no longer tortures my lower back. Maybe it took a couple of decades but now I have a much more comfortable setup for welding. It's amazing what one can put up with when the work flow is really heavy for a number of years.

Now, all my machines are in a row and my mitering setup is only a few feet away from the frame jig- in the old shop I had to walk across the shop to get the tubing cut. Everything in this new shop was located to save steps over the course of a typical day.

Ironically, my list of builds is shorter than it has been for nearly a decade. I still do have 22 frames on order but in this new shop I don't think it will take long for me to get through that list. Could it be that I might run out of work now that I am in a new more efficient shop ? - Stay tuned......maybe in 2019 you'll be able to order a frame one week and have it delivered the next week. Not a good situation for me but for the customer it would be pretty nice.
Here's some of the work I have been doing since I opened the doors for real last week- a couple of coffee table bases and the start of an aluminum CX frame. I have only about 5 more aluminum frames on the list- the bulk of my pending orders are steel. I will be resuming the steel work in a few weeks.

Finally welding in the new shop.

This does not look like much but it does feel good to fire up the welder after almost two weeks of moving. This project is for the guy I am sharing the space with- he's a fine wood worker and these will be bases for two coffee tables he is building. I might be doing more of this work if my quality is good enough.