I have done a little frame building.. start in steel. getting tubing in good alu grades and sizes is a PITA. and heat treating is also tricky, there arent a huge number of people who have kilns that can take a bike frame, I had to give up a frame build because no one had a kiln in Aus big enough that they were willing to use for a "small" one off job.Hi All,
Any one have suggestions who i can talk to about getting a custom frame built?
Am building an aluminium dual suspension frame using the front triangle from a hard tail.
Appreciate any help.
thats not how it works. you can buzz up a steel frame for a about a 1k, depending on what you have access to. an alloy frame by the time you go through getting some extrusions and heat treating your going to be spending a couple of grand. if its a prototype. buzz up something quick and cheap to see if it work.Its a prototype, so i do t want the mass of steel affecting the dynamics.
Really appreciate your comments, but the problems you are talking about dont affect me. I have all the light tubing i need. I have some excess weight impact fromthe connection design to deal with strength loss. But i can live with that.thats not how it works. you can buzz up a steel frame for a about a 1k, depending on what you have access to. an alloy frame by the time you go through getting some extrusions and heat treating your going to be spending a couple of grand. if its a prototype. buzz up something quick and cheap to see if it work.
I think you fill find most of the good DIYers use steel even for their finished bikes as the cost/weight/availability/ease of use balances out. I think you will find the weights of steel isn't much more than alloy when you dealing with straight wall round tube (i have assumed this) unless your paying to have your own profiles done. in which case its not really a prototype, butted steel is readily available aswell.
I think he means that with steel you can weld away to your hearts content, attach bits here and there or move them anywhere, but as soon as you start welding something to your pre heat set aluminium frame, it may well turn into a big pile of slag.but the problems you are talking about dont affect me. I have all the light tubing i need. .
Yep. Any other suggestionsTalk to Gripsport.
Thanks. Will contact him.Talk to John at Rode Runner Bike Frame Repairs in Boronia. https://m.facebook.com/RodeRunnerBikeRepairs/
If he can't help, he should at least be able to point you in the right direction.