Bike Frame Building School 101.mov

Bike Frame Building School 101 at University of the Fraser Valley with Paul Brodie. This is a video of the course I took In January 2011.

http://www.ufv.ca/Continuing_Studies/Courses/Trades_and_Technology/Bicycle_fr...

This is a 2 week course (~70hrs) on how to make a bike frame using 4130 Cro-Mo (steel) tubing. The course includes includes a brief MTB history, frame design / geometry, tube selection, full scale drawing, shop safety, tube mitreing, jigs and fixtures, welding / brazing, and finish work.

Paul Brodie is an experienced Bike Frame Builder/Fabricator. He has been building Bike Frames since 1986 and teaches you the art and craft of hand building your own bike frame... Road, Track, Cyclocross or Mountain.

This was a dream come true for me... I loved every minute of it!

Filmed and Edited by Mike Freda using Canon 50D, GoPro Hero HD Video Cam, iMac/iMovie
Music by Jeff Wyatt - "Max and the Squirrel" http://www.jeffwyatt.com/
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffwyatt3

See the completed bike and various build pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57400547@N04/sets/72157625810657349/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Bike
• Frame
• Building
• School
• 101
• Paul
• Brodie
• Mike
• Freda
• UFV
• TIG
• welding
• fillet
• brazing
• 4130
• cromo
• cycling
• bicycle
• biking
• downhill
• mtb
• riding
• steel
• hardtail

[gbftats07]

I have heard mixed reviews on joint strength between TIG and Brazed. It would seem to me that a Brazed joint would be weaker, but yet people have told me they flex more which gives it resistance to cracking. In opinion on this?

[flyballequipdotcom]

@gbftats07 I don't profess to be an expert on frame builder but I did learn a lot for the course.

I had mixed feelings about fillet brazing as well before the course. In the course Paul demonstrates the strengths of both joints. As long as the fillet braze joint is not "undercut" both joints are stronger than the tube set itself. The tube will break long before the joint will. (as seen in the video)

[flyballequipdotcom]

One more thing.... TIG welding fuses the tubes together (they become one) In Fillet Brazing, the tubes are still independent from each other. They are held together by the joint itself.

Again, unless you build two identical bikes, I'm not sure if one could tell the difference in a "blindfolded" test.

[gbftats07]

what is the advantage to brazing over TIG welding?

[flyballequipdotcom]

@gbftats07 I'm not sure if there is advantage or not. The two are just a different process and the frames joints look different. If anything, most people are able to Fillet Braze a frame (more forgiving and easier to learn) were as TIG welding is harder to learn and to make look clean/smooth.

As for feel of the ride, I can't really answer that since I would need to build two identical bikes and try it. Everyone has their own opinion

I think my next bike will be a Fillet Brazed road frame! ;)

[endocondor]

Looks fun. Did the frames end up getting painted/assembled?

[flyballequipdotcom]

@endocondor At the end of the 2 week course you have a "bare" frame. You have to paint and supply the parts yourself. There are a few people that have completed their frames and are are riding their bikes.

I have all my parts and my frame is in the process of being painted.

[1trickracing]

Boring

[honeybunchickens]

I wish i could go to a school like that

[pcranebmw]

Nice work! Good music too!

[trevonmc32]

watch?v=yhcKyJD93f0&feature=pl­ayer_embedded#!  BEST SONG EVER!!!

[Delivered0ne]

@janaboo1 Jeff Wyatt, he posted 2 below you.