News from Ellis / Filmfest

Ellis Cycles is moving along, should have pictures in the next couple days of my road bike. Jason's had it for a couple months but with his shop getting started and me needing customer frames painted it has been on the back burner.

In other news, I'll be displaying my wares at the Chicago Bicycle Film Festival on Fri. August 8th and Sat. the 9th. Check out their website at: http://bicyclefilmfestival.com/2008_site/chicago/

If you're in the area, it sounds like it should be a cool event and it's a nice place to see my frames up close and personal. I may even be able to convince Todd R. to let me show his award winning single speed.

Another spot to watch an Ellis take shape will be on: http://mnbicyclecommuter.blogspot.com/ , I'm glad to announce that Doug has put in his deposit and will soon be a proud owner of an Ellis. He's promised to document the build process from his perspective.

For local cross enthusiasts, check out a starting line near you for James Lalonde on his Ellis frame. I'm just about finished with his fillet brazed cross bike, pictures to follow soon...

I sent in my payment last month for the 2009 NAHBS booth, http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com/index_01.htm , I'm already getting traffic on my website from theirs. Also have some cool ideas for show bikes, but I'm keeping them under my hat for now.

That's all for now, other upcoming projects include Ellis jerseys, and a special retro build for Emanuel in Montreal.

Finished Randonneur

Here's the finished randonneur frame.

My very first custom front rack!

These last couple are just glamour shots of Jason's beautiful paint work.

Paramount Restoration

Here's a 1972 Paramount track frame that has seen better days. It's had a nice front end collision and has been sitting around ever since.



I always like doing these jobs because they almost always look better after the repair than they did when they were new.


















Some closer shots of the head lugs, you can see the tube has completely pulled away from the down tube lug. After pulling the tubes out, I found that the whole bottom spoon area of this lug was charcoaled and had no braze whatsoever.













The seat lug is also a little rough finishing wise, I'll try to fix this as much as possible, but with the seat stays in the way it's a little tricky.









Vintage Paramount decals. These are water release, so when I soaked the flux off, they got a little jacked.











The tubes are out and I've cleaned up the seat tube and bottom bracket sockets. Now I just need to miter my front end tubes and clean up the head lugs.





















After some careful file work the head lugs are presentable.














And now I've got the tubes mitered up.













Post braze, pre soak.






After some quality time with the files and emery it's read to see the road, (or track) again.

















The lug edges are nice and crisp now. Just how I like em.

Below is a nice before and after of the seat lug. The profile of the lug is a bit off before, (understatement), I tightened it up a bit, and while I was at it I tried to even up the keyhole at the bottom of the seat post slot.

My singlespeed

When I signed up for Le Cirque du Cyclisme back in April I saw the fixed gear ride on the schedule and decided it was finally time to build myself one. I managed to get my hands on some old SLX tubing and I had most of the lugs, so here's what I came up with. I had to hold back on the lug carving, as I wanted this to be a clean, simple design. I haven't totally committed to the "fixed" setup, right now I'm getting used to the bike with a freewheel and brakes.

I wanted the rear brake cable to be hidden as much as possible so I routed it internally and it exits the top tube at the 6 o'clock position. This way if I decide to go without the rear brake later I don't have split guides sticking out.

I've had this set of Dia-Compe aero brakes for years and have never had a bike with short enough reach to work with them. I think they work really nice on this bike.

Splurged a bit and went with the vintage Campy track crank, looks as good as it did on Eddy's bike.

Pacenti dropouts, I love the way track dropouts look with long reveals along the chain stays and seat stays and a smoooooth blend into the dropout.


Well, that's the new ride, I managed to get a couple rides in while at the Cirque and a few more since I got home. Really liking the ride of this one, not super stiff, but nice and smooth.

Randoneering rack

Spent the day working on the front rack for Travis' rando bike. I've been cogitating about this project for quite awhile, and here's what I came up with.

I bent the main tubes of the rack platform on my fork bending ramp, then mitered the ends and brazed it flat with the tips overhanging the bench. I made some struts, mitered them and now it's fluxed and ready to braze.

Here's a detail shot of the struts,

I finished the ends the same way

I finish my dropouts.

Here it is with the struts brazed in and waiting for the back "tongue".

Fully brazed up with the light mount, wiring guides and fender mount at the tip.

After some finishing.

A front view, I think it has a Gothic

look to the arch, I'm pretty pleased

with the final product.

Ellis #1 Build Video

Here's a video my brother Steve put together.

Ellis at Cirque

Had a great time at Le Cirque du Cyclisme in VA this past weekend, glad I made the trip. Despite the heat, I really enjoyed meeting all the vintage folks and checking out some really cool old bikes.


Just got Todd's stainless lugged fixie done in time, and I'm pleased to announce it won for best Track / Singlespeed in the craftsman division. Below is a shot of it just after the build up in Ben's new shop with the cream city brick for a backdrop. Kinda fitting.







Here's a couple of close ups of the head lugs and stem.

The seat lug.

I found this one on Flickr, looks like I'm about to pass out from the heat.

Travis' rando bike in the foreground got alot of admiring looks as well.