Rick, here are some suggestions:1. Small BatchesShort frames, long frames, frames with brake mounts, frames without brake mounts, frames with removable gyro tabs, cable guides, and brake mounts, etc. (the old supply and demand thingy).2. Seat TubeNo externally machined seat tube (they tend to crack; see photos below). Use a fluted seat tube instead. And no built-in seatpost clamp either (you don't want that if you're doing decades).(before anyone asks, yes, those are Sick Child frames)3. Dropouts5mm thick with 3/8" slots & 14mm cutting lines. Either weld the seat and chainstays on the inside of the dropouts (St Martin "Eiffel", "Diamond", and "Gaia"), or make sure they're flush with the dropouts (Ares "Garuda"). No capped seat and chainstays.St Martin "Eiffel" dropoutsAres "Garuda" dropouts 4. Bottom BracketNo Euro BB. Small bearings do not handle loads well. Especially side loads. And Mid BB is overkill for flatland. If you're riding Flatland, Spanish BB is the way to go. Post-weld bearing seat machining on the bottom bracket shell (I hate ovalized BB shells!). 11.5" height.5. Tubing Rustproof coating inside and outside prior to painting/powdercoating.Diameter: TT (double-butted) / DT 1.25" (single-butted), SS / CS 3/4". 6. Seat and Chainstay BridgesNo plates. Use crosstubes instead of plates to reinforce the rear triangle. The plates tend to crack on most frames.7. Head Tube4-3/8" rise (this allows for a low TT), 74.5° HA, integrated head tube (Campagnolo-style) with removable gyro tabs for the dudes with brakes, and no gyro tabs for the brakeless riders.8. Tire and Sprocket Sizes Max. tire size: 1.85" (the inflated width of a 1.85" Odsy Frequency G is about 1.9"), max. sprocket size: 25T (the age of pizza and dinner plates is over). Make sure people can use micro drive gearing.Here's Luis Elias' Instrumental with a 15/9 gearing (15-tooth sprocket/9-tooth driver).9. WeightSomewhere in the neighborhood between 4.25lbs-4.5lbs.10. Thanks for reading!
Dear Furry - and others -I'm in the process of trying to come up w a design for a custom. Few questions - why no capped seat/chainstays? Does anyone have a pic of a fluted seat tube? Very educational thread..
Quote from: The Brown Sound on December 20, 2009, 08:51:49 PMDear Furry - and others -I'm in the process of trying to come up w a design for a custom. Few questions - why no capped seat/chainstays? Does anyone have a pic of a fluted seat tube? Very educational thread..They get in the way for pivots and they absolutely kill your feet. My quamens are capped, but they're at an angle so that there is no way they're going to be in the way.
Does anyone have a pic of a fluted seat tube?
I just started getting into flatland stuff about 3 days ago and suck so far, I blame my sh*tty bike and lack of practice.
Hey do you happen to have a pic of the outside of it? Or is it just fluted on the inside? Trying to figure what it looks like on the outside. Thanks furball!
Quote from: The Brown Sound on December 21, 2009, 02:53:53 AMHey do you happen to have a pic of the outside of it? Or is it just fluted on the inside? Trying to figure what it looks like on the outside. Thanks furball!Inside. Outside looks like a regular tube.
They made fluted seat posts BITD too. Do they still make them?
this thread is not goin on unnoticed.Rick has been watching and gettin some good ideas from u all.keep the thoughts, ideas, and opinions pumping!