Tigerbär Cycles – Q&A
12. December 2023
Rohloff with Gates und Gebla Rohbox – Frame Building Course
12. December 2023
Guido built his own gravel bike with us in 2021. He has now fully assembled the bike, and I am still impressed by what one can achieve with their first attempt at frame building. Simply awesome!
Guido writes:
Hello Robert,
it’s been a while since I was with you, and the gravel bike has been enjoying dirt, stones, and woods for some time now. I finally managed to showcase it. Check out what it has become:
Best regards 😉
Guido
If you follow the link above, you’ll find many great photos of the bike and also from his course. And here are a few questions for Guido…
How did you come up with the idea of building your own frame?
I restore old bikes or build new ones, and some think I’m crazy for that. Until now, I always procured frames and parts online. However, the frame often dictated which groups and components had to or could be used, such as bearings or brake mounts. I wanted to build and assemble everything according to my wishes. Frame size, geometry, and my selected components—that’s how the idea arose.
Why did you choose this frame? What do you plan to do with it?
It should be light, fast, but also robust. Without annoying components. And sporty. That leads quickly to a gravel bike. Whether road or woods, an evening ride, or just getting rolls—perfect.
What is special to you about your self-built frame?
It is exactly as I wanted it—every part, every screw, and the color. You think long about it, you plan, you build, and now it hangs, when not in use, on the wall in the living room. You are proud of it and often remember the work and the efforts—like with many things you have created yourself. The special thing about this frame is the small details, the internally routed cables, the painstakingly precise soldered exits, the individual serial number, and of course the symbol of bigforestframeworks.
How was your time in the frame building course?
Fantastic. A great change from my stressful workday. With the first coffee on the first day, my thoughts were only on the frame. Metal is actually not my material at all; I’m more of a woodworker, but Robert explained every step with angelic patience and let me make mistakes to learn.
The goal was clear at all times, and step by step from day to day, everything came together, and I held my own unpainted frame in my hands—curious whether all the parts that were already at home would fit. For every step of work, Robert had jigs or tools for every bearing size or frame type, which impressed me a bit. The result is exactly my dream frame, which Robert previously transferred into the CAD program and prepared for construction and tube selection.
How does your finished bike ride?
Nothing rattles, shakes, or scrapes; it runs absolutely smoothly on the road and is nimble and agile when things get tight. I think you can tell that the bike wants to be ridden.
How did you find me, and how did you hear about the frame building courses?
I wanted to inquire online whether it would even be possible for an amateur like me to build a frame myself. Then I came across Robert Piontek and his courses. A couple of emails, a phone call—appointment booked. The ideal combination of being shown how to do it but also doing it myself, guaranteeing my success.
