James MTB 29er Frame Building Course
24. December 2024
Hardy attended our frame-building course in Potsdam and built his own road bike frame in just five days. Afterwards, he took the time to answer a few questions about his experience. He talks about how the course went, what he particularly enjoyed, and the challenges he faced.
How did you come up with the idea to build your own frame?
I’ve been riding road bikes for about 30 years and have built a few bikes to my own specifications. The starting point was always a purchased frame made of steel, aluminum, or, of course, carbon, which I then adjusted for myself. I saw a program on SWR called “Handwerkskunst: Wie man ein Fahrrad baut” (Craftsmanship: How to Build a Bike), and I thought, “I could do that too.” That’s how the idea was born. My girlfriend made it a reality and gave me the frame-building course as a birthday gift. “Thanks, Susanne!”
Why did you choose this frame, and what do you plan to do with it?
As I mentioned, I love riding road bikes, so my plan was to build a comfortable all-road bike for longer distances with slightly wider tires (32 mm) and a small gear ratio (1:1). I want to use this bike for a few multi-day tours with a backpack and light luggage, so comfort and a relaxed seating position were important to me.
What’s special about your self-built frame?
I’m quite proud of how it turned out. Now I truly understand how much work it takes to build a steel frame yourself. This bike is priceless to me—it’s a piece of craftsmanship.
How was your time in the frame-building course?
The five days in November flew by. Before I knew it, it was Friday, and the frame was finished. The week was wonderfully exhausting, and every evening I went back to the hotel feeling satisfied and slept better than I had in a long time. It was so much fun!
How does your finished bike ride?
I’ve only taken it out for a short ride so far, but I can already say: yes, this is it! I dare say it’s going to be my favorite bike.
How did you find me, and how did you learn about the frame-building courses?
I specifically searched online for frame-building courses, and that’s how I came across Big Forest Frameworks. Potsdam is also a beautiful city, and the journey from the Harz region isn’t too long.
