Daniel Steel MTB Frame Building Course

Daniel attended our course in 2023 and built his own 29er MTB frame.  Satisfied with the outcome, he shared his experience, expressing his long-standing passion for building bikes and his newfound attachment to the bike he built himself. The course exceeded his expectations, offering a perfect blend of simplicity and intensity. From selecting a steel frame for its classic look to completing the bike with meticulous attention to detail, Daniel’s journey culminated in a lightweight and agile mountain bike that continues to bring him joy with every ride.   Here is what he wrote…

”About 20 years ago I started buying frames and then building up my own mountain bikes. There’s nothing wrong with buying a complete bike from the store, but somehow I always wanted a bit more.  I feel much more attached to the bike,  when I build it up myself. Then I heard from a work colleague that there were courses where I could build my own frame. So I searched the Internet and found Big Forest Frameworks and many recommendations about it.

I registered spontaneously and had a lot of fun. It was clear to me that it should be a 29er and be my mountain bike for fun and (hobby) competition. Since I was a teenager, I have also always liked the look of a steel frame, with the thinner tubing, and they were always comfortable to ride.  Steel bikes don’t have to be heavy, mine actually weighs only 9.5kg.

The course was even better than expected. It was so beautifully uncomplicated, relaxed, but also intense. I love tasks and work that creates something. That works really well with this course. At the end of every day you can see what you’ve accomplished, and any extra requests, such as internally routed cables, can also be discussed and taken care of.

I then took the right amount of time to set it up. It’s been hanging on the wall in our hallway and I was in no rush to finish it. At first I wasn’t sure whether it could handle my 90kg weight.  By the way, the best thing about it are the thin tubes, and the paintwork in British Racing Green suits the bike really well. The idea came to me when I saw a poster every day at work that showed a frame in that same color.

The bike is surprisingly agile and light. For now, it makes me smile every time I ride it!”