frameforum.org

Frameforum is a site dedicated to the art and craft of the handmade bicycle. It’s about the people who make them; it’s about the people who ride them.

Frameforum is the place to be if you’re considering "the custom alternative" – a bike that gives you everything the 'off-the-shelf ' bikes don’t.

Call it "custom’" ; call it "su misura" ; call it "bespoke" ; call it "vélo sur mesure" ; call it what you will.

A "made-to-measure’" bike is more than just a paint job. A good made-to-measure bike will fit you like no other stock bike can. It can be as individual as you are; it can suit your particular style of riding, your particular needs and be built from a material that suits you, not the coffee stop crew.

A custom bike isn’t about shaving grams for bragging rights; it’s about you and your builder considering every aspect of the bike. The process starts with finding the best dimensions , followed by designing and building the frame, right through to specifying the last spoke in the wheels. It’s about you, not Mr or Ms. Average.

Added to that, Frameforum is a place to gather for those who build, or aspire to build, custom bikes. In the forum section, you’ll find members embarking on their first steps in framebuilding as well as some of the greats of the framebuilding game; iconic builders making iconic bikes. If you want to ask questions and get answers on frame building from the folks who actually build them, this is the place.

In short; if handmade bicycles are your thing - whether rider, collector or creator - make Frameforum your first port of call!

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ITS SHOWTIME!

Well folks, it's that time of year again!

The bike show season kicks off this week, with the first (and some say the best) of this years' International events opening on Thursday 4^th September.

Eurobike, the hardy perennial of the bike show calendar takes place in Friedrichshafen, on the shores of Germany's picturesque Lake Konstanz.

Attracting a truly global audience – with trade visitors arriving from 75 countries and 67% of exhibitors based outside Germany - Eurobike is the first chance to get up close to the latest bikes, gadgets and threads destined for bike shops in 2009.

The venue, Neue Messe Friedrichshafen, is a state-of-the-art exhibition and conference centre nestling in the wooded hills above the town once famed for Zeppelin construction.

Spread over seven gigantic halls, its a dream venue for both exhibitors and visitors. On-site facilities are impressive, with a dedicated, fully equipped press centre and an access-for-all Wi-Fi network covering the entire venue. There are plenty of cafés and bars scattered around the grounds for impromptu business meetings or for catching up with friends and acquaintances.

The Italian Hall is usually the first point on most peoples' tour of the show, with the likes of De Rosa, Colnago, Pinarello and 3T drawing the crowds. However, there's plenty of home-grown talent in evidence with Storck, Cube, Scott and Lightweight notable among the major German-based brands. Don't forget also, SRAM's meteoric rise to global power in the components sector is thanks in part to its team of German engineers and designers.

From further afield, the Taiwan Pavilion serves to remind us all where the real heart of the industry lies, while premium US brands such as IF and Seven attract a steady stream of admirers.

When it feels like its all too much, the water gardens in the centre of the grounds offer a welcome escape from the bustle. Then there's a sun-trap open space between two of the main halls, laid out as a 'market square' of predominantly MTB booths, with plenty of CNC'ed gems on show. The space also serves as a demo area with a BMX/trials track constructed especially for the show, with mini-events and displays staged throughout the day. On Saturday evening, the area serves as the venue for the Eurobike Party, an informal get-together for exhibitors wanting to let of some steam and sink a few cold ones before Open Day on Sunday.

This years' event promises to be the best yet. With more exhibitors than ever before, a major sponsor in place in the form of automobile giant Nissan, lots of new facilities being provided and the construction of an additional hall opening in time for the show, the organisers are going all-out to make Eurobike THE show of the season. Add the improvements made to the local infrastructure, making access to the grounds more visitor-friendly, and it'll be hard to beat.

Frameforum will again be reporting from the show, with coverage featuring both the great and good, as well as some of the lesser-known - but every bit as worthy - exhibits.

Eurobike runs from 4 - 7th September. Public day is Sunday 7th.

For more details on the show, admission and getting there, visit the Eurobike website HERE>>>

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EHBE REGISTRATIONS GATHER PACE

De Rosa's iconic Neo Primato

Registrations for the 1st EUROPEAN HANDMADE BICYCLE EXHIBITION are gathering pace, with some big names already showing commitment to the Show by grabbing their booth space nice and early!

Perhaps the best known of the exhibitors on board so far is Italian legend De Rosa.

For over 50 years, De Rosa has set the benchmark with their superb construction and exquisite finishing.

De Rosa will be exhibiting the 2009 range; in particular, their titanium and steel models. Each and every one of the highly-prized De Rosa Ti2, Titanio XS, Corum and Neo Primato models is "su misura" - custom built - by Doriano De Rosa, demonstrating he has inherited all of the skills and flair of father and company founder Ugo De Rosa - arguably one of the worlds' finest framebuilders.

Another big name who will be joining De Rosa as one of the major show attractions is Independent Fabrication of the USA.

IF are rapidly gaining a reputation as being amongst the best of the US 'micro-brands', with each of their sought-after models fully customizable and made-to-measure.

Other names already confirmed for the show include Nevi Titanium and Zullo of Italy; German specialists Ulrich Vogel and Gebla Precision Frames; Le Cadre from the Netherlands; 18Bikes from the UK and MSH1 Bicycle Works from the USA.

Switzerland is represented by touring specialists Stolz, plus Schlumpf Innovations, who design and manufacture a range of decidedly different gearing systems.

Negotiations are under way with other high-profile framebuilders and components manufacturers, which the organisers hope to announce after Eurobike.

The show runs from May 8^th - 10^th 2009 at the Congress-Centrum Stadtgarten, Schwäbisch Gmünd, in southern Germany. Getting there is easy; Stuttgart Airport is close by and the town is easily reached by major road networks and rail.

For further info on registration, please contact the organisers 2Souls Cycles or ask your questions on the EHBE dedicated forum HERE.

Check back regularly for updates or visit the EHBE website HERE.

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