Edoz Bicycles

[edoz]

That's the name that my friends have given this vehicle I'm driving on the road from poser to pro. So far, you've heard from some pretty solid dudes. Guys who've built reputations and businesses, and given their knowledge back to the community. You've also heard from a couple of guys will lead the charge for the next generation. They say all good things come to an end, and that's where I come in.

Building stuff runs in my family, and I was swinging a hammer in my grandfather's wood shop from an early age. Working on the car with my dad, taking things apart just because and building things I probably could have bought cheaper have been positive experiences for me. I started riding when I was a kid, like everyone else, but when I turned 16 I didn't stop riding like most of my friends. I rode even more, and I never stopped.

Fast forward many years, and now I'm a professional metal fabricator (wow, that sounds kinda fancy). I happened into the career by chance, lured to Tulsa by a TV ad for the welding school here. As a cyclist and a welder, I eventually had to field the inevitable question. “So when are you gonna start building frames?” I didn't know, but it was a damn good idea:) I heard that question so often it started to bother me. I wasn't, but there was no reason why I wasn't.

There's a local builder that I am friends with and we'd talked about his frames, and I'd picked his brain a lot and volunteered to help quite a few times. My 'apprenticeship' with him never took off, but I came to a point where I needed a frame repaired so I called him. I'd been racing a Waterford mtb, and I broke the driveside dropout. We talked about it, and since I had set it up as a single speed, he offered to help me put track style dropouts on it. When he saw the frame, he pointed out a crack in the chainstay as well, right behind the bb lug. I called Waterford to try to get a set of chainstays, and even though the stays weren't available anymore Richard Schwinn talked to me about all kinds of ideas to fix it. He ended up giving me the number for Henry James, and Hank just happened to have one last set of stays that he stopped selling long before. It was soon discovered that the Waterford had many more problems, and was a lost cause. So I had no race bike, and no project for these stupid chainstays. What I did have, was a mission. Rich had loaned me his old Paterek manual when I brought that frame over, and I decided I was gonna build a frame. A trip to the Great Oracle at Google introduced me to resources I never knew existed. A whole world of guys sharing their work and their secrets with yahoos like me. I felt like MacGuyver was letting me read his diary.

I had a garage, and some tools but no welder. I'm a good tig welder, but I didn't have one at home nor the cash to buy one. My boss would have been less that thrilled to see me welding a frame at work. Fortunately, someone at work had a torch set that they gave me for free. Torch, tips, regulators, hoses, and free. I hadn't brazed anything for a while, but I got some straight gauge and brushed up. Now what? Where'd I put that number for Henry James? Hank was super cool, and took all the time I needed helping me pick out a tubeset for my first frame. I scored some 80/20 from work and started building a fixture. I built the frame and fixture together, and sometimes work on the frame would stall while I changed the fixture. I made some dumb mistakes, too. Nothing catastrophically unsafe, just dumb. Really dumb.

When I got it done Rich told me to bring it over and use his alignment table. It was closer to straight than I ever would have imagined, all it needed was for the dropouts to move a little. I built it up and it rode good. I ordered another tubeset immediately. That was about 13 frames ago.

Since then I've built a few for me, and I've built a few for a small circle of test riders. I'm settling on how I like to do things and what I want stuff to look like. I hope to hang out a shingle, maybe next year. Until then I just have to trust that it'll happen when it's right, and if it doesn't happen then it just wasn't meant to be. I'm having lots of fun, though:)

[spopepro]

Hi,

You say the bulk of your experience is in TIG. If the brazed frames take off, how do you think you would add TIG frames in? I'm assuming you would, so if that's not in your plans, maybe you can talk about why.

[abbeyQ]

I still wonder why you don't just weld the damn things together, especially after I brazed my dropouts in yesterday and was instantly reminded how much I hate brass.

wait to hang your shingle till Calvin's out of school then you can afford to be poor, afford to be poor kind of ironic

[edoz]

I still wonder why you don't just weld the damn things together, especially after I brazed my dropouts in yesterday and was instantly reminded how much I hate brass.

wait to hang your shingle till Calvin's out of school then you can afford to be poor, afford to be poor kind of ironic

Lol, I lack the powergrid to run a good tig machine, and I've been spoiled using Synchrowaves for years so I can't just buy any little crackerbox.

Building professionally will be a side gig for a long time, I imagine. Quitting my day job is a long ways off.

[abbeyQ]

Lol, I lack the powergrid to run a good tig machine, and I've been spoiled using Synchrowaves for years so I can't just buy any little crackerbox.

I know what you mean, I keep waiting for Allen to sell me his 200 amp Dynasty. No way could I justify one of those new, even used it would be a stretch.

[Too Tall]

Brother, I respect your focus to do what feels right. Don't stop....ever. Your Kung Fu is strong. Seriously, not kidding about that.

What if any interest do you have in making some connection to communities you live in?

Name three artistic influences outside cycling that inspire you. Some of mine for instance are: Marvin Gaye, Mohammed Ali, David Hockney and Peanut Butter...it's just that good eh?

Demanding ain't I"

Not done yet.

This is a very personal service you provide to folks and it's early to ask you to say what might be some framing words to describe your personal philosophy but hey it's the internet!!!!

[Tommy Nash]

Edoz,

Thanks for sharing!

What part of the process confounds you the most, especially since you had the metal working thing on lock?

Favorite build so far?

Least favorite build so far?

Where are you located?

Cheers,

[edoz]

Hi,

You say the bulk of your experience is in TIG. If the brazed frames take off, how do you think you would add TIG frames in? I'm assuming you would, so if that's not in your plans, maybe you can talk about why.

Although I do want to buy a tig machine at some point, I don't really think I'd build many frames with it. I know it would come in very handy for tooling and other projects, but I really don't have a desire to build tig frames. I could see making stainless lugs, or ti h-bars, but probably just as personal projects. There's a lot of industry here, and I can also see a welder coming in handy to do a little contract work if things are slow.

Most of my influences are fillet brazed bikes. I started mtn biking in the 80's and remember Ritchey, Mountain Goat and the old Salsas. I also watch stuff coming from Pereira, Coconino and Julie Racing Design. It's just a soft spot have, and although the decision to braze was pretty much made because of necessity, I think it was the best for me.
Thanks for asking:)

[edoz]

Hey Erik, I'm signed up for the Texas Custom Bicycle Show in Austin Oct 16-17th. NAHBS will have to wait until I have a few more bikes built and am ready for real customers. It's a shame, Austin is so close. I'm still going though, and you should too.

Bring that Sachs by when you get it. Seeing the picture set was pretty cool, knowing I'll see it in person.

[edoz]

2010 Texas Custom Bicycle Show: Featured Builder of the Week: Eric Doswell of Edoz Bicycles

Featured this week on the Texas Custom Bicycles Show blog. It looks like I'm in some pretty good company. I'm the only Okie in the show, I hope they take it easy on me.

[edoz]

Thread necro, and announcement of significant event.

[Dornbox]

Talk to me about the show when it's over!

[edoz]

I have really made peace with the fillet finishing, and I seem to be fortunate in that the bb always turns out better than other joints when I braze. Plus, it all gets better each time. As for the mistake, I know exactly what I did. I had the front triangle and chainstays built and was adding a wishbone seatstay setup that was a tad shorter on one side and I took for granted the wishbone was right and adjusted the stays to fit.
That was a early frame, and it really made me develop an alignment process. It's not too bad, it rides good and most people don't notice even if I point it out. I see it though, so I'm about to start it's replacement.
I'll post up some pics from the Tx show next week.

[kpomtb]

Hi Eric,
Enjoyed talking to you at the show in Austin and seeing your work. I'm definitely glad I stopped by the outdoor location on the 2nd day and was able to see the bikes in better lighting. With the show behind you, are you glad you went? What part of the show do you feel will be the biggest benefit for Edoz?

Thanks,

Kyle

[edoz]

Hey, Kyle
It was cool meeting you, and I'm glad you came out. I think the biggest benefit for me was meeting all the other builders and seeing people's reaction to my stuff, especially the raw frame. I see all the tiny imperfections and I was pretty nervous about showing it, but everyone else really liked it. Even other builders were impressed, so it was a good bolster for my confidence. I met some cool guys who will hopefully become good friends and I even got a Daltex tshirt:)
Thanks again for coming out and stopping by my booth.

[edoz]

I've seriously slacked off maintaining this thread. It's a shame, especially after being handed the opportunity help expose my work to the masses. This is what's going on at headquarters today. I'm building myself one of those 'because I can' frames. It's a cross bike with 1.9" tire clearance and an integrated seatpost. I'm also getting ready to start a frame or two for Big Pig Racing down in Texas. They have some big, hard riding guys and that will be great for durability testing.

Current happenings

[edoz]

The Edoz Bicycles Facebook page just hit 100 likes!!!!!

[edoz]

I got some pics of this dirt road bike all built up and ready to roll. It's already seen a couple of cross races and some heavy commuting. Temp spray black until the budget allows for Spectrum.

http://edozbicycles.wordpress.com/20...02/bonus-pics/

[edoz]

I gave myself the gift of Bike Cad Pro this holiday season. Hopefully once I get everything figured out, it'll help me step up my game.

[WadePatton]

I gave myself the gift of Bike Cad Pro this holiday season. Hopefully once I get everything figured out, it'll help me step up my game.

Like anything, there's a definite learning curve to finding all the right buttons/menus/tools in Bike CAD. But it's awfully quick and easy and 100x more dynamic than a piece of paper. Make your own templates to speed things up. I requested a wire (King) cage be added to the program.

Hey cool bilam and blood shots. Connor used to have a pic at the Vendetta site of a punctured finger...one-inch and larger hypodermics we make. Vet wrap is the best bandage. Super glue can replace stitches.

Cool to meet you at Austin. Are you going back there in October?