Groovy Cycleworks

[Rody]

In addition to building, I'm very involved in race promotions with Groovy's sister company, 331 racing. After a long effort by many fine folks, we successfully launched high school racing in Ohio this fall. It's been a huge effort, burning a lot of time, but it has been by far the most affirming race project I've been involved with.

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Check out a short info blog here...

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Ohio High School League

and our official info here...

Ohio Interscholastic Racing League : 331 Racing

thanks for checking in,

Rody

[Rody]

I get a lot of questions about framebuilding as a career each week via email and by phone. Many folks are enamored with the idea of pursuing a career in building, have attended a class and built a few frames, and want to make the transition to professional status. There is SO MUCH to consider. Here's a short synopsis of some advise I sent out early last week to an aspiring young man.


When you build for yourself, it is a hobby.

When you build for anyone else, it needs to be treated as a business.

First, get it ingrained in your head that you are producing a vehicle that is capable of carrying it's passenger at high rates of speed, it's rider is subject to a risk of physical injury. Proper liability insurance is mandatory if your bikes are going to anyone other than you...that includes family and friends. This is for THEIR protection, not yours. When you build a bicycle for another, you must be accountable for their well being, insurance protects and helps fulfil your responsibility to the client in case of failure. Cost of such insurance starts off at about $1500.00 and goes up from there.

As a private builder, you are responsible for the frame and it's use for life. Just because you stop building does not relieve that accountability. Legally, you must carry insurance on your products for the rest of your life.

By forming a LLC or Corporation, your private holdings are protected by another layer of legal shielding in case of a suit for wrongful injury or death. Additionally, when the business is dissolved, so to is the responsibility to continue to insure the products. Legal fees for incorporation run around $1000.00.

Understand that building for a career and successfully making money is 90% small business skill and 10% fabrication. Too many folks get starry eyed over the thought of crafting frames by hand for a living and neglect the fact that you need to have a foundation in place before accepting orders, such as:

- Setting up the business (licenses, insurance, incorporation)
- Having a solid business plan (knowing COGS, product quotas each year to keep lights on, customer service costs, warranty costs in time and money per product, market niche)
- Qualifying fabrication skills (having product fatigue tested, meeting product standards like CEN)
- Defining your product (type or range of builds, materials you will use, options for finish, etc)
- Determining your benefits (amount set aside to pay yourself, health insurance, retirement)
- Determining the sustainability of this career over your lifetime goals...will it support you alone, a couple, a family?

It is a lot to consider, however, the reason so many builders fail is because they ignored the above calculations, instead blindly following their passion.

Honestly, this just scratches the surface.

My advise to you is this... keep building for yourself as a hobby and continue to learn and refine your skill. Stay in school, finish your engineering degree and add in some business and accounting classes to get a feel for the skills necessary to run a successful small business. If, after graduation, this is still something you wish to pursue, honestly look hard at the above criteria and determine where your business will need to be to support your career goals. If you pursue frame building as a career, set it up and operate it correctly from the start, years later, when you are still around and so many others have flamed out, you'll be glad you did.

Sorry if this came off a bit as "tough love", just want to insure that you protect your future and those that use your product.

[Rody]

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See more here: Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Patricks 1940's Bomber

[christian]

Rody, had my first long ride on my Luv bars today. Magic! The bike steer better, is much more comfortable, and even feels more playful - easier to pop the front wheel up and hold it, etc. I'm in love!

[Rody]

Sweet, glad you are digging the bars Christian...make sure to send me a pic of you and the bike in action!

[Rody]

I've been swamped with painting equipment questions lately, so I pulled a lot of information from around the forums I've posted and dumped it all in one place as an equipment primer for folks, you can check it out here...

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Paint, it's in the details...

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[Craig Ryan]

Good stuff Rody!

[Rody]

A goal we pursued this year was to start a state wide high school mountain bike racing league in the state of Ohio. Our five race series began early this month with 27 racers from 12 different school districts and continues to evolve with each race. After visiting three different venues, we bring the series "home" to Vultures Knob for the race on Saturday. As many of the kids have to travel great distances to participate, they do not always have the time to pre ride the course, so I put together a video showing aspects of the selected portions of the trail designed for the diverse ability levels. So grab some popcorn and an energy drink and check it out!

[Rody]

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Vintage Grove Innovations pics...

[Craig Ryan]

That's really cool Rody!

[Rody]

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Click it to see the process unfold... Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Art Deco Road Bike...

[Rody]

A great feeling when you get to deliver a bike, two in a day is a bonus!

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[Rody]

machining up a head tube pass through for internal Rohloff cable routing...the cables will pass through the tubes and exit out the left seat stay for a clean head to toe look.

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[Rody]

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[Rody]

Groovy Open House
December 7th, 2013
2:00 - 4:00
5 Pasture Reach, B
Wooster, Ohio 44691

Ever wonder what goes on in a frame builder's shop? Want to see all the grime and "glory" in person? Really don't care about the first two but want to get your grub on with some free food?... here's the opportunity to do it on my dime.

You are cordially invited to attend the Groovy Open House on Saturday December 7, 2013 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

Shop tours, tech talk, good food, and a lot of socializing will be in full force. Whether you are a customer, friend, or just wanna see what custom is all about, feel free to stop on by. Throw in some fabrication demos, door prizes, lots of story telling, and we've got a dilly of a good time.

Drop me a note if y'all plan to attend so I can insure that I get enough food and drink for all.

[Rody]

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: That aint bike type stuff!

Often interspersed and hidden behind bike work is all the stuff that goes on in the shop that is not made public...a quick blog post showing some of this not totally bikey type stuff from this past week.

[Rody]

cultivating grassroots racing and giving back, what 331 Racing is about. An interview with Quickdirt.com...

331 Racing Lives On! …With Reduced Race Schedule | Quickdirt

cheers,

rody

[Too Tall]

[X] FanBoy
Everything this guy does screams integrity and I really wanted to see the pics of your smart cable routing again. Rock on Rody.

machining up a head tube pass through for internal Rohloff cable routing...the cables will pass through the tubes and exit out the left seat stay for a clean head to toe look.

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[Rody]

Josh,

If ya like the head shot, then you gotta check out the booty...

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Shooting the Rohloff cables and the disc tubing out the rear stay in a group, as contrasted to...

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splitting them up one at a time.

cheers,

rody

ps...I'm a fan of VS and it's tall gangly biker captain ;)

[sk_tle]

[x] FanBoy too