Anvil Bikes

[JFW]

Hey Richie,

Stated by Don iin post #124: "I never considered it from a drawing perspective, but yeah, you're probably right. Remember that mad painful spreadsheet I had for a while for folks that didn't draw their frames? Damn how I hated that thing! Folks would call/email/passengerpigeon me about it when they/I blew some formula or how come I couldn't add all the stuff found on BikeCad to it....so glad I/Brent Curry/ weaned folks of that. Damn I hate even thinking about it. Now & again somebody will ask me about it and I always throw up in my mouth a little bit and have to take a Zantac afterwords."

It's dead simple (even for an ethnologist), but yeah - you can't really use it without a drawing or calculation of some sorts.

Truls

[steve garro]

Savvy? Here, I'll post a pic....

Attachment 27230

clear now?

Cool. My 1st jig I owned {a Jim Stein} used all those same co-ordinates. I've built off of a Arctos, two Vultures, a Stein & my HJ. Jigs are cool! PS - finally got to use my "feng shui" - bitchin' fixture! - Garro.

[Archibald]

Hey Richie,

Stated by Don iin post #124: "I never considered it from a drawing perspective, but yeah, you're probably right. Remember that mad painful spreadsheet I had for a while for folks that didn't draw their frames? Damn how I hated that thing! Folks would call/email/passengerpigeon me about it when they/I blew some formula or how come I couldn't add all the stuff found on BikeCad to it....so glad I/Brent Curry/ weaned folks of that. Damn I hate even thinking about it. Now & again somebody will ask me about it and I always throw up in my mouth a little bit and have to take a Zantac afterwords."

It's dead simple (even for an ethnologist), but yeah - you can't really use it without a drawing or calculation of some sorts.

Truls

What ^he said, yo!

[Archibald]

Cool. My 1st jig I owned {a Jim Stein} used all those same co-ordinates. I've built off of a Arctos, two Vultures, a Stein & my HJ. Jigs are cool! PS - finally got to use my "feng shui" - bitchin' fixture! - Garro.

The Feng Shui is one of my faves, too! Jill (my lovely wife) named it.

[brucew]

More to go with the drawing:

*********
Anvil Frame Fixtures 101

Ooooo... Big words and math. We likes dis.

[Wayne Lim]

Don Ferris! Here's another name out of the blue. Awesome reading your writing again, and about what's been happening in your world.

As a way of introduction, I first met Don in 2000 on Cyclingforum. I was lamenting the fact that I broke my Masi 3V and out of the blue, here comes a guy offering to look at it and maybe fix it. I had no idea who this guy was, but after reading what the wrote, it was clear he knew his stuff, and expressed it in a way that only he could. That resonated with me, and after sending him the frame to look at and determine it wasn't worth fixing, I got my own Anvil frame in May, 2001. Beautifully put together, total eye candy, and the ride was just unlike any other bike I've ever swung a leg over. I've always marveled at the pros, who can ride no hands at the tops of mountain passes doing 10-12 MPH and always wondered how good their balance had to be to do that because I couldn't, but on that Anvil, it was a piece of cake. And on a bike that fit perfectly, 57cm and 74.3 degree ST, 60 cm TT, a 120 mm stem, and the clamp right on the middle of the saddle rails. My biggest idiot move was crashing that bike in a race, having the handlebars swing around and the brake caliper putting a dent into the downtube that eventually cracked. But I was hammering on the bike at that time so I was at least trying to do the frame some justice. By that time a few years later, Don was too busy with his business to build me another, but he did refer me to Carl Strong, who put together a frame that has his own touches but that same magic ride. The cool part was meeting Carl and Loretta right after my main triangle had been tacked together, and getting a picture with Carl while I was holding the beginnings of my frame. They were so gracious to spend part of a sunny weekend afternoon at the shop just to greet me and show me around.

Don, I most regret that we never did meet. I couldn't make it out for one of your infamous "Testicle Tours", couldn't climb Mount Evans with you, and darn it, we never did meet out at Death Ride either. I never heard what happened at the hospital after your "screening", and never lifted a brew with you after an epic day of riding. I wish I had ordered a lugged stem, and no, I haven't received my headtube badge yet either. . .

It was fun times when we were chatting with each other on Cyclingforum a whole decade ago now, and I'm glad to see that you're doing darned okay and have kept your style intact. The best to you, and if you do ever revive your Testicle Tours again, count me in. I promise I'll make it.

[Archibald]

...It was fun times when we were chatting with each other on Cyclingforum a whole decade ago now, and I'm glad to see that you're doing darned okay and have kept your style intact. The best to you, and if you do ever revive your Testicle Tours again, count me in. I promise I'll make it.

Wayne Lim! Damn, yo! Thank you. It's good to see that you're still out & about. Do you still get to Cyclingforum; did you hear that Jim M. died? That was a blow.

All is well here. Last year's Testicle Tour was 500-odd miles and 65,000 feet of climbing through a lot of Colorado's backcountry goodness. Current plan for next summer will be a little more intimate as the wife & I are going to through-hike the Colorado Trail from Durango to Denver and then if I'm still feeling up to it, I might ride my MTB back along the trail to pick up the vehicle. All in the name of science, mind you.

Hope all is well with you & yours and that you're still finding time to get out on the bike.

[csbmo]

what kind of name is Ferris?
what is the plural of Ferris... you know like when the blood sits at the same table?

[Archibald]

what kind of name is Ferris?
what is the plural of Ferris... you know like when the blood sits at the same table?

We're Scotch/Irish and according the family history we came over in 1782, IIRC, and later settled Texas & Oklahoma. The family reunion used to be in Connerville, Oklahoma.

The plural of Ferris is "Chuck Norris."

[Jonathan]

Hey Don,

back when you were starting out, went to ubi, the very begining; did you ever come across a accepted practice in the framebuilding world that made no sense with your other training? Were there ways you improved upon what had been accepted?

[Archibald]

Hey Don,

back when you were starting out, went to ubi, the very begining; did you ever come across a accepted practice in the framebuilding world that made no sense with your other training? Were there ways you improved upon what had been accepted?

None of it made sense then and even less so now, but I'm at peace with it. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that struck me as just plain wrong other than sloppy craftsmanship. Bikes have been being built forever in a million different ways and as long as it puts a smile on someone's face and not a body cast, I'm good with it. I think most of what I like to think I've helped to change is just educating folks on some of the myths in the bicycle world. Early on, I (and of course others whose shoulders I stood upon) went to great pains to stamp out stupidity that prevailed. Stuff like steel frames getting soft, what frame flex does and does not do, geometry, properties of materials, & general how-to-do-it stuff from build process to how to sharpen your tungsten, how to select a filler metal, how to set up your welding machine, to how to calculate tube stiffness, etc., etc. All very basic but just not really discussed or considered in the community. I think builders are less protective of their methods today and are more likely to share info and processes. Did that answer your question?

[Jonathan]

pretty much

[Archibald]

pretty much

I can never tell....

[edoz]

We're Scotch/Irish and according the family history we came over in 1782, IIRC, and later settled Texas & Oklahoma. The family reunion used to be in Connerville, Oklahoma.

The plural of Ferris is "Chuck Norris."

Dude! That's my neck of the woods almost. I attended an IMBA trail crew clinic in Sulphur earlier this year. Ada was where I learned not to eat a steak and eggs breakfast less than an hour before start time.

[Wayne Lim]

Wayne Lim! Damn, yo! Thank you. It's good to see that you're still out & about. Do you still get to Cyclingforum; did you hear that Jim M. died? That was a blow.

All is well here. Last year's Testicle Tour was 500-odd miles and 65,000 feet of climbing through a lot of Colorado's backcountry goodness. Current plan for next summer will be a little more intimate as the wife & I are going to through-hike the Colorado Trail from Durango to Denver and then if I'm still feeling up to it, I might ride my MTB back along the trail to pick up the vehicle. All in the name of science, mind you.

Hope all is well with you & yours and that you're still finding time to get out on the bike.

Don,

All is well. Kids are 17 and ready to both head off to college. Been a busy year as they're going in different career directions. Did not hear about Jim M. Dang it. I gotta get back there. I popped in once a couple of years ago and then never found the time to make it back. Some of the old timers were still around - once cycling is in the blood, ya know.

Not riding a whole lot. Haven't turned a pedal since August, yearly total is maybe 500 miles if I squint hard and think optimistically. Am planning to get back into it next year and do the Death Ride in the year I turn the big Five-O. Figured it'd be a nice way to start my second half-century.

I went into the garage and unboxed the Anvil. I'm looking at it as I type this. I didn't remember that right before I put it away, I cleaned it up and put a shiny coat of wax on it, even the part of the downtube that broke. What a great frame - it deserved to be stored that way. Dog gone it, why did I have to crash it. . .

Well, better get back to it. Got a long honey-do list that I'd better complete before the spring or no riding next year either. That would be sad. I'm just glad to know that things are well with you, and glad for the opportunity to drop by and say hello. You take care!

Wayne

PS: Kevin Grady, if you're reading this, give me a shout at any of the old contacts you had for me. We've got to get a reunion going. . .

[jerk]

don-
for you, what is the single most bad-ass fucking awesome bicycle ever? you gay for anyone/thing like richard is/was for nagasawa or i am for a telekom mx leader or a mapei c40? what kind of bikes made you want to make bikes, develop tubesets, build fixtures and get out and ride?

craig

[Archibald]

Don,

All is well. Kids are 17 and ready to both head off to college. Been a busy year as they're going in different career directions. Did not hear about Jim M. Dang it. I gotta get back there. I popped in once a couple of years ago and then never found the time to make it back. Some of the old timers were still around - once cycling is in the blood, ya know.

Not riding a whole lot. Haven't turned a pedal since August, yearly total is maybe 500 miles if I squint hard and think optimistically. Am planning to get back into it next year and do the Death Ride in the year I turn the big Five-O. Figured it'd be a nice way to start my second half-century.

I went into the garage and unboxed the Anvil. I'm looking at it as I type this. I didn't remember that right before I put it away, I cleaned it up and put a shiny coat of wax on it, even the part of the downtube that broke. What a great frame - it deserved to be stored that way. Dog gone it, why did I have to crash it. . .

Well, better get back to it. Got a long honey-do list that I'd better complete before the spring or no riding next year either. That would be sad. I'm just glad to know that things are well with you, and glad for the opportunity to drop by and say hello. You take care!

Wayne

PS: Kevin Grady, if you're reading this, give me a shout at any of the old contacts you had for me. We've got to get a reunion going. . .

Cool & sounds great, Wayne! They grow up fast eh? Jr is 20 & in college now. My daughter is 24 and lives in Austin. Seems like just yesterday they were tikes!

Major bummer about Jim. I hadn't really kept in touch with him, but was still shocked to hear it.

50 is not far away here either! You still weight training?

[Archibald]

Dude! That's my neck of the woods almost. I attended an IMBA trail crew clinic in Sulphur earlier this year. Ada was where I learned not to eat a steak and eggs breakfast less than an hour before start time.

I never spent much time around OK myself. My Dad was born there and had lots of family there but I never lived there. I don't know how it is for other folks but my family really splintered after the last generation and became much more spread out and detached from one another. Our reunions are a thing of the past now. What's really odd about family is that when my Dad died, relatives all came out of the woodwork to attend his memorial. Folks that in some cases I hadn't seen in 40 years and it was like I'd never been apart from them. Shared or spilt, blood is a bond like few others.

[Archibald]

don-
for you, what is the single most bad-ass fucking awesome bicycle ever? you gay for anyone/thing like richard is/was for nagasawa or i am for a telekom mx leader or a mapei c40? what kind of bikes made you want to make bikes, develop tubesets, build fixtures and get out and ride?

craig

Road for me was the MX Leader. You knew that was going to go that way, didn't you? Love it or hate it, that bike pushed all my buttons and heavily influenced my tubing choices/designs/and biases. For MTB, it's two I currently own, 1st was the Mountain Goat Deluxe, and then later the Brooklyn RaceLink. Time and technology have moved on but both are still stellar bikes. I never came at this game from the road side. I did the road thing lots and had lots of LOL's doing it, but my first love has always been the MTB. I mean hell, I decided to become a framebuilder while I was in Moab just riding my bike and escaping from it all.

I've said it before but one of the bikes that pushed me to build bikes was seeing one of Richards in the flesh. It was long enough ago that it has become romanticized in my memory, but I remember seeing it and thinking that it was flawless and perfect and that some dude dressed like a gay English shop keeper made it in bumfuck, Connecticut (of course I didn't know he dressed like a gay English shop keeper until San Jose 1. He wore AC/DC inspired T-shirts at Houston.). It spoke to my inner craftsman.

Funny thing was that I didn't see another road bike, even my own, that spoke to me that way until I saw Dario's OOS bike at the Richmond NAHBS. Dario does some quirky shit, but he never prostitutes his bikes, never bling for bling's sake and that bike was FUCKING perfect to my eyes. I think he & Richard and Peter, Bruce Gordon, Carl and a handful of others are like minded in that way, their bikes are always tasteful and I really respect it. Jeff Lindsey on the MTB side of the aisle was a fantastic designer/builder. He was ahead of the curve in a lot of ways, it's too bad he ran out of steam. And of course I always liked the bikes that Don McClung has been building.

I'd like to be like those dudes and I could say I'm probably still too immature in my tastes or too inexperienced or a thousand other reasons, but the bottom line is that I know I don't have the eye to be able to pull it off. Skills + eye to be able to build not just a frame, but a bike that can really pull the room together ='s rare. I'm off the subject now but I don't care.

Out of what I think of as my generation of builders, Sacha has the eye. The stuff Darren Baum & team is doing makes me glad I don't have to compete against them. Mark Brandt at Spectrum PW has a fantastic eye. You should see some of the shit he comes up with outside of bike world. When I first met Nic C in Houston I couldn't believe the bikes he was building out of Elmer's glue and grimy shop rags. There are some other guys who you rarely read about, but guys like Curtis Inglis (Inglis/Retrotec) and Sean Walling (Soulcraft) both have the eye, IMHO. Go look at their body of work and their shit always says "cool." There are others but this ain't a who's who, just rambling thoughts when I should be working.

[e-RICHIE]

I've said it before but one of the bikes that pushed me to build bikes was seeing one of Richards in the flesh. It was long enough ago that it was become romanticized in my memory, but I remember seeing it and thinking that it was flawless and perfect and that some dude dressed like a gay English shop keeper made it in bumfuck, Connecticut (of course I didn't know he dressed like a gay English shop keeper until San Jose 1. He wore AC/DC inspired T-shirts at Houston.). It spoke to my inner craftsman.

dude - forget .
you can touch me there atmo.
and thanks for the kind words, too.