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Thread: Traffic Bikes

  1. #1
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    Default Traffic Bikes

    All-

    I've fielded a few questions about why I quit framebuilding recently (post a bunch of shit for sale and you'll get that), and I thought I'd explain a bit here.

    I built as a nights-and-weekends thing from early 2006 through the end of 2008, while I was managing a construction project in Northern CA. When that project competed, I went all in on bikes, moving back to the East Coast and starting a proper shop.

    I "built frames" full time for three years, from early 2008 through early 2011. I put that in scarequotes because so much of my time was spent researching, practicing, and setting up a machine shop. I learned a lot during the process - shout out to Don Ferris, Jamie Swan, and everybody here/on Frameforum/the mailing lists/Flickr for the *tons* of guidance I received along the way. But it was an intensely lonely experience. I was working and living alone, and was single for most of that time period too. I was being creative, sure, but even that was dampened by the fact that much of the time I was just trying to do things that would *work*, with bonus points given for making a little money.

    In early 2011, I got a job offer running a new prototyping machine shop for a company building high end windows and doors. I had put a ton of effort into developing a wide range of fabrication skills, and I had done a bit of 3D design (albeit in Sketchup) too, and anyway I'm a hustler. It was hard putting framebuilding aside, but ultimately I knew that I wanted more of a community around me - and for a variety of reasons (all my fault) that just wasn't happening. I took the job, and then transitioned from a machinist into a mechanical/industrial designer + procurement specialist in short order.

    I stayed at that job for two years, in which period I designed and managed the development & installation of a system of robotic sliding doors. I transferred most of my machine shop to my former employer, but I held onto most of the bike stuff.

    For the past year now I've been living in Brooklyn & doing independent and freelance work. The freelance stuff is mostly 3D design, some light embedded systems work. My independent projects are similarly varied. A large portion of my past six months has been spent developing an FM radio, which is entering a final prototyping stage in the next few days. I've also spent a lot of time researching a range of advanced manufacturing techniques, specifically DMLS, and my initial designs are all bike related. I also have a handful of smaller projects, some of which I've posted about here.

    The reason for the recent tooling & supplies dump is partly pragmatic (I'm not actively building frames) and partly logistical (my independent projects require capital to get started). It's hard to see it all go, but I know that I can come back to it if I want to - and anyway, I hate to see tools go unused.

    A few months ago, I spent a while thinking about my time framebuilding, and wrote up a long post that goes into a lot more (and more personal) detail about why I stopped framebuilding. If anyone's interested, you can read it here.

    Anyway, I hope that clarifies my disappearance/reappearance. I appreciate all the advice, conversation and community that I've gotten in the framebuilding world - and just because I'm selling my tools doesn't mean I plan on vanishing completely :)


    Spencer Wright
    (Once of) Traffic Cycle Design

  2. #2
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    Default re: Traffic Bikes

    A belated nice to see you back atmo.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Traffic Bikes

    Hey Spencer, you are obviously a creative guy, and I enjoy following your exploits via Flickr. I think your FM radio project is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while - I am a radio junkie - and I've signed up to be on the list. Anyway, good to see an update here and keep up with the cool stuff whatever it is.

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    Default Re: Traffic Bikes

    --- always remember my up-bringing.., "crop rotation.." at times, produces better..

    ronnie with a smile

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Traffic Bikes

    Thanks tons for that, Spencer.

    Good form, and much respect.

    And thanks for the dropouts!
    - Garro.
    Steve Garro, Coconino Cycles.
    Frames & Bicycles built to measure and Custom wheels
    Hecho en Flagstaff, Arizona desde 2003
    www.coconinocycles.com
    www.coconinocycles.blogspot.com

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