Steel frame making.

[jim haseltine]

And there's a difference between 'able to build x per week' and 'build x per week'. Knocking out a 22" 73 degree parallel frame for stock takes less time than a custom job for an exacting customer.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

£208,000 turnover. Now add rent, rates, materials, energy, time for design, tooling setup, marketing, finance/admin. Suddenly it doesn't seem that much.

Turnover is different to profit.

I get that which is why I used the term turnover not profit. Not going to be on the bread line was my only point.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

And there's a difference between 'able to build x per week' and 'build x per week'. Knocking out a 22" 73 degree parallel frame for stock takes less time than a custom job for an exacting customer.

I get that too.

 

[foz]

I think part of the problem is that steel is now seen as either very basic, or very high end exclusive, so there's nothing in the middle. I can't see anyone making something "middle range", the equivalent of the 531 or even 653 frame and fork that most of us rode in the 90's. Look at what a good quality steel frame can cost now, and the price of building to a decent spec bike, and then compare what you can get in carbon for the same money. I don't mean at the stupid expensive top end, I mean a "reasonable" cost, say maybe 3000? It probably doesn't make sense for a lot of people. The cost of steel is high partly because there is less demand, but there is less demand because costs are high....

 

[paton]

It takes time, money and effort to train people to braze bike frames

https://youtu.be/Lv8Uf9oEvR0

https://www.firstcareers.co.uk/careers/what-does-a-brazer-do/
https://zagdaily.com/trends/brompton-earns-b-corp-status-cutting-waste-in-half/

 

[paton]

 

[paton]

 

[sjcprojects]

Here's the article on the Cycling Weekly site:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...e-frame-builders-unite-to-save-their-industry
"The idea is to raise awareness of the industry", apparently. It seems to me there is more awareness of steel bikes (both retro and new) than there was, say 15 years ago? Though no doubt, as with the wider cycling industry, these are challenging enough times for any makers.

 

[paton]

As long as Reynolds, Columbus keep making steel tubes there will be steel frames

There is demand for steel bike frames

https://www.facebook.com/fivelandbikes/
https://www.facebook.com/BTR.Fabrications/
https://theframebuilders.com/list/

Reynolds

 

[paton]