Ahearne Cycles

rack build

A Typical Afternoon in the Shop with Mitch

News, Process, VideoJoseph Ahearne1 Comment

Here's the newest time-lapse video in the shop. This is what a day in the shop kind of looks like -- cutting, filing, sanding, brazing, etc. Here's what I first wrote about the video:

This is what a very typical day in the shop looks like for Mitch of MAP Bicycles and myself. He is working on some front racks, and I'm working on a fork and racks. It's really good to be able to talk through ideas with someone else, and I think we do a pretty good job of helping each other figure things out. We both have our stylistic differences, obviously, but there are often several ways to approach a problem, and to get insight into it, I think, makes each of us a little bit better at what we do. I've come to value that shared insight.

This is true in so many ways. Frame building can be, in many ways, a very isolated and isolating existence. Having another person there to bounce ideas off of, and just to talk with, is good sometimes. There are plenty of days in the shop when few words are spoken, but just the simple act of sharing lunch usually breaks up the day and brings a little peace to the head-space.

I hope you enjoy the video.

A typical afternoon in the shop with Mitch. from Joseph Ahearne on Vimeo.

 

 

Rear Rack Build Process

ProcessJoseph Ahearne
I've taken a series of photos detailing the process of putting together a rear touring rack. As you can see, there are a number of steps involved. There are a total of thirty joints mitered (fitted) and brazed, including the u-lock holder. I receive a lot of requests for racks, and I don't know if people in general understand what all is involved in the construction. If you notice, a lot of custom builders out there are not willing to build racks. That's because they are tricky, time consuming, and it's really hard to make a rack that looks right, fits right, and does the job it's supposed to do. I have to admit, I have a sort of love/hate relationship with building racks. On the one hand, they are light (relatively), incredibly strong, and when built with the bike and painted to complement or match the