Balancing family life with framebuilding is always an interesting dance. This week began as many do – with me up at the crack of dawn (6:30 to be precise) sorting out the children. As I watched Finlay and Freya trudge off to school with expressions that suggested they were heading to their doom rather than just another day of education, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of ‘best days of your life’.
Morning Workshop Tales
After battling with my suddenly rebellious admin system (which thankfully is now behaving itself), I dove into the day’s real work. A Scott frame arrived this morning, looking promising after initial inspection. But the real character of the day was an old Falcon frame that landed on my workbench – a beautiful piece of British cycling heritage, albeit in what I’d kindly call a ‘well-loved’ state.
The Art of Restoration
There’s something deeply satisfying about breathing new life into vintage steel frames. The Falcon required particular attention – its headbadge needed careful removal and cleaning, and the headset was beyond salvation. But these old bikes have stories to tell, and it’s my privilege to help write their next chapter.
Family and Frames
Between frame repairs and wheel building (a lovely set with Dura Ace hubs and Open Pro rims for a Dacordi), I found myself juggling school runs and piano lessons. Edgar’s piano sessions have become my impromptu admin time – there’s something oddly fitting about sorting through frame orders to the distant sound of scales and arpeggios.
Having my father in the workshop, helping with lug preparation, adds a special dimension to the craft. There’s something rather poetic about three generations being involved in the business – me at the torch, Dad prepping lugs, and my children occasionally popping in after school to ‘inspect’ our work.
The Week’s Challenges
The week brought its share of challenges – a missing stem for the Pete Matthews build (isn’t it always the way that the part you’re certain you put ‘somewhere safe’ vanishes into thin air?), and the usual juggling act of bookkeeping and production work. Elena’s out teaching, the Sainsbury’s delivery went awry, and somewhere in between all this, I’m trying to get frames ready for their journey to the painters.
But there have been triumphs too. A Mercian that came back from paint looking absolutely stunning – you’d never know it once had rotted chainstays. And watching Matthew help with the bike builds brings an extra pair of skilled hands to the workshop, making the complex dance of frame building and repairs flow more smoothly.
As the week draws to a close, the tandem forks are back with the correct colour scheme (thank goodness!), the bookkeeping is nearly done, and despite the constant interruptions of school runs and family life, the workshop hums with the satisfaction of projects completed and challenges overcome. It’s not just about building and repairing frames – it’s about weaving together the threads of family life with the art of framebuilding, creating something rather special in the process.
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