Rob Leech

How do, the best thing you can do is to make your first jig for one frame, this way you'll understand what measurements affect what and just where to start, will help you out massively in the long run . My current jig is just about as simple as it gets (and is trials specific frame wise) as thats all I had access to at the time. If your properly serious about wanting to make a fully adjustable jig, I'd look at this - http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4d03f959d4 Easy to machine, you wont have any problems keeping things square, bolts up easily It's what my next jig is going to be made out of once I get the funds together. If you'd like a hand with it, I can always send some drawings across to you, or even some more detailed pics of when I made it . Cheers buddy, Josh. EDIT- Just looked at the drawing you've done, you also have to be able to move the headtube along the jig horizontally aswell as vertically .

Absolutely LOVE it! I can't remember seeing any other stainless trials frames, may well of been before my time, which is a shame. Kudos to you and that lovely bit of work squire . Josh.

No, I wouldn't say so. What sort of thing does his company make? That was a guestimantion btw, I will check it out properly now and find out the correct size and pitch . EDIT- Dan, measure the internal diameter of your steerer and pop me a message chap .

Hi Dan, it is possible, but the problem with it is that it's quite a costly job to do. I'd need to get the forks sent to me, tap them, make the extension to suit and then post them back, which for most wouldn't seem worth the money (£25 for the work and extension plus return postage, comes out around £32.00, which it seems some think is too much to spend on extending their steerer). But if you want it doing, Get in touch, it is possible . EDIT- You've got to remember that to tap an echo steerer, you'd be looking at around M20, which isn't a cheap tap/dies set to buy . He did indeed, but this was a welded steel insert . I haven't yet thought of a way to do it safely with aluminium steerers, but it is taking up some brain space atm . Cheers, Josh.

Agreeing with both the comments above . If you do go for the Ti, make sure you grease the threads on the freewheel and crank to avoid any corrosion between the aluminium and titanium, can lead to the cranks breaking in extreme circumstances . Cheers, Josh.

Hi All, our Trialtech/Inspired steerer extensions are now up and available through the website . http://www.jaf-bikes.co.uk/components This extension allows for a higher bar/stem setup when using the Trialtech Sport, Insiped Fourplay or Inspired Team forks. Please get in touch if you have any questions or quieries about this product . Thanks for reading, Josh Leech, Jaf Bikes.

Dan, don't bother getting a tap or a helicoil, just get 2 M6 x 10mm cap heads and liturally screw them in. Will take a bit of elbow grease to do, but you will tap the hole with the bolt itself (the hole is already the correct size to tap to M6 ). Cheers, Josh.

Fair enough questions there buddy, I'd agree with your concerns if I hadn't come across this type of repair before. There's not been much stress analysis on the repairs, but I myself rode an ozonys curve that had very nearly snapped in half for over 8 months and thats still going strong today. I also had Steve rogers (STEVE-O) riding another pure that had cracked in the same places as nicks and I think that steves still riding that, not sure though, may well be a spare by now. So yeah, not much in the word of testing, but proof by riding sort of speaks for its self . HOPEFULLY, the bigger companies will be moving into carbon in a larger scale soon as it's definately the way trials should be going by now. The technologies, techniques and the carbon its self has improved dramatically over the last few years, so there's not much reason not to in my eyes. Cheers buddy, Josh.

Thats the point of the carbon . The only reson a re-welded frame cracks again is the fact that the same amount of stress is being exerted through the joint as it was before it failed (I've repaired a few frames that have cracked in a really odd place because they've been dented by a sharp edge, never had any of them returned because theres no regular stress being put through that particular area ). The carbon stops this as it stiffens the joint that has been welded, highly reducing any chance of fatigue . Also, due to the fact I use a base layer bond to apply the carbon, you could probably get away without welding the crack, might try that soon actually . Cheers, Josh.

It'll be interesting to see how much punishment this can take. Cheers for trying it out for me Nick, big help . Looks lovely btw , Josh.

Well, yeah, pretty much. Fact is that the weight of the final product is a large factor these days, so trying to acheive a frame with the same weight in steel would not be viable to most companies. But, on the other side of that, there are the post fabrication process's to take into account. Heat treatment of aluminium isn't cheap, unless you own the kit to do it. Trying to simplify a debate on here!!!!! Good luck buddy . EDIT- Think of it as a weight to cost ratio, might explain my point a bit clearer .

I'd say it was easily achievable to produce a structurally sound steel full suser' frame. There are frames builders around (mainly in the US) that use steel to construct MTB specific frames. The big difference is that the main fixtures would'nt have to be machined but cut and folded/pressed sections, reducing cost by quite a large margin in those areas, but no where else. It's not so much that alloy is cheaper, but the fact that to achieve the same weight as an alloy frame, you'd be looking at 3 times the price in steel (for the very anoying reason that steel prices go up wildly when you move into thin wall stuff). You could make a steel frame for the same price as an ally frame quite easily, but it'd be about the same weight as the moon (if my calculations are correct ).

Pop me a message tobias and we'll have a chat . Cheers, Josh.

Heya chap, there are a few choices that would determine the final price, but they range from 280-360 . Cheers, Josh Leech.

Really appreciate that Ben, glad your happy with it chap .

This guys on the button . It very much depends on where the crack is on the frame, the size of it and if it has had any other effects on the the frame (ie, bent tubing due to failure, likely hood of it failing in another area due to the crack, ect). Send me a message on here, or facebook, or through the Jaf site and I'll get you a quote over if you'd like it repairing chap . Cheers pal, Josh Leech. EDIT- Have you got any pics of the crack btw?

http://www.jaf-bikes.co.uk/repairs

As Flipp said really. As soon as i find a reliable heat treater that can take on the frames, I'll start prototyping straight away . Yeah, they didn't seem that bad when i was drawing them up, but now you say it, I'll look into getting them a bit smoother.

Hi all, just to let you know, I have recently started in business for myself under Jaf Bikes and today was the day that the website went live- http://www.jaf-bikes.co.uk With 3 years of concept testing behind us, we are now in the right place to take Jaf Bikes full time and are now taking orders for custom steel frames. Alongside this service, we will also be providing steel and aluminium frame repairs using our carbon skinning technique which we have been testing for over 8 months now. This has proven to be a highly effective means of overcoming the problems presented through welding alone. Please take a look through our site and let us know what you think! If you have any problems with the website, please get in touch and we can resolve the issues as quickly as possible. Thanks for reading, Josh Leech, Jaf Bikes.

Hi all, just to let you know, I have recently started in business for myself under Jaf Bikes and today was the day that the website went live- http://www.jaf-bikes.co.uk With 3 years of concept testing behind us, we are now in the right place to take Jaf Bikes full time and are now taking orders for custom steel frames. Alongside this service, we will also be providing steel and aluminium frame repairs using our carbon skinning technique which we have been testing for over 8 months now. This has proven to be a highly effective means of overcoming the problems presented through welding alone. Please take a look through our site and let us know what you think! If you have any problems with the website, please get in touch and we can resolve the issues as quickly as possible. Thanks for reading, Josh Leech, Jaf Bikes.

may be up for this! im in andover..... where abouts do i park? Edit- Just looked on google maps and i can park in jjb car park and ride from there see you there! Rob.

Heya chap, yeah, this is how steves was done, have a look here for a few more carbon repairs i've done > http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003873520642&sk=photos If your looking for the same type of repair to be done, get in touch, sure we can sort it out . Cheers, Josh.

I'd of thought so, yeah. What diameter is the tube your using? 22/25mm? And the wall thickness? 1.6? If it's either of those, or smaller, it wouldnt be a problem for it . Cheers, Josh.

Ritey o, not a bad plan. You'll probably be looking at quite a shallow bend then, with simply the crimp giving the clearance. Maybe look at more than one bend profile, like the speed race fans use. Best way to find out is just give it a try with some smaller sections, draw out the bb and the distances you need and get it to match, can't go wrong with that . Cheers, Josh.

How do chap, I take it this is steel? What are you using to bend the tubing? Something similar to this? >> http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=hydraulic+tube+bender&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=3gR&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1680&bih=887&tbm=isch&tbnid=20QiJd7yzB7qjM:&imgrefurl=http://www.germes-online.com/catalog/17/20/782/15109/sell_hydraulic_pipe_bender.html&docid=p7Dey2CrD-cXNM&imgurl=http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50114317/Hydraulic_Pipe_Bender.jpg&w=360&h=360&ei=KlGkT7nyHtGbOvmr3JcD&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=521&sig=101563258154059085097&page=2&tbnh=161&tbnw=161&start=30&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:30,i:168&tx=73&ty=111 You can just get the clearance by bending, but it is difficult to get and may well take you a few times to get it. It also depends on your dies, what CLR (centerline bend radius) the die is giving, how close a fit the die is to the tube, ect. Would definately say bend then crimp, if you were to try bending a crimped tube, it would simple crumple at the center of the die . Hope thats of some help chap, Josh. Also, pretty sure you already know this, but thought i'd add it anyways, when you pack the sand make sure it is packed TIGHT. If there's any space for it to move into, the tube will buckle . What we used to do was to blank the end of the tube, fill it with water, then add the sand. Worked a treat, just took a little longer .