Coming together…

It might seem like coordinating the production of 12 frames is a challenge.  And it is in some respect.  You have to purchase all the raw materials – that means all the tubing, cable stops, braze-ons, drop outs, fork crowns…  All-in-all, there are eight different vendors involved in each of the completed US made framesets.  Thankfully, Cameron Falconer was a huge help in picking out a lot of the small parts that go into the frames and working directly with the powder-coater.

However, years ago, I was involved in the coordination of upwards of 70 or 80 bikes that needed to be sourced for catalog photo shoots, sales meetings, trade shows, etc.  There is a lot of stress in the production of those events.  I used to get stressed out to the Nth degree.  And then I learned something.  No matter what was done to push the vendors for product, it all came together and deadlines were met.  Towards the end of my time there, I took more of a laissez faire approach to the coordination of bikes for the various events.  Everything happened within the deadline times and I had way less stress.  

So, it doesn’t surprise me that the production coordination of the US made cross frames all came together from the various sides on the same exact day without any pushing from my part.  Sure, there were calls to find out how things were going, but no yelling and screaming “where are my frames!” “where are my decals!”  

Today, Cameron will be delivering powder-coated frames made in San Francisco and UPS will deliver decals from Screen Specialties back east.  I’ve got a big pile of wheels and parts that are waiting to be assembled onto frames.  There are also two builds that need to be done with the Taiwanese sourced frames.  But first, there is a certain Potts/Cunningham frame that has been 4 years in the making that needs to get assembled for a photo shoot that had been scheduled for tomorrow.  That’s stretching it a bit thin and close. 

And before I could hit the “publish” button yesterday to post this, all hell broke loose and it was non-stop from the moment I stepped into the shop at 8:40 until I left at 5.  So, here’s the post one day late, but with photos I wouldn’t have had yesterday morning.

Wheels ready for builds on both the Falconer made cross frames and a couple of the Taiwanese made frames.

(What’s playing:  Live feed of the Tour de France from the slopes of Alpe d’Huez)