Comments on: Framebuilder Profile: Wes Williams of Willits Bikes http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/ The Online Magazine of Austin Cycling Culture Tue, 15 May 2012 00:59:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-3718 Michael Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:08:14 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=6379#comment-3718 Hunh, ok. Thanks. Hunh, ok. Thanks.

]]> By: elliott http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-3691 elliott Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:03:25 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=6379#comment-3691 Michael, I think the bike industry like most industries with large numbers of suppliers tends to gravitate to standard sizes of things for economies of scale and interchangebility. It seems the early mountain bike builders created a consensus around 26 inch and once the mountain bike boom happened, there was a lot of inertia in the industry to overcome. Think about it, if I just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars tooling my factory for 26 inch wheels, do I really want to spend more to do both or throw out the investment I just made? As for 30 inch, I think you are getting into a realm where the tire size is going to start doing undesirable things to the geometry of the frame to accommodate the wheel size. 700c wheels give you a nice trade off for fitting the vast majority of the adult population with the advantages of large wheels. Michael,

I think the bike industry like most industries with large numbers of suppliers tends to gravitate to standard sizes of things for economies of scale and interchangebility. It seems the early mountain bike builders created a consensus around 26 inch and once the mountain bike boom happened, there was a lot of inertia in the industry to overcome. Think about it, if I just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars tooling my factory for 26 inch wheels, do I really want to spend more to do both or throw out the investment I just made?

As for 30 inch, I think you are getting into a realm where the tire size is going to start doing undesirable things to the geometry of the frame to accommodate the wheel size. 700c wheels give you a nice trade off for fitting the vast majority of the adult population with the advantages of large wheels.

]]> By: Michael http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-3690 Michael Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:22:25 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=6379#comment-3690 Given that 29s are better, why did the industry settle on 26s? Is it just a leftover from the Klunkerz era, or did manufacturing processes have trouble with large wheels? And why 29, instead of, I dunno, 30? Given that 29s are better, why did the industry settle on 26s? Is it just a leftover from the Klunkerz era, or did manufacturing processes have trouble with large wheels?

And why 29, instead of, I dunno, 30?

]]> By: JasonATXBS http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-3685 JasonATXBS Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:16:01 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=6379#comment-3685 Thanks for taking this excellent look at my favorite local frame builder. As I'm sure y'all experienced, Wes, much like the bikes he builds, is one of a kind. Someday I hope to afford one of his titanium Monstercross 29er frames, but with the price of custom frames as they are, that time isn't going to be for a while yet. Thanks for taking this excellent look at my favorite local frame builder. As I’m sure y’all experienced, Wes, much like the bikes he builds, is one of a kind. Someday I hope to afford one of his titanium Monstercross 29er frames, but with the price of custom frames as they are, that time isn’t going to be for a while yet.

]]> By: GenghisKhan http://austinontwowheels.org/2009/07/01/framebuilder-profile-wes-williams-of-willits-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-3684 GenghisKhan Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:07:04 +0000 http://austinontwowheels.org/?p=6379#comment-3684 Sounds like WW definitely is opinionated, to the point of overbearing, but I dig his passion and am a fan of SS 29ers. Ultimately, to each his own! Peace! Sounds like WW definitely is opinionated, to the point of overbearing, but I dig his passion and am a fan of SS 29ers. Ultimately, to each his own!

Peace!

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