“They want to deliver vast amounts of information over the Internet. And again, the Internet is not something that you just dump something on. It’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes. And if you don’t understand, those tubes can be filled and if they are filled, when you put your message in, it gets in line and it’s going to be delayed by anyone that puts into that tube enormous amounts of material, enormous amounts of material”- Former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens

“Bike building is a lot like the Internet. They both involve a series of tubes.” Elliott McFadden, Violet Crown Cycles

Those of you who read Austin on Two Wheels regularly know that I have a framebuilding business, Violet Crown Cycles. I focus on building transportation bikes with the main offering being my Dutch city bike line, the Ferguson. Recently, though I have taken on some interesting projects including an Xtracycle compatible long tail Ferguson with a Stokemonkey pedal assist, a French randonneuring style light touring bike with internal cabling and 8 speed internal hub with Versa shifters, and a light weight road racing bike with clearance and eyelets for fenders and a rack, a stab at a weekend racing bike practical enough to commute on.

I was sharing these projects with friends, and James Zapata from Cyclebum suggested people might be interested in hearing more about the steps and challenges involved with building frames from a series of tubes. In response, I will be writing about those projects in this series of posts called “A Series of Tubes.” Hopefully, those who are interested in building themselves will get something out of it, and those who just ride will receive a little more appreciation for the thought and work that goes into a handbuild, custom frame.

Related posts:

1. A Series of Tubes: The latest Ma Ferguson step through city bike ...
2. A Series of Tubes: Xtracycle Long Tail with Stokemonkey Pedal Assist ...
3. A Series of Tubes: Final buildup on Marcus Rando Light Touring Bike ...
4. A Series of Tubes: Ferguson City Bike with Carbon Belt Drive ...
5. A Series of Tubes: Marcus’ Randonneur Bike, Details, Details, Details ...