Introductory Course

Bicycle Design and Frame-Building

This course offers a comprehensive overview of bicycle design and frame-building (either for custom or production bikes) exploring the most relevant aspects of the whole process: from the initial contact with the customer, the selection of most appropriate frame materials and bike components, the different frame-building and welding techniques, the use of design software Bike Cad and essential workshop tools, to paint-design and the final assembly and completion of the bike.

No previous knowledge on the subject required; this introductory course is suited to all cycling enthusiasts, professional bike mechanics, industrial designers and, generally, any person interested in acquiring a broader knowledge and better understanding of the bicycle. This course has a 5 hours duration.

The design of a bespoke bike on the software Bike Cad provides the conducting thread for this course: As we advance on the design of a bike frame, we proceed to explore all the different areas related to the process – biomechanics, bike geometry and design, the selection of frame materials, different welding techniques- paying particular attention to all the most relevant aspects of frame-building.

This introduction course provides a good starting point for any student looking to acquire further knowledge and to advance in this field. This introductory course is mostly based on the first session of the Bike Design and Frame-Building Course (DCB-I and DCB-II)

• Establishing a relationship with the customer: What are the customer expectations? What type of use is bike intended for? What are the fitness level, flexibility and body dimensions of the cyclist?

• Bike Position and Ergonomy in relation to use: The three contact points of the cyclist. The advantages and limitations of a professional bike-fitting study.

• Bike Cad Design: The main parameters. The essential information / data we need for bike design and its application to the Bike Cad software.

• Bicycle Manoeuvrability: The most important parameters determining bicycle handling. Different types of use and geometries.

• Bicycle Frame Materials: Steel, aluminium and carbon fibers. Comparison of the pros and cons of each of these frame materials. Most appropriate material is the one that is best adapted to intended type of bike usage.

• Bicycle frame as a dynamic structure: What are the main structural properties of a bicycle frame

• Frame Building Techniques: Frame Lugs, Fillet-Brazing, TIG welding and Carbon Fibres.

• Custom frame-building and its differences with serial production: the specificity of use

➝ For more information you can contact us here.
If you do not see any scheduled date for this course, please send us an email and we will try to arrange for a course on your preferred date.

Staff

Teachers

Arregui Velázquez

Head of Design and Frame-building Area