Just when we thought Craig Lambard’s “Where I Bike” video series was finished, a final bonus episode takes us along as his friend Tom makes his first handmade frame at Stayer Cycles’ Framebuilding 101 Course. Watch it to learn more about Tom and the week he spent turning raw steel tubes into a bicycle here…

Words and photos by Craig Lambard

Tom’s story begins where many do: a kid on a bike, riding because it felt fun and free. By the age of 10, he was deep into BMX, travelling with friends, discovering new cities, and soaking in a sense of community he didn’t yet have a name for. A short break in his 20s didn’t dull the spark, and by the time he returned to cycling, he’d begun experimenting with building and modifying bikes, never afraid to drill a hole where it “shouldn’t” be or see whether some strange combination of parts might actually work.

That instinct to mess around with old bikes eventually led his friends and family to surprise him with a spot in Stayer’s Framebuilding 101 course for his 30th birthday.

where I bike stayer 101
  • where I bike stayer 101
  • where I bike stayer 101

The week starts with technique: hours of practising fillet brazes, learning how steel behaves under the torch, and getting comfortable with the tools. By day three, Tom was mitring tubes, checking clearances, and setting everything into the jig. Not everything went perfectly—a mis-cut mitre and a set of mirrored bottle bosses became part of the bike’s personality—but that’s the beauty of handmade work.

By Friday afternoon, Tom had brazed the full frame together. He took it home, slapped wheels on it (no brakes, no gears), and rode it around the street just to feel the geometry. It fit exactly as he’d hoped—the kind of “oh wow” moment that makes the whole week click.

where I bike stayer 101
  • where I bike stayer 101
  • where I bike stayer 101

Working alongside three other first-time builders enriched the experience: a mix of shared mistakes, shared advice, and small ideas borrowed from one another along the way. The finished bike still carries signs of the process, but that’s what Tom loves about it. It’s not perfect; it’s his. A frame shaped by a week of learning, experimenting, and finally building the bike he’d only ever imagined.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.