Fendered? Befendered? I don’t care to fight with my spell checker so it’s going to be fendered from here on in. Josie is an incredibly talented artist and designer living here in Providence who initially helped me with the Chapman Cycles headbadge and logo. Although not a functional part of the bicycle, I think that the headbadge is one of its most important aspects. It’s one of the first places I look when identifying a bike and it reflects how the manufacturer cares to brand their machine. Josie understood this quite well and was able to create my headbadge with the fabrication powers over at Hookfast (also located here in Providence, RI). The result is much more detailed and beautiful than I had hoped for. And I, as a bicycle builder, now feel the need to compete with the beauty of the badge when making my frames. The area I focus on to balance out this badge is always the seat cluster. On this frame I brazed stainless tubing to the seat stays for caps, formed that tubing to the shape of the lug, and then carved the four points in this cluster to make a shape that is symmetrical and balanced. I have always focused on single color paint schemes so I don’t add any other colors or textures in this area, instead I opt to polish the stainless caps. The chrome-like appearance of the polished stainless defines the lines and draws in the eyes. The head lugs on this bike were carved a bit to add the wave-like flourish on the sides. It’s not a proprietary design but it’s one that I’ve always liked. The fine metallic green paint enhances all the lug lines of the bike (as well as any file marks). A mix of old and new for the components round out a bike that should keep Josie cruising for a long time.
See the full slideshow of pictures.
Josie’s fendered road bike
February 26, 2013
Fendered? Befendered? I don’t care to fight with my spell checker so it’s going to be fendered from here on in. Josie is an incredibly talented artist and designer living here in Providence who initially helped me with the Chapman Cycles headbadge and logo. Although not a functional part of the bicycle, I think that the headbadge is one of its most important aspects. It’s one of the first places I look when identifying a bike and it reflects how the manufacturer cares to brand their machine. Josie understood this quite well and was able to create my headbadge with the fabrication powers over at Hookfast (also located here in Providence, RI). The result is much more detailed and beautiful than I had hoped for. And I, as a bicycle builder, now feel the need to compete with the beauty of the badge when making my frames. The area I focus on to balance out this badge is always the seat cluster. On this frame I brazed stainless tubing to the seat stays for caps, formed that tubing to the shape of the lug, and then carved the four points in this cluster to make a shape that is symmetrical and balanced. I have always focused on single color paint schemes so I don’t add any other colors or textures in this area, instead I opt to polish the stainless caps. The chrome-like appearance of the polished stainless defines the lines and draws in the eyes. The head lugs on this bike were carved a bit to add the wave-like flourish on the sides. It’s not a proprietary design but it’s one that I’ve always liked. The fine metallic green paint enhances all the lug lines of the bike (as well as any file marks). A mix of old and new for the components round out a bike that should keep Josie cruising for a long time.