Demon Frameworks mtb, pro pics on page 14! update 25/12/21

i stopped in to see Tom today so i could chuck him some more money for the build, i am half way through paying for it. i walked in to the workshop and Tom said 'come and look at this . . . it's the start of your frame'



Tom has taken some pictures etc and said he will send some to me at somepoint, i said i'd love to see the frame through it's stages of build.

currently the part i saw was the beginnings of the headtube/toptube/downtube lug assembly, basically it looks like someone has just cut the first 6 inches off the front end of a frame, Tom will then start cutting and shaping this to become the lug, he showed me the top and down tubes pushed into the part aswel.

it's weird to me seeing it like this, i knew this was how he started this type of build but i am still surprised to see it, i think it's because usually when i see a part of a frame that looks like this bit it's usually the end of a frames life not the beginning. for example, when a big brand like Giant gets a phone call about a cracked frame they ask for a pic to confirm damage then ask the shop to cut up the frame so it can't be used.

i can't wait to get this frame now.

some more parts turned up today i am hoping to have everything ready so that when the frame arrives i have all the parts to build straight away.

thomson stem, post and seat clamp. i have also ordered the chainset, i hope i have made the correct choice on that as i was limited with the ratios for the rings but i won't know until i ride it i suppose.

the parts just keep coming!

Wow some serious investment going on there Jon, must be so exciting for you and now you have seen your actual frame during its creation must make even more special for you.

Will it be ready in time for Mayhem ? I hope so

Some lovely looking parts. But not many British parts like Middleburn,Hope or USE being fitted

as far as investment goes, i figure i should go for the best i can afford right from the off. i have been looking for the best prices i can get though, the chainset (inc b/b) was £270 but the rrp is 449 so that's pretty good.

also i did intend to go quite british on the build but certain choices affected the parts i wanted. for example i love hope stuff but i use it alot on other builds so i wanted to use royce hubs just to be different, i should be getting them next month but depending on funds (the van is at the garage having a turbo fitted :cry: ) i may initially use my hope/717 wheels temporarily, but not having to get the royce hubs now means i should beable to afford the rest of the drive train i need. so if i do get it in time for mayhem i may be using my old wheels.

also i went xtr on the chainset because initially i was gonna go middleburn but wasn't sure about the compatibility with 10speed components, raceface didn't do anything for me on the current stuff so that left xtr, which if i am using the matching gearset should look really nice.

brakes are gonna be the hope mini brakes from my clockwork, they are in perfect condition and silver, headset is gonna be the silver king from the clockwork, so with the exception of the hubs i just need the mechs, chain and cassette, i have ordered the shifters

i am hoping to have it for mayhem but we'll see how it works out, i have already stripped the clockwork and re-specced it with all the xt off my evo (which i'll probably sell the rest of), the clockwork was intended to become my new winter bike but before that it will be being used by my friend Andy Macdonald in our Mayhem team, he's a former southern cyclocross champ but doesn't own an mtb as he's mainly a cross and road rider. i had to strip it now as Andy is having it this weekend till mayhem so he can get used to it so i needed to re-spec now other wise i'd have to get it back from him to get the bits for the Demon build, besides this gives me time to polish the used bits to look perfect for the Demon.

the plan is to have everything ready for when i get the frame, so that i can build it straight away.

here's the parts i have ready, apart from the wheels. i have cleaned all the used parts tonight. there staying here now just to keep them safe from knocks etc in the garage.

Really interesting thread. I love custom steel and it appears that you have made a great choice.

you sir have good taste!

Much shinyness

I'm keeping pretty much all of my custom build secretive for the time being until I have the frame, then expect an epic build thread like this one

Hope you get the Demon for Mayhem JB, the pics look awesome so far, can't wait to see it for real