Romax Rescue...

I wanted to take his frame building course, but couldn't rationalize it while the kids were young. I'd like to build a frame one day.
 
When people ask what's so special about late 80s - mid 90s mtb just tell them watch Paul Brodie. And he's just one of many visionaries who emerged from that era. Who are the Paul Brodie's, Tom Ritcheys and Chas Roberts' etc of today? And what exactly are they inventing? The truth is todays MTB designers and builders are standing on the shoulders of giants and the best they can ever hope to achieve is to refine and improve what already exists.

Don't get me wrong a top tier bike is a top tier bike no matter when it was made, but how can anything churned out by Global Bike™ hope to possess the soul that Paul Brodies and many others from the golden age do?

How many riders on this years competition circuit will be winning races on bikes built in a small workshop by self taught masters using tools they had to invent themselves? That's what is so special about the era we all come here to enjoy and appreciate, what sets it apart.

Rick Hunter.

Mid-school, learnt from the masters, but still building and innovating.
 
Paul is an awesome individual. Just had dialogue with him this morning.
He is working on the very last batch of icr stems to be ready for delivery
at our may swap meet. So if you were lucky enough to get in on that order
the waiting will be over. Good to see him active again.

What?!? This is amazing news. Utterly amazing news!

Pretty sure my gentle pestering kicked that whole last batch off...

You can all thank me later! ;)
 
Great to see the master builder back again,can sit and watch his videos all day. It's so fascinating watching the process and the thinking behind how he comes to make something.
He really is a master of his craft.
 
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Rick Hunter.

Mid-school, learnt from the masters, but still building and innovating.
But does Rick Hunter really still build frames as a custom option. He had cancer (too) not so long ago as far as I know...

From the old time builders of course Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster, Steve Potts, Chris Dekerf, Curt Inglis, ... well quite a lot are still building frames. And many more just started building during the last decade with quite some innovativ input like Chapman, Drust, etc.
 
When people ask what's so special about late 80s - mid 90s mtb just tell them watch Paul Brodie. And he's just one of many visionaries who emerged from that era. Who are the Paul Brodie's, Tom Ritcheys and Chas Roberts' etc of today? And what exactly are they inventing? The truth is todays MTB designers and builders are standing on the shoulders of giants and the best they can ever hope to achieve is to refine and improve what already exists.

Don't get me wrong a top tier bike is a top tier bike no matter when it was made, but how can anything churned out by Global Bike™ hope to possess the soul that Paul Brodies and many others from the golden age do?

How many riders on this years competition circuit will be winning races on bikes built in a small workshop by self taught masters using tools they had to invent themselves? That's what is so special about the era we all come here to enjoy and appreciate, what sets it apart.
Great Post, and I do agree, but if I may counter, it's not quite all doom and gloom...

The riders today are on such small marginal gains that XC will always be carbon and downhill too, or alu, which nobody is going to make in their shed. There was one rider (forget the name) who was riding a proto dh frame last season which Frank the welder was helping with. So that is the same... but very much a rarity.

As to modern frame builders, Shand, coal and btr to name a few, make some fantastic ageless frames and quality as good as anyone.

Not your point, so talking to myself really, but think the small producers are putting out some great top end stuff these days
 
But does Rick Hunter really still build frames as a custom option. He had cancer (too) not so long ago as far as I know...

From the old time builders of course Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster, Steve Potts, Chris Dekerf, Curt Inglis, ... well quite a lot are still building frames. And many more just started building during the last decade with quite some innovativ input like Chapman, Drust, etc.

Yes.

He finished a batch of Woodrat 29ers not that long ago.

And is currently working on a batch of cross bikes.

Whether you can ever be lucky enough to get on a waiting list is another matter, of course...
 
Yes.

He finished a batch of Woodrat 29ers not that long ago.

And is currently working on a batch of cross bikes.

Whether you can ever be lucky enough to get on a waiting list is another matter, of course...
Wow, I didnt know!
 
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