The Paterek Manual

THE PATEREK MANUAL For Bicycle Framebuilders SUPPLEMEN TED VERSION Written by: Tim Paterek Photography by: Kelly Shields, Jens Gunelson, and Tim Paterek Illustrated by: Tim Paterek Photolabwork by: Jens Gunelson Published by: Kermesse Distributors Inc. 464 Central Avenue Unit #2, Horsham, PA 19044 216-672-0230 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book would not have been possible without help from the following people: Terry Osell Chris Kvale Roy Simonson Cecil Behringer Kelly Shields Jens Gunelson Dr. Josephine Paterek John Corbett Ginny Szalai Steve Flagg Special thanks must also go to: Dr. Hank Thomas Dr. James Collier Dr. Joseph Hesse John Temple Ron Storm Paul Speidel Laura Orbach Marty Erickson Mary Rankin Terry Doble Todd Moldenhauer Jay Arneson Susan Burch Harvey Probst Alan Cambronne Laurel Hedeen Martha Kennedy Bill Farrell Bill Lofgren Andy Bear The following companies were particularly help ful during the writing of this book: T.I. Sturmey-Archer of America Phil Wood Bicycle Research Binks Blackburn Design Dynabrade Handy Harmon Henry James New England Cycling Academy Strawberry Island Cycle Supply Ten Speed Drive Primo Consorizio G.P. Wilson Quality Bicycle Products Zeus Cyclery True Temper Cycle Products East side Quick Print Shimano Sales Corp. Santana Cycles Modern Machine and Engineering 3M AUTHORS FOREWORD There are many types of bicycle framebuilders and they can be easily categorized in the following way: 1. They offer custom geometrical specifications for each individual customer. 2. They offer any frame components the customer requests. i.e. tubing, lugs, dropouts, crown, shell, etc. 3. They offer custom finishing with a wide range of color choices. 4. They also offer the customer the option of building up a complete bike with any gruppo the customer wants. 5. Each frameset is individually built and is not in any way a mass produced unit. It is my contention that a builder who meets all 5 of the above criteria can be considered a " comprehensive custom builder " . Many builders will eliminate the number 2 option above. They find a set of lugs, tubes, crown, etc. that they like and stick with them. This usually gives their line more of a look of continuity. However, it is also the first step toward mass production. These builders I would call "limited custom builders". In addition, some builders may severely curtail options 1 and 3 as well. These builders I would call " Quasi custom builders " . A builder that offers none of the above options could be called a "non custom builder". I am a comprehensive custom builder. Each frame I build is totally unique and takes 25 to 30 hours of meticulous work to build. I have close to 100 such frames on the road to date. I know what works and what wont work in a bicycle frame. Knowledge of this sort cannot be gotten out of a book. It must be gained through trial and error and much experience. I have tried the best I know how to supply as much of this information as possible. Yet, I cant hope to get across to other builders just what a joint feels like when it initially gives during coldsetting. Nor, can I easily convey those feelings that " something just isnt right." Books cannot really get concepts like these across to people. However, books are still the most efficient way to program the human mind and we must rely on them to do so until something better comes along. There seems to be an attitude today that as soon as you read information about some subject, you are knowledgeable on that subject. In many instances, this is very far from the truth. A book is merely a jumping off point or launching pad for gaining real knowledge. Reading a book and not following it up with some practical experience is a dead end alley. What I am getting at is - Don ' t read this bock and then proclaim yourself ar authority on framebuilding. You must build some frames before doing that. For most framebuilders, the first ten frames are a disaster. This book should alleviate a lot of that. No doubt, it will take about 25 frames or more for most of you to develop a level of credibility. Keep one thing in mind; each frame is easier than the one before. Here are a few ideas on how to keep your nose clean in a career of frame building. Dont do major work without a downpayment. Dont do work on a low bid. -Dont work when youre tired or frustrated. Don ' t cut corners. -Ride one of your own frames. -Guarantee your own work. Dont withhold knowledge from someone else who wants to learn. Dont badmouth other builders. Before going on to read the book, there are some basic premises laid out within it. They are: Silver brazed joints are superior to brass. -Cold setting is necessary to good frame alignment. Investment castings are superior to stampings. Butted tubes are superior to plain gauge tubes. Another item that should be mentioned at this time is that there are certain discrepancies that may appear in the book. Two come to my mind at this time: 1. On several occasions mock-ups had to be setup for the photographer. If the text is referring to working on a surface plate and the surface shown is clearly plywocd or cardboard, please let it slip by. 2. A technical manual usually has the models wearing official looking work clothes with sleeves rolled up and flaps on the pockets. The photos in this book were taken in the winter in the upper midwest. My shop was rather cold at the time so please pardon the fact that I always appeared with a sweater on in the photographs. Keeping these things in mind, you may now go on to read the book. I hope this book launches you off to as satisfying an experience as the one I have had over the last six years. This book is dedicated to Terry Osell FRAME GEOMETRY The following is a detailed description of bicycle frame geometry. It deals with how to compute angles, clearances, and tube lengths and how those variables will affect the handling and riding qualities of a bike. This information could be of use to a framebuilder designing a frame, a salesperson selling a top quality frame, or a customer buying a top quality frame. The information that follows is based on certain standards of the industry such as; 27" or 700c wheel diameter, 1" diameter top tube, 5 to 8 cm of bottom bracket drop, and standard quill style pedals. In the case of off-road, tandem, or recumbant bicycles the rules and specs which follow may have to be modified or broken. In the case of using the following information to build frames, a high degree of precision is required. Use of a stone surface plate, vernier height gage, bevel protractor, V-blocks, and dial indicators is highly recommended. In the case of checking out ones own bike for self satisfaction, less precise tools may be used such as; strings, straight edges, carpenters level, and an inexpensive level/protractor. 1-1 IMPORTANT: Before starting, it is important to note two things; 1-Distances on frames will always be computed from center to center in this book. 2-An entire bicycle frame can be broken down into right triangles so that the Pythagorean theorem can be applied to find all unknowns. SEAT TUBE LENGTH: This is probably the most commonly used indicator to decide whether a frame is the correct size for a rider. Most often, a rider is asked to straddle a bike and lift the front wheel off the ground. On a busy Saturday, during the spring rush at the local bike shop, this will usually suffice to sell a $200.00 machine. But when selling a top quality frame or building a custom frame, a higher degree of precision and a higher level of credibility is necessary. Tight fitting clothes or thick soled shoes will tend to cause great error with this technique. For that reason, I have developed the following simple procedure and formula tc figure out seat tube length: A = Inseam length in centimeters with stocking feet B = Bottom bracket height in centimeters C = Crotch Clearance 4 centimeters for touring and 6 centimeters for racing D = A-(B+C) E = Seat tube angle F = Complement of angle E After measuring the riders inseam and finding the other variables (B E will be covered later), 2 sides and three angles will be known. With that knowledge, the Pythagorean theorum can be applied to find the seat tube length. The following formula will give the seat tube length. All that is needed is a hand held scientific calculator: D [sec (F)] = Seat Tube Length OR: D [cosec (E)] = = Seat Tube Length sin(E) The following diagram should clarify any question which may arise: 1-2 It is a common practice of bicycle sales personnel to measure the seat tube length from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the top tube (point X). In the designing of bicycle frames, it is more convenient and probably more accurate to measure from the center of the bottom bracket to the intersection of the centerlines of the seat and top tubes (point Y). Measuring to point X will make it sound as though the frame is larger than if the measurement is taken at point Y. There is a difference of about 13mm between the two ways of measuring. As long as this difference is taken into account, both methods are acceptable. 1-3 TOP TUBE LENGTH: Top tube length and seat tube length go hand-in-hand.

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