Yes that's what I would like to know. Do you build bikes as your main income?
does anyone build bikes as a living?
- Thread starter johnnyoutlaw
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Nice I'm asking because I wanna know if I'm chasing after a false dream here or if one day it could be a reality. How big do you think the buyers market is?
You would be coming late to the game and would have to have a lot to offer to really be able to make money at it.
How many frames could you produce a week and how much would they be? That will tell you if you could live off of it. Then the most challenging part is how may people would buy your frames I don't see the high end cruiser market going to custom builders but i could be wrong. You would be competing against Electra, Felt, Nirve.
How many frames could you produce a week and how much would they be? That will tell you if you could live off of it. Then the most challenging part is how may people would buy your frames I don't see the high end cruiser market going to custom builders but i could be wrong. You would be competing against Electra, Felt, Nirve.
I would think it a long term process. Like being a really good artist,there would be no real market for your paintings until you were famous.
The same goes with frame building. IMO you would have to turn out some really noticeable frames that would get you enough exposure to be able to charge enough to make a living. All the really good artisans are involved in their fields for years before they attain the notoriety for everybody to want their work at any price.
The same goes with frame building. IMO you would have to turn out some really noticeable frames that would get you enough exposure to be able to charge enough to make a living. All the really good artisans are involved in their fields for years before they attain the notoriety for everybody to want their work at any price.
I'm not just talking frames, I mean the whole bike in the end?
I've had comments from people about the simple bikes I build.
"You should sell these!"
The problem is that for the time I'm putting in to a build, even though I'd define it as simple, I just don't think I'd get a decent return on the money and time I put into the bike.
Also consider the box-store mentality of today's society - it's the same thing that the bike shops are facing.
I've been researching tube benders so I can start building custom bike frames but I'll also use it to build the roll cage and fenders for our FJ40.
My bike building will stay focused on family. If a few friends want one and don't mind waiting, I might build them one as long as they pay. Even if it's just to bring a few beers over and hang out while working on the thing. :lol:
"You should sell these!"
The problem is that for the time I'm putting in to a build, even though I'd define it as simple, I just don't think I'd get a decent return on the money and time I put into the bike.
Also consider the box-store mentality of today's society - it's the same thing that the bike shops are facing.
I've been researching tube benders so I can start building custom bike frames but I'll also use it to build the roll cage and fenders for our FJ40.
My bike building will stay focused on family. If a few friends want one and don't mind waiting, I might build them one as long as they pay. Even if it's just to bring a few beers over and hang out while working on the thing. :lol:
How much time goes into your builds? Let's say a "simple" build with just a cookie cutter frame not a custom made one?
Long&Black said:
Oh so right you are! I dabble in woodworking because I enjoy it. Here is a sample of my work
If I tried to charge only $10.00 per hour, plus materials, people would laugh at the idea of spending that much money on something that they could buy at WalMart...just to play chess.
How long did the chessboard/table take to make? You don't want to know!
I don't build bikes for a living. I think there's a fine line between making bikes and building them. It's my opinion that if you want to know about making bikes you need to talk to the likes of Sam @ Firebikes or Rob @ RHL. If you want to assemble bikes, talk to the bike assemblers that work for the major department stores like Canadian Tire. Or how about talking to a bike mechanic at your LBS. I'm willing to bet none of those positions are lucrative by any means but I bet thier all happy with thier jobs. There's tons of people that import bikes from overseas set up a website and probably don't do too bad. But I don't think that would be a very enjoyable job. You would be inconstant struggle to find customers that want to pay your prices being that there would be so much competition. Not to mension the cheap repetitive product you would have to deal with. Just my 2 cents. :|
i think there is always a market for one of a kind artisan made anything. i am a sculptor in a very small niche collectible market, i know where to find buyers and the buyers know where to find me. do you know where you can find your buyers? making a living at it depends on how you define that. if you have a yearly income you need to achieve and break that down into labor/supply/overhead/profits, can you sell enough bikes to make what you want?
that chess table is gorgeous btw and your buyer wouldn't be the person comparing it to a walmart product. your buyer is someone who appreciates quality, hand made work. by that thinking why would someone seek to commission me to sculpt a one of a kind piece for them when they can go to the dollar tree and buy a resin knick-knack? and if the artists/artisans/crafters of the world gave in to that thinking we wouldn't have all these amazing bikes (heck, i can get a cruiser for $79 at walmart!!) and art that makes life so interesting and beautiful!
that chess table is gorgeous btw and your buyer wouldn't be the person comparing it to a walmart product. your buyer is someone who appreciates quality, hand made work. by that thinking why would someone seek to commission me to sculpt a one of a kind piece for them when they can go to the dollar tree and buy a resin knick-knack? and if the artists/artisans/crafters of the world gave in to that thinking we wouldn't have all these amazing bikes (heck, i can get a cruiser for $79 at walmart!!) and art that makes life so interesting and beautiful!
I think Long Black is correct about charging enough to make a decent hourly wage. But it could be a side income if you can find a market. Even though the wife and I make most of our living from our art we still do some commercial work to keep cash flow going. Try testing the waters. Build a couple and sell locally. Keep track of your time and expenses. If you really want to figure out if this is possible you will also need to add up all your overhead,electricity,cost of the shop space,any tools you need,insurance (do not forget liability insurance for when a part brakes and you get dragged into a law suite), accounting fees etc etc.
Ah the joys of self employment.
Ah the joys of self employment.
girlybike said:
Thank you for the compliment. And right you are, the few I have sold.....at $200.00 a pop were much appreciated by the buyer. Still, at that price I was making a fraction of minimum wage.
"g-ratter" is dead on the money. Here I speak from experience as I owned and operated a screenprinting business in my hometown for 18 years. There's a ton of things/expenses that the average Joe is clueless about.
Keeping on topic here. The original poster might consider starting a bike repair shop. In time a franchise to sell a high-end bike might come your way....a brand not presently available in your area right now. You could devote your day to maintenance and repair of your customer's stuff, maintain an inventory of tires, tubes, helmets, gloves, etc., and devote an hour or so every day to your latest "build".....and that would clearly peak the interest of your walk-in customers.
Good luck if you go ahead with a plan.
I ordered a seat from this site and later met Tyler Stans when I was doing the Denver Cruiser Ride last summer. The post office misplaced my seat and Tyler actually found me on the Cruiser ride (600 or more riders) and offered me a new seat and a tour of his place up in Golden Co where he rebuilds bikes some ratrod bikes some full restores and does custom choppers. This is his full time gig. Really nice guy awesome builder http://luxlow.com/
Building bikes for a living could be done very easily if you've truely got the talent and one monster checkbook! The liability insurance and all the govenment licensings and requirements would be your biggest factors if you've got the talent. Getting all the government paperwork, doing it and getting your bikes in compliance will pretty much take a couple of years (most likely longer). Then you've got all the other stuff to make yourself a "legal' manufacturer of bikes. There's soo much more that I can't even begin to imagine what I don't know or haven't heard.
As Spincycle said,You should look into and talk to Sam at Firebikes, Rob at RHL. Also get in touch with Eric Hannan of Hannan Customs. Most of the old CBNers will remember Eric's horror stories along the way to his own company. Felt was heavily involved with motorcycle racing long before the bikes took off so he probably had the means to adapt easily into the bicycle industry. Also check with Brad from Atomic Zombies. He could easily start his own bike company but I think he's done his homework and felt that selling bike plans was the better way to go. Sometime check out the Basman's and how much time, effort and headache was involved for it to become a Legend among bikes, only to have Marcagi suck up the design!
I'm all for you or anyone else starting a legitimate bike company, but don't build inferior quality bike and sell them off to the unsuspecting public. And get the proper reqirements, licenses and insurance to protect everyone's butt that your bikes will come in contact with. Otherwise you and your bikes will eventually cripple the custom bike hobby and industry!
Good luck but be smart,
Chainsaw
As Spincycle said,You should look into and talk to Sam at Firebikes, Rob at RHL. Also get in touch with Eric Hannan of Hannan Customs. Most of the old CBNers will remember Eric's horror stories along the way to his own company. Felt was heavily involved with motorcycle racing long before the bikes took off so he probably had the means to adapt easily into the bicycle industry. Also check with Brad from Atomic Zombies. He could easily start his own bike company but I think he's done his homework and felt that selling bike plans was the better way to go. Sometime check out the Basman's and how much time, effort and headache was involved for it to become a Legend among bikes, only to have Marcagi suck up the design!
I'm all for you or anyone else starting a legitimate bike company, but don't build inferior quality bike and sell them off to the unsuspecting public. And get the proper reqirements, licenses and insurance to protect everyone's butt that your bikes will come in contact with. Otherwise you and your bikes will eventually cripple the custom bike hobby and industry!
Good luck but be smart,
Chainsaw
After reading some of the posts that made it to the board while I was writing mine .....
Johnnyoutlaw, are you truely asking about building bikes or assembling them? Building Cuustom bikes is nowhere near the same as buying all the parts and sticking them together. Manufacturing is NOT the same as Assembling.
Johnnyoutlaw, are you truely asking about building bikes or assembling them? Building Cuustom bikes is nowhere near the same as buying all the parts and sticking them together. Manufacturing is NOT the same as Assembling.
Well to start off I would only custom make a few parts the rest would be cookie cutter ........ until I feel like I can take on a bigger project of making everything myself, if that makes sense. Sorry if I sound like a jack ... since I am new to this scene so again sorry if I'm stepping on toes just need someone to guide me I guess
