Not stickers. That's rubber and it wasn't cheap. Luckily I bought enough that should keep me a while. I will use 4 per bike and 8 per car.^^stickers ? looks so perf ! the yellow onesick!
- by Gigmata
The last dance for a while.
- Thread starter gigmata
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- by Gigmata
how did you do your logo on the tires?
The logos are bond-on rubber logos. I am saving up to do some "Gig Mata" branded tires but that is not what you see here. These are from a company called TredWear. Their website is: www.tredwearletters.com
They can help you out. Have fun with their site. I guess I should also mention that I used www.diylettering.com for all of the graphics on the yellow bike. I don't own or work at either company. I can give them both high marks for great service and quick turn-around times.
-Gig
- by Gigmata
I did tell him that I was using 24" bicycle tires. Make sure to check your sidewall height of a mounted fully inflated tire. I included a photo with the measurements on it. They also work on 24" tires. He could've made them 2 pieces but I wanted them connected for ease of use. If the cost makes you cringe shoot me a PM.
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I dropped this gem at the powder coated last Friday. I ordered the front hub today. I think the decals for this one won't hurt much at all but I paid nearly $60 to get the font I wanted and then the decals still have to be designed & printed. O' what fun!
- by Gigmata
- by Gigmata
...and you wonder why you're not making any money on your bikes? Not to rain on your parade,but it would appear that your bikes are built for you...not retail customers as you are getting "upside down" on your projects paying for all the fancy,shiny bits. I like your builds...truly I do but to make $ at this game you must buy low & keep expenses down so you can move it for a price that the average Joe can afford,no matter what style of bike your into...you may want to take another look at your business model & find a way to market your high-end builds to the big $ end users (aka rich kids)...yer pal,Pappy
Find someone with a desire for one of your bikes, and commission a build to their specs. Most people who decide to pour money into a bike, car, boat, etc. want to build it themselves, either actually, or by having the work done. I see you getting upside down fast due to individual taste. Like Pappy, I think your bikes are exceptional, but you will have to find your buyer for a "pre-built to your taste" bike like a needle in a haystack. Great stuff, don't get me wrong!
Hey guys, thank you for your constructive criticism. I showed a klunker that I am working on to a well-heeled acquaintance and he was highly interested and knew what it would cost him but wanted it anyway. This forum is my immediate audience. I am surrounded by a very talented set of peers. You are looking at photos of what I've built and not the actual bike. Minds are blown when people who have seen the pix see the build in person and ride them. No squeaks, no rattles, scratch free, powder coated instead of painted and a lack of zip ties.
The fact is I take the philosophy of Pablo Picasso and Horatio Pagani: that is what I make. It does not appeal to most people and they can't afford it anyway. Both of those men took time to gather a following and a reputation. Huffy will sell you a pretty good bike. Felt can sell you an awesome $12,000 bike and they likely have a waiting list. I am fully aware most people want to pay Huffy money and expect Felt's quality. Both are seasoned companies with economies of scale I may never be able to touch. I understand that. I always want to make the very best I can. I pulled out of the last build-off when all I needed was to attach and tune the five speed and hook up brakes then throw on a few substitute parts. The big stuff was done. Some details were missing and to me that meant I wasn't putting my best foot forward. That is the man I am. The rules stated it had to be a complete and rideable bike. I gladly missed the deadline and was finished when all the details had been suffered through. I held my head up high when I test road it a couple of days prior to the photo shoot.
"Dreamcatcher" will be no different. Hundreds will be spent on flawless powder coating. The custom decals were ordered today to exact specifications. All spoke nipples will be shiny, the stainless steel hardware tight, and in the end what I have made should last and last. Five years from now it should still look and perform as good as new after a nice long ride and wash. I have no delusions on the pricing. I am not rescuing a $100 50 year-old rusty Hawthorne and making it shine again with elbow grease, sandpaper, and Krylon. Someday I might though. I use an aluminum frame that is well constructed and will always be rust free. I use rare and premium parts and I do my best to use parts that don't rust. I ask a premium for what I do because it's worth it. I recently went back to a company that I had previously worked for. I was gone a little over a month and the compensation package was nearly 1/3 more than they were paying because they wanted me back that badly. That is until I take into account reduced hours as well and the deal gets sweeter. The big boss thinks that I am worth it. In the future, customers will line up to purchase one of my bikes many of which will be one-offs. They will also gladly pay more because they will know that there is a difference between their $800 Felt and one of my builds just as there is a difference between Felt's $12K bikes made from angel bones and rubber tires pre softened by someone chewing on them for a day before they get mounted on the bike. Maybe they will put it in the office or the house as opposed to the garage as my customers sometimes do. Best of luck to both of you. "May you ride eternal, shiny, and chrome"
-Gig
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Sorry that I missed your question. I mentioned it to Michael at TredWear and he even took the dimensions that I sent him. I called up Shawn at diylettering.com to nail the curvature on the chain wheel stickers on "YELLow Belly."
- by Gigmata
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Here is a progress report on "Dreamcatcher".
The spokes and chain ring are on order but everything else is already here.
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The spokes and chain ring are on order but everything else is already here.
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Nearly there. I may do a seat in suede leather, I have to tighten and adjust the cables, clean the tires, and tighten the chain.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As everyone on Youtube and reality tv says, "So" I have finished Dreamcatcher and here are some shots from earlier today.
Thank you, very much. The only headache I had building this thing was having to buy 3x the number of wheel decals that I needed. I kept incorrectly applying them.
I have plans to top this. All I need is another frame to start with. If I can manage to make house payments, feed myself, pay my taxes and build bikes I hope to show a real progression in both quality and styles. Though I must say this is the nicest one I have ever built and there is a heck of a lot of detail here.
- by Gigmata
