Ride the Storm

Skipping back to the 3rd blog which went live on Facebook and on Instagram. It reached over 5000 people with approx. 200 likes and around 100 comments. Most of the comments were from well wishes, there were a few negative comments, which was expected ‘you’ve got to ride the storm’.

Road CC wrote an article on their website, mostly picking up on the blogs on the ‘sparsely’ populated website. Their words not mine. It will grow. There is no point filling the website with guff. The website will populate as the blogs continue and when sales are ready. The idea is that the website gives an indication of where we have come from and the direction, we are travelling in. It fills up as the story grows.

What was welcome were several emails from people in the industry wishing me luck and giving advice. It was great networking with people working for very well-known Cycle clothing companies and large Cycle retailers.

One theme from the messages was that if quality control was improved – the likely hood of gaining customers would increase.

To that end, the framesets are made in a different factory in Taiwan to previous Bowman frames. The factory make Aluminium and Titanium framesets for other UK companies.

They have their own Quality Control. However, like most UK based companies QC will also be conducted by us. Some companies do a random 10% QC check – obviously if snags are found this leads to more inspections. We will be conducting QC checks on all frames and forks.

Checks will include:

1. Welds – checking for pinholes, lack of welding, checking welds have penetrated.

2. Checking all tubes for hairline cracks, checking for bumps, dents, correct alignment. Getting the frames in without any paint will help this as paint won’t be hiding a multitude of sins.

3. All apertures – ensuring that headtubes, seat tube wall thickness are uniform throughout.
4. Checking the bottom bracket is aligned correctly and central and level. Checking the walls are uniform.

5. Check seat and chain stays are level, straight and true.

6. Checking the top tube and seat tube are aligned.

7. Checking bottle cages are level uniform in height and straight and true.

8. Checking brake mounts are level straight and true.

9. Temporary installing wheelsets to ensure wheels run free and true.

Whilst here, I should pass on the Frame Geometry.

After that we have to update the sparsely populated website (Road CC will be pleased – that’s a small joke btw).

Also, we are trying to get hold of some components. There are 2 quite large suppliers in the UK – we are in early conversations with them. More on that later. Frames first.

That’s it.

Thanks for reading.

Jim.

Oh yeah, still no name.

One last thing there have been conversations with an Italian factory. This may lead to something or it may not work out. But I thought I would add it to the blog. They make really nice Columbus Steel frames.

One last, last thing – please be careful cycling in the dark, even with lights its really easy to hit something at a slow speed, go over the bars, trash your hands and scratch you carbon wheels whilst your mate Oliver cycles past and goes ‘comedy gold’ whilst you are on a heap on the floor….

Next blog – we are going to talk about an independent quality check I had done on a frame at Vernon Barkers in Sheffield.