Braze-ons & Frame Modifications

Braze-Ons & Frame Mods Class.

Classes will be one to two students and take about 20-30 hours. Traditionally Classes are 4-6 hours or so per day for three to five days. But for those living in Portland or wanting to spend more time here we can slow the classes down. Or even do just weekends or otherwise work around your schedule.

Classes will include a full syllabus, and all materials are included. Materials can be upgraded for extra. Class will include an overview of what it takes, and what all is possible to do to steel frames. And it’s a lot! Classes will cover it all, and Braze-On selection. And a comprehensive resources guide. You will walk away with the Knowlege you need to get started collecting tools and parts to begin modifying frames & forks at home! If you want, no pressure.

No previous experience required! We will practice brazing all kinds of brake bosses, and cable stops and what not. Then try and break them off or cut them in half to see how brazing flows and works. I will demonstrate each step in the process and help guide you along.

This class is great for someone that wants to learn the basics of bicycle brazing, or just know how it’s done and wants a cool experience, and a cool modified bike to ride around on.

Your first several mods will have some quirks, and may be a little wonky, but it’s going to be cool and done by you and one of a kind!

Mods can only be done on normal steel bikes, so most vintage bikes, and modern classic style frames and forks only. Sorry no aluminum or carbon.

There is a lot we can do to old steel bikes! Here are just some examples:

We can remove old brake bosses and add new ones in different positions so that we can run a different wheel size or style! For example, the blue Miyata In the first photos was originally for 27” wheels (630mm), I removed the old brake bosses and added new ones, not only a little lower for 700c (622mm) wheels, but also wider so modern cantilever brakes would work, and wider rims would work. Why do this mod? to allow more room for fatter tires and bigger fenders, and more options for rims and tires!

The red bike got a lot of mods done; most bikes do! I added special brake bosses for Paul Racer brakes so they could be directly mounted to the frame, and extra water bottle bosses under the down tube. I also added and internal cable routing sleeve on the top tube!

The Pepto pink frame was a single speed the owner wanted to add a derailleur too, so I brazed on a rear derailleur hanger to the track end!

The dark pink bike had the standard 70’s braze-ons and typical rear end spacing for old touring bikes of the time. We wanted to modernize it some, so it got the full treatment. The frame was “cold set,” or “respaced,” from 126mm, to 130mm for modern cassette style road hubs. The brake bosses for 27” wheels were removed, and new bosses were added lower and wider for 650b wheels and modern style cantilever brakes. The three top tube cable guides were removed, and two split stops were added on the bottom of the top tube out of the way. The bike originally didn’t come with any water bottle bosses, or fender bosses in the bridges so I added them too. The original shifters were the clamp on style, so I brazed on a set of shift bosses too!

There exists all sorts of rack mounts and pump pegs and braze-ons for just about anything you can think of or want for your bike. And you can learn how to remove old ones and add new ones correctly!

Please fee to check out Frame Builder Supply to get ideas about what kinds of braze ons are available for your project.