August 2010

How Butted Aluminum Alloy Tubing is Produced – the strength of Taiwan’s bicycle component manufacturing sector

Bicycle component manufacturing is highly distributed and specific; nobody manufactures complete bicycles in-house. Bicycle industry SMEs in Taiwan are at the center of multiple highly specific routines carried out and techniques applied. This feeds complex supply chains which all terminate in the assembly of a bicycle, the endpoint of the process. In this post, I want […]

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“Around Taichung” 100k Cycling Event 2010

Sunday 22 August 6am saw 3000 cyclists in teams of five each set out from Taichung city’s neighboring town of Feng Yuan. Organized by Taichung county government, the morning’s ride was divided into two different routes: 100km for more seasoned riders and 65km for those looking for a less intense morning’s activity. I was planning […]

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Frame Jig Manufacturing Workshop and New E-book on Getting Started in Cycling

Over at Primavera Cycles, we are in the process of developing a new alloy road-bike model. We will be documenting this in as much detail as possible. One recent post in the Newsroom dealt with issues to do with the top tube taper. Today there is brief photographic report giving some insight into the workshop […]

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Handlebar Taping Technique – One Method of Finishing a Handlebar Tape Wrap

Although taping handlebars requires a good deal of skill, just about anyone can develop expertise quickly given enough practice. What makes it tricky is the variety of materials used. The key property is probably elasticity. Here are a few examples. This type is  one of the harder to wrap due to its low elasticity. It […]

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Cycling’s Downside – Dehydration, Insulin, Free Radicals and Antioxidants

There is more than enough evidence around demonstrating that cycling at any level will have a beneficial effect on your health and may even change your life. To achieve the benefits, though, you need to be disciplined and consistent; that discipline and consistency paves the way for the second, the potential for major life-change. I can […]

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Bicycle Frame Making with Aluminum Alloy – Key Processes: T4 vs T6 Heat Treatment, AL 6061 vs AL 7005

Since I have new aluminum alloy model on the drawing board, here is a brief coverage of key considerations in aluminum alloy frame construction behind the production of these frames. Grades of Aluminum Alloy 7005 is the grade of aluminum alloy I use for my frames. Most manufacturers of alloy high-end frames in Taiwan use […]

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