Have you always wanted the experience of building your own dream bike?
This is your chance to learn bicycle frame building from Metal Guru at Vicious Cycles’ world headquarters in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley.
Guest instructor Stephen Bilenky of Bilenky Cycle Works, will be teaching this course, and Carl Schlemowitz will be co-instructor. Classes feature a low student to instructor ratio, limited to a maximum of two students at a time. Each class consists of lectures, demos and hands on learning. Students will finish course with a completed frame, ready for paint.
The Fillet Brazed Steel Frame Building class is structured as a 68-hour course, 8 1/2 days of class time, conducted over 10 calendar days. This class is for students interested in the fillet brazing construction methods, lug construction is not covered.
Students can choose from road, gravel, track, cyclo-cross, touring (700c or 650b), hard-tail XC mountain (26”, 27.5", 29”) either geared or single speed. Fork manufacturing is not included in the curriculum, but Columbus carbon or Vicious Cycles steel forks or various suspension forks will be available for purchase.
Tuition includes the following, use of the Vicious Cycles’ facilities and tools, instruction, handout materials, personal protective safety equipment, practice materials, basic frame material for one frame (see below for additional materials options). It does not include painting your frame, your lodging, meals, travel expenses, or personal living expenses.
For those who do not take the paint course, they can use Vicious Cycles’ custom paint services or ship the frame to the paint shop of their choice. Parts kits may be ordered for purchase, so that students can depart with a complete bicycle.
The tube set for the frame class is double-butted chrome-moly, but an upgrade to a Columbus Zona tube set with S-bend rear for an additional $75. Slider, rocking or thru-axle dropouts will have a $125 up charge.
Tuition and basic raw materials costs for the frame course is $4250.
A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $950 is required to reserve a spot for the frame course. Payment in full is due TWO weeks prior to the beginning of the course. Prior to your class we will schedule a phone call with you to answer any questions you may have and discuss the details of the style frame you wish to build.
Frequently Asked Questions
