A born tinkerer with a love of bicycles extending back over half my life, I'm always on the lookout for new skills in the way of the bicycle. Since learning to build my own wheels a couple of years ago, the idea of building my own frames has crossed my mind a few times, but until recently the courses available for learning the basics (I'm an IT guy, not a metalworker - I'll be starting from scratch!) haven't really fitted in with what I'm looking to get from it - too focused on "build your dream bike" and not enough "here's how to build a frame, now go on and build a few".
However, late last year The Bicycle Academy started up crowdfunding. I didnt have the funds to get in for a course via the crowdfunding process, but I got myself put on the waiting list, and when spaces became available just before my 30th birthday, I thought nothing would make a better present-to-myself.
The Bicycle Academy is different from other framebuilding courses - You dont get to take the frame home, instead it goes to Africa and someone who really needs it. You get the skills passed down from a master of the art - no less than Brian Curtis, and you get to go back and use the space and the equipment after. I've already got an idea for something I want to build myself - I'm finding it hard not to get ahead of myself, I need to find out if I'm any good first!
I cant wait!
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