Wtf. £400 for a homemade balance bike

However the wife says once I’ve looked at the cost of a jig, torch, workshop, insurance etc I’ll realise its a total waste of money because no matter how many times I tell myself it will happen, it clearly won’t.

As mentioned previously, once the course is completed, you can pay for workshop time by the hour and have access to all that..

Sorry hora but even I’m going to disagree with you on this one.

£400 for a 2 day frame building course. At the end of it you’ll have used some of your new found skills to build a balance bike.

So £400 to go on a course and £30 > £100 for parts to build your project up into a bike.

Its how you view what you get for your money. If you view it as nothing but a balance bike then its probably no good for you. If you view it as an introduction to frame building (and you even end up with a balance bike as a bonus), its not actually too bad. Like I said, £400 for a 2 day frame building course vs £2500 on the last techy course I went on where I learnt boring ‘work stuff’… I know what I’d rather do.

‘Skills that’ll last a lifetime’
‘Introduction to Frame Building’
‘Pay for the workshop by the hour’
‘Understand a bit more about building a bike’

Yah.
Sure.
Big Fat Chinny Reckon….

You’re not talking to the wife now fellas, so do give over…

It’s perfectly targeted at STW chaps, with the added bonus of ‘Oh Yes Dear, I’m building a bike for little Oscar’.

If any of your wives fall for this, you have free reign to get a Swedish au pair and her sister and probably her mum too, to help you ‘look after the kiddies’…

does not seem too bad for a course…

Dave Yates course is £975 + materials (£180) + it is a 5 days course so unless you live local then you have to pay for accommodation food etc

yes you get a proper frame etc but still as a taster of frame building the BA seems an good option (i did support their crowd fund)

but as with everything on this theme – no one is forcing people to go and pay..

I started writing something. But gave up.

Instead

😯 😆 😕 🙄

As mentioned previously, once the course is completed, you can pay for workshop time by the hour and have access to all that..

Only really any good for locals or people with too much time / money then.

I suppose there’s a more fundamental question – how many people who do these courses are actually going to take up framebuilding?

“I suppose there’s a more fundamental question – how many people who do these courses are actually going to take up framebuilding?“

I can’t see how that’s a fundamental question. I’d like to learn how to work metal and build frames but I have no intention of taking up framebuilding.

The fundamental question is simply, are there enough people who think that £400 is worth paying for two days doing something fun and interesting and rewarding?

I don’t see why it needs to be viewed as a gateway to a life of sophisticated plumbing any more than it needs to be viewed as a particularly tiresome way of buying a bike. Both miss the point that some people will simply see it as two really enjoyable days doing something that there are very limited opportunities to do.

Are people who spend £400 flying out to Morzine for a weekend expected to take up downhilling as a career? Cos I’ve done that and I’m no pro downhiller. And I didn’t even come back with a bike. It was just some time having fun. Why is playing with power tools and torches not equally valid fun?

funny thing money..

someone I was speaking to who just bought a brand new brown metallic Kia Sportage for £22k thought £750 for Brompton was outrageous….

BA was originally set up to teach skills and also supply africa bike frames.

Haha! I have spent some time away from STW due to concentrating at work a little more, good to see some things in life (Hora) are constant.

My only surprise is that you didn’t jump on this, make it and then sell it a week later to pursue your next fad.

Classic 😀

It also seems like a good introduction to the process. I’d feel happier spending this smaller sum on a simpler project than a grand for an adult frame. As a first attempt I’d rather test my ability on a simpler project.

Just think about it, the balance bike goes well so you do to back and build your own frame, the quality is better and then when it’s finished you really can head off to the pub with your knob hanging out fully erect.

maxray +1

Of all the people on here to be complaining about how other people spend their money on bike frames, Hora would be a long way from top of the list!

Say what you like about the course, but the organisers will be getting great publicity from this!

The fundamental question is simply, are there enough people who think that £400 is worth paying for two days doing something fun and interesting and rewarding?

Good point. And I suppose I completely prove your point by having an Astronomy degree 😉

Just think hora , do the course , buy an inbred. Then when you think you need a smaller/slacker/bigger/ diffeent colour frame to live in the shed just cut and reweld. 400quid would be a bargain for a serial trend believer bike swapper.

There are some odd folk on here. I own one bike. All my frames were secondhand or dirt-cheap. Many on stw own multiple bikes, maybe some silly money fuelled by the likes of magazines selling the new best thing. A balance bike is a first bike. Thats it. But some people want to spend more- thats your bag. No problem but me (like none bikers WILL) exclaim ‘how much’? Do you understand this? I imagine I could have bought new Bos forks but instead I bought basic Sektors. Each to their own. Its your wallet but if STW posts something up thats over 5 times a Strider I’ll post. Is this allowed Mark or should every post ‘coo and preen?

Hora, you are a clueless ****.

Wow. Mate well done. Fantastic response. Stw it seems is more and more inhabited by those who target those that dont agree. Enjoy your niche. Its dwindling.

Tbh id build my own balance bike, much like jamieporter has although not as machined….i think 30 quid or what ever is a rip 😉

But i have enough random crap and tooling kicking about the garage and garden to pull something together without spending 400 quid.

Hora, I look forward to one day meeting you in real life. So many times I’ve read your posts on here and thought, “I can’t believe someone so stupid actually exists”. I’m certain you’re just playing a very elaborate hoax, method acting the the role of an idiot par excellence…

Hora… ygm ref kids bike !!

Does the Strider come with a memory implant that gives you the basic knowledge on how to weld 😉

I’ll take one if it does!?

I keep looking at the TIG welding on my daughter’s Jumper – I’d love to be that good.

Ha! Just returned and he still thinks it’s 400 for the bike… Amazing that it’s not gotten through, I mean, amazing… 😀

If you think that’s crazy, check this out. £175 for some chocolates!!! Mad.

http://www.bettyscookeryschool.co.uk/ClientApps/Silverbear.Web.EDMS/public/default.aspx?tabId=37&id=353&orgId=1&guid=a91d78c6-ba0f-4fd0-9197-838705e06590

😉

I keep looking at the TIG welding on my daughter’s Jumper – I’d love to be that good

ben its one of them bet in 30 -60 minutes you could its just a case of once someone shows you how it all falls into place and clicks

I might spend 675 on a steel hardtail WITH NO PAINT!

what… WHAT!?

ben its one of them bet in 30 -60 minutes you could its just a case of once someone shows you how it all falls into place and clicks

Aye, actually I’m getting the hang of alu now I think – might even build myself an Orange from some old parts I have lying about 😉

I’d love to have had my first bike made for me by my mum or dad.

That’s the thing. I’ve still got stuff my dad made for me – and it was only when I had my own daughter and we got the old stuff out of their basement did I realise what a skilled woodworker he was. You don’t appreciate that kind of thing when you’re 3 years old.

I’ve not read the whole thread but I was considering (seriously) their 5 day frame building course, yes it’s a lot of money but I learn a new skill, that I could possibly, hopefully use again and more importantly someone gets to properly benefit from the bike I build
As a father I was waiting patiently or details of this course for the last few months since I first heard rumours, I was and still am tempted, but curse Podge again, or rather his wife

thepodge – Member
500 quid plus accommodation etc for a balance bike and a load of skills that’ll last me a lifetime sounds fair to me…

However the wife says once I’ve looked at the cost of a jig, torch, workshop, insurance etc I’ll realise its a total waste of money because no matter how many times I tell myself it will happen, it clearly won’t.

So I might as well buy a secondhand bike & take the whole family on holiday & stop thinking of my self for once.

Curses her and her sound reasoning

Makes sense with respect to a kids bike, So I’m back to considering the full build and give a bike to charity course
I don’t see that as aimed at stw type people but those that want to learn a new skill at a sensible price whilst feeling good about it, I’d love to keep my own built bike but I’d rather it got proper and potentially life saving hammer
Yes Dave Yates etc may be similar but I reckon this is more satisfying ultimately
To say its £400 for a balance bike though is stupid, it’s £400 for a life skill, extra for the bike

Hora is clearly being paid to market this stuff. Good job.

This one better priced?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHILDREN-KIDS-WOODEN-TRAINING-RUNNING-BALANCE-BIKE-BICYCLE-IN-BLUE-/230703993816?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&hash=item35b70793d8

This one better priced?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHILDREN-KIDS-WOODEN-TRAINING-RUNNING-BALANCE-BIKE-BICYCLE-IN-BLUE-/230703993816?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&hash=item35b70793d8
81 sold????

I like being shown how to do things by people who know how to do them. That is the case even if I don’t really grasp the skill. If I am shown in such a way that I can make something attractive and useful then that is highly satisfactory.

I do have plenty of money, which comes about because I have plenty of sense in some respects. Perhaps the manner in which I spend it will lead some to feel that I have little sense in other respects, but hey.

🙂

Hora is clearly being paid to market this stuff. Good job

Yep – looks like they have created a role especially for him[/url] 🙂

I looked at it a few days ago and felt Sad that I had already brought an Islabike for my Daughter (Which she loves)
I`d have done this course for the experience and the bike would hopefully be passed down afterwards.
I dont have £400 and 2 days to do it sadly.
I do however have a TIG welder that I havent had time to practice enough on though !!!
So I may well build one for my Lad when he is ready for one

I’ve actually been on a TBA frame building course and I think it was bloody good value for money. Yes it is a luxury but not everything is about the cheapest price. The way I saw it was that I learned a new skill, had 4 fun days and built and paid for a frame for charity. Something’s just cost money, like going on a Ferrari driving day. Not just that I want to help people make a decent living, not just scratch by. If you don’t appreciate things like that then go to Argos or Tesco for your bike.

Also run your own business and then you’ll have a different view on product pricing and profit margins.