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BMX General => BMX Chat => Topic started by: zed4130 on September 07, 2007, 08:53 AM

Title: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 07, 2007, 08:53 AM
Ive been chatting to my welder mate (master welder)  :daumenhoch: we have chatted about making some frames for a while now, im going to make with his help a 26 inch cruiser, poss OS style, ie U.S bb and  a 1inch head tube, we will be making a prototype ,that i will be trying out, ive got loads od ideas , gussets , extra tubes, quad type frames etc, i will be making 24inch and 20's aswell eventually, ZED bikes , will be the name  ;) and the 26 will be the karate kid model  :daumenhoch: any ideas will be great on this, we will be using 4130, and poss t45 tubing, and we might make some ali ones, tonight is my last night at work , so i will be able to put more into this, its been my dream for years, plus im doing a welding course soon,  :daumenhoch: thanks again for any help ,,paul  :daumenhoch: oh forgot to say, will be making the forks and handlebars aswell
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: HEYWOOD BMX on September 07, 2007, 09:29 AM
 :)Could be a massive success or a total disaster.Either way,good to see someone new having the balls to go for it.We have very few independent BMX builders in the UK.Hope it takes off and makes you a rich man!!!!
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Zippy on September 07, 2007, 09:41 AM
I don't think it will make you rich, but if you have fun building them then that's all that counts.
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: muttley on September 07, 2007, 09:44 AM
UK version of Kappa but with quality engineering and paint! Why not, might not make you loads of money but if its something you enjoy then go for it.

Dialled bikes took the plunge, ok not with retro style frames but he seems to be doing ok.  :4_17_5:

Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: harris on September 07, 2007, 09:48 AM
good luck.one word of advice from a 20+year welder
get someone else to do the welding.
just practice for a long long time then have a go.
penetration lol heat despersion ,timing and now how, take time to learn.   :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stodgy on September 07, 2007, 10:05 AM
Sounds like a good idea, but as Dan says, use a professional welder otherwise people won't trust the build quality.

Also, don't call it 'ZED Bikes'... afterall would you ride a bike called 'Stodgy Bikes'? Come up with a cool name that people will be proud to run...


Go for it though Zed, it's nice to see someone willing to give it a go! Respect to ya fella.
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Trev on September 07, 2007, 10:32 AM
Sounds like a good idea, but as Dan says, use a professional welder otherwise people won't trust the build quality.

Also, don't call it 'ZED Bikes'... afterall would you ride a bike called 'Stodgy Bikes'? Come up with a cool name that people will be proud to run...


Go for it though Zed, it's nice to see someone willing to give it a go! Respect to ya fella.

I think ZED bikes sounds cool for a bike name...
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stace on September 07, 2007, 11:10 AM
 :daumenhoch: :daumenhoch:  Go For It
 
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: dj_benice on September 07, 2007, 11:18 AM
get del on board for decals  :angel:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: theRuler on September 07, 2007, 11:45 AM
go for a 1 1/8" headtube so you can run a decent stem and headset

sounds good

and i'd ride a stodgy bike :D
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Superkav on September 07, 2007, 12:02 PM
Sounds like a good idea, I'm looking forward to seeing a proto frame in the near future.
Defo go with the larger headtube too (if you aren't already) you'll get good support from here too.
I think ZED bikes sounds cool, so does Stodgy but RAD bikes sounds even better :daumenhoch:
How about Zed's RAD bikes??
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: muttley on September 07, 2007, 12:32 PM
 NOBBYBOMBSHELL bikes

Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: highrisedrifter on September 07, 2007, 12:44 PM
Good luck Paul.

It sounds like a cracking idea and I hope it works out for you.  :daumenhoch:

HRD
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: OrgasmDonor on September 07, 2007, 01:15 PM
if ya wanna use ZED add to it with a nod to cool maybe use the bruce willis pulp fiction qoute for your company name, ie "ZED's DEAD" frames, people will know theyve heard it before n itl make em think, n zeds bike was a custom chopper so it all ties in, or not, just a suggestion :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stace on September 07, 2007, 01:17 PM
Show us ya chopper zed  ;)


(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/h254/stace2406/ZedsSkyway.jpg)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Superkav on September 07, 2007, 01:47 PM
if ya wanna use ZED add to it with a nod to cool maybe use the bruce willis pulp fiction qoute for your company name, ie "ZED's DEAD" frames, people will know theyve heard it before n itl make em think, n zeds bike was a custom chopper so it all ties in, or not, just a suggestion :daumenhoch:

Yeah but Zed's dead relates specifically to a sadistic homosexual rapist, not sure that would be too cool :2funny:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stace on September 07, 2007, 01:50 PM
if ya wanna use ZED add to it with a nod to cool maybe use the bruce willis pulp fiction qoute for your company name, ie "ZED's DEAD" frames, people will know theyve heard it before n itl make em think, n zeds bike was a custom chopper so it all ties in, or not, just a suggestion :daumenhoch:

Yeah but Zed's dead relates specifically to a sadistic homosexual rapist, not sure that would be too cool :2funny:


Yeah.....Our Zeds not a rapist !  :LolLolLolLol:  Not sure about the other bit though !
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: priv on September 07, 2007, 01:52 PM
go for it mate :daumenhoch:


edit make the bars 27" wide and i'll have some


priv
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 07, 2007, 03:02 PM
thanks guys for all the great words, yep im still not sure about the name, but zed bikes was my first thought, the first bike will have a 1,18th head tube on it, and i might do a OS version, with 1inch  :daumenhoch: the bars ady i might do 28 inchs so they can be cut down, my mates a awsome welder, and has made some amazing things, so betweem him and me im sure thses bikes will be strong, ill show some ideas soon, ive got loads on paper,  :daumenhoch:  i cant wait to get strated  :daumenhoch: ill keep everyone posted, oh and ill defo ask del about the decals , plus ive got someone who can do pads ,
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: superbikedan on September 07, 2007, 04:13 PM
 :) i know a  guy who can paint them for ya  ::)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stodgy on September 07, 2007, 04:39 PM
:) i know a  guy who can paint them for ya  ::)

Can't think who...  ::)


Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: stuntmaster on September 07, 2007, 04:41 PM
look into insurance or whatever as if you make a bike and someone fall off and hurt them self and they could say it was the frames fault ie if it broke .best to get checked out as nothing is unbreakable 
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Stodgy on September 07, 2007, 04:41 PM
BTW - i wasn't being negative about the name thing, just choose carefully as the name and the corporate identity can make or break a company.
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Flaz on September 07, 2007, 04:43 PM
:) i know a  guy who can paint them for ya  ::)

Can't think who...  ::)



BTW - i wasn't being negative about the name thing, just choose carefully as the name and the corporate identity can make or break a company.

"A dodgey stodgey"  is a perfect example
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 07, 2007, 04:48 PM
all good ideas, im doing this as mainly hobby poss buisnes venture in the future , i will make the frames from order, ie watever people want  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: mi16kie on September 07, 2007, 08:29 PM
 Watch out name wise.I think you will find that Dawes bikes hold the rights to the name ZED as they made some POS mtb's a few years back with that as their branding.
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: darkersomeday on September 08, 2007, 02:25 AM
i dont want to sound negative as i really like the idea mate,

just dont go plowing any serious money into something without having a serious look at you market,

curtis survive by the skin of there teeth and theyre experienced carftsmen with a reputation that goes back a long, long way,

dont be thinking you can just find a "decent" welder and some tubes and let loose!
have you any idea how much a good adjustable jig will cost, you'll need a decent bender too,
thats before you get to the engineering equipment!  linisher, reamer,etc,etc,

then theres the liability insurance to cover, plus the business set-up costs,

all that to supply a market thats already swarming with micro companies and a niche that is well covered by kappa and supercross,

sorry if i sound negative but you'd be taking a massive risk investing time and money in something like that without some serious planning :daumenhoch:

dont get me wrong it's relatively straightforward to do, but not in the way youre thinking dude,

if you want any further advice dont hesitate to pm me,

best of luck with the project if you do go ahead with it :daumenhoch:

joe
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Trev on September 08, 2007, 02:41 AM
thanks guys for all the great words, yep im still not sure about the name, but zed bikes was my first thought, the first bike will have a 1,18th head tube on it, and i might do a OS version, with 1inch  :daumenhoch: the bars ady i might do 28 inchs so they can be cut down, my mates a awsome welder, and has made some amazing things, so betweem him and me im sure thses bikes will be strong, ill show some ideas soon, ive got loads on paper,  :daumenhoch:  i cant wait to get strated  :daumenhoch: ill keep everyone posted, oh and ill defo ask del about the decals , plus ive got someone who can do pads ,

just make sure they're not too heavy.... remember in real life our arms aren't as big as they are in CIN CITY....  :LolLolLolLol:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Bob_Acid on September 08, 2007, 04:24 AM
If you can make a cruiser as good as the azusa one i'd buy it ;)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: QUADROPHENIA on September 08, 2007, 08:12 AM


zed, speak to fuzzynod, he has a mate who can do one offs but your looking at £350 for f&f, so he maybe a good man to get some pointers from
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 08, 2007, 08:33 AM


zed, speak to fuzzynod, he has a mate who can do one offs but your looking at £350 for f&f, so he maybe a good man to get some pointers from

 :daumenhoch: cheers mate ill have a chat with him, joe im only doing this as a hobby really, if i make money thats great , if not , no probs, my mate has 40 years welding experiance, and does amazing work , ive got a passion for 26 cruisers, and single speed mtbs, so if i only make a few, thats fine, even if i only end up with one, thats cool, i know the market, as ive been riding bikes since the age of 7, trust me, i dont even have a driving licence, i love bikes, and to have my own frame is a dream ,  :daumenhoch: if we make a few great, he has all the gear, so no massive pay out, plus were he works he has lots of t45, and 4130 tubing we can use, we should have the prototype 26 cruiser done in 2 weeks time, so ill keep you all posted, all is good,  ;)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: radbmxer1 on September 15, 2007, 01:24 AM
 ;) its nice to have a dream but ZED please take note of darks post, also be very wary of the stick jonny odd angle chopper gets  however good luck with what you decide to do  but please dont  repop. :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 15, 2007, 09:55 AM
my aim is at the single speed mtb market aswell, ive been mtb'ing since 88, and no the market well, ,ill be building 26 cruisers, plus single speed mtb's. nothing to odd about them, just a few extras,    plus we will build stuff to order, as i said i know i might not make fortunes, but if you dont try things in life you will never know,  ;) ive taken this time off work to be with the kids, and try this out, so no lose, other than i might end up with my own bike, ive wanted this for years, so if we make loads, cool , if not thats ok,   :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: MartyC on September 15, 2007, 11:08 AM
;) its nice to have a dream but ZED please take note of darks post, also be very wary of the stick jonny odd angle chopper gets  however good luck with what you decide to do  but please dont  repop. :daumenhoch:

Intersting first post, from "overseas" mate?  Where does it say he'll do "repops" (nice American word btw)?  Or does 1" o/s version only mean a "repop" to you?

Good luck with it Zed, make what you want when you want and live the dream  :daumenhoch:.
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 15, 2007, 04:42 PM
;) its nice to have a dream but ZED please take note of darks post, also be very wary of the stick jonny odd angle chopper gets  however good luck with what you decide to do  but please dont  repop. :daumenhoch:

Intersting first post, from "overseas" mate?  Where does it say he'll do "repops" (nice American word btw)?  Or does 1" o/s version only mean a "repop" to you?

Good luck with it Zed, make what you want when you want and live the dream  :daumenhoch:.

 :daumenhoch:  cheers mate, ive been talking with ian the welder today, and all good , the first 20icher should be made by the cin ride, its going to be cool, im not given anything away, but this bike will show how good ian is at making frames,   ;) and people will get a chance to see it,  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: generallee on September 16, 2007, 10:45 AM
Aed - all power to you , its a great idea and very brave... good luck dude!
But as for the name - Pleease dont call it Zed bikes as also being into mountain bikes myslef, there was a Dawes [uk bike company] spin off company that madeawful awful tbs's and they were called... you guessed it - Zed.
They were of the ear of overbuilt but cheap heavy foul mtbs's... so for me if I saw a bike with Zed on it I would have horrible flashbacks!
However, I dont wanna dis your login name, afetr all, im just named afetr an ornge car!
steve
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: Dingobmxer on September 16, 2007, 11:07 AM


UK version of Kappa but with quality engineering and paint! Why not, might not make you loads of money but if its something you enjoy then go for it.

Dialled bikes took the plunge, ok not with retro style frames but he seems to be doing ok.  :4_17_5:



Nothing wrong with Kappa's quality and paint  :shocked:

Now Supercross are a different matter


Good luck ZED, I might fancy a 26" looptail frame

 :) DINGO :)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 16, 2007, 02:07 PM
cheers lads, the 26 will have a looptail dingo  ;) ive decided to call it O.F bike .co  (old fart sbikes)   ;)
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: connemara on September 16, 2007, 02:44 PM
O.F. Bikes sounds like a good name, Zed. :daumenhoch:

Can't wait to see the first frame. Are you making forks too?

Any pics Yet??? :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: A rad survey on my new buisness venture,
Post by: zed4130 on September 16, 2007, 02:51 PM
O.F. Bikes sounds like a good name, Zed. :daumenhoch:

Can't wait to see the first frame. Are you making forks too?

Any pics Yet??? :daumenhoch:

yep forks aswell,  :daumenhoch: no pics yet, ill post it when all done, and poss take it on the cin ride  :daumenhoch:
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