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Let’s Make Things Again

We stumbled upon this video a couple of days ago. It shows the Raleigh factory at full steam in the mid 1940s. They made everything, from rolling their own tubes to forging bottom bracket shells, to custom-forming the handlebars and fenders. We were especially taken by the footage of the “paint room”, which consisted of a lively gent plunging frame and blatantly gloveless hand into a roiling vat of black paint. Probably wouldn’t survive OSHA scrutiny today, but efficient nonetheless. It made us long for the days when people made things. With their hands. Their paint-stained, file-roughened hands.

Disclaimer: UBI does not necessarily endorse some of the production methods depicted herein. Though we fully endorse shop salespeople dressing like dentists again. So PRO.

May 19 FOX Master Tech Clinic is Full!

Learn FOX suspension tech at UBI!

The first FOX Master Tech Clinic in Portland is full. The following clinic in Portland on June 23 still has some space in it.

You can sign up here.

Did we mention that the tuition price includes your very own FOX fork?

There will be two more sessions later in the year at UBI Ashland, in September and November.

UBI Students Help Build Ashland Trails

: UBI Students rock the Bandersnatch Trail. Nathan Riddle supervises.

: Not a bad location for a trail, eh?

: Shovel leaners? These are not UBI students.

: The trail shuttle. Is this legal?

: Whistle while you march.

Our April 2 Ashland Professional Repair and Shop Operation class proved to be a group that craved action. Case in point: trail building day in the Ashland watershed.

As part of the Ashland Woodlands and Trails Association’s plan to expand the trail network in the mountains above town, a major fundraising and trail building efforthas been underway.

The plan envisions trails that will appeal separately to downhill and XC mountain bike riders, hikers and equestrians. For example, steep, technical downhill mountain bike trails are not that fun for hikers, and flatter hiking trails are not much fun on a DH bike. That way, Ashland’s trail system will tend to segregate users using terrain rather than the long arm of the law. Something for everybody.

With that kind of spirit, the Association’s trail building parties have attracted scores of volunteers from all user groups: mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers, and equestrians.

So on April 7, UBI instructors Matt Eames and Nathan Riddle joined nine members of the Professional Repair class in helping build the new Bandersnatch trail (just approved by the City of Ashland). Such is the spirit of these events — and of this particular class — that not only do these students not live in Ashland, the Bandersnatch trail isn’t even a biking trail! Didn’t matter! Work got done! And what helps one trail helps all trails.

Pictures by Hernan Carrillo.

Coming to UBI Portland from Seattle? Here’s a new low-cost travel option!

There’s a new bus service linking Portland and Seattle called Bolt Bus. It’s a division of Greyhound, and Bolt Bus has CHEAP fares. One-way tickets from Seattle to Portland are around 8 – 10 bucks, and if you book far enough in advance, fares drop as low as $1.

They will transport your bike, too.

There’s more on this new service over at bikeportland.org.

Spots in Frame Building Classes Getting Scarce

UBI’s frame building classes are filling up for the rest of 2012, so if you’re on the fence about enrolling, you might consider hopping off and running over to our web site to sign up. Here’s what’s left this year:

PORTLAND:
June 11 – 22 Steel Brazing – One spot has opened up!
October 1- 12 Steel Brazing – ~~3 spots~~ 2 spots
December 3 – 14 Steel Brazing – ~~5 spots~~ 4 spots

All other Portland classes are full.

ASHLAND:
July 30 – August 10 Steel TIG – ~~3 spots~~ 2 spots
September 10 – 21 Steel Brazing – 2 spots
October 22 – November 2 Steel Brazing – ~~3 spots~~ 2 spots

All other Ashland frame classes are full.

Sea Otter!

Come visit us at Sea Otter this week! Ron, Matt, Jeff, Steve and Nathan will all be there. Look for our bright blue pop-up tent — we’re booth No. 242.

Nathan will also be shredding the downhill, so watch for him on the DH course!

Major Taylor Mural on UBI Building?

Some Portland artists are raising funds to paint a mural of Major Taylor on the side of UBI’s frame shop in Portland. More on the story over at bikeportland.org

LivGiant at UBI

: Nica (left) and Val from LivGiant.

: LivGiant trucks took up their share of space at UBI Ashland.

Giant’s women’s bike program LivGiant, has been sending their reps to UBI this year for mechanics training. LivGiant’s Val Vanderpool, from Washington state, and Nica Novlesky, from BC Canada, just completed our Professional Repair and Shop Operation class in Ashland this week. They said it was cool to hang out together and get their hands dirty at UBI. Watch for their LivGiant trucks out on the road in the coming months.

Group Hugs: It’s an Ashland Thing

Feel the love! Today's Professional Repair class in Ashland.

UBI offers a lot to our students: a great education, good after-class riding, and lasting friendship. In fact, we know of at least one marriage that resulted from UBI attendance.

But we’ve never seen this before. The students in the Professional Repair class that wrapped up this afternoon in Ashland finished their graduation ceremony with a group hug. For those of us UBI staff who’ve lived in Ashland for a while, group hugs are not new. They happen a lot here — even in official public meetings.

But this is a first for UBI.

We’re now working on integrating trust falls into the Suspension Seminar.

Opening in June 11 Brazing Class in Portland

Braze your own sweet steel frame!

A spot just opened in the June 11 Steel Brazing Frame Building class in Portland! This class has been full for months. And months. You can register on our web site.

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