Yep. Ten years of building frames for a total of twenty four years of working on bikes professionally in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Wow. No special editions, no big parties, none of that. just work as usual, which if you think about it, is the reason I'm in the place to even write this post. Wow, again.
So, I had in my head a big blog post full of this and that, but true to my work ethic I'm going to keep it strictly to business and not get too frilly.
Frames are going to get more expensive. That's the way it's going to be.
Why? Well, for one thing, and likely the elephant in the room, my costs of goods has doubled roughly since I last set my frame prices. Doubled. In some cases, quadrupled. For real.
I *could* use cast parts made under who-knows-what conditions and mystery tubes that cut different batch to batch, but instead I go to great lengths to use nothing but Made in the USA parts.
Why? Because I value my job. And, I want others to have the same privilege (and, right, in my mind) to make a living in this country in a honest manner in which our previous generations have. I greatly believe in this. It's one of my credos.
I know the people who make my goods. I can call them. they are good people. I want them to prosper, and in a selfish way, I want them there to make stuff for me!
I have gotten to the place in my career where I want, no, NEED to make the highest quality bike I can make, in the world, ever. There is no other attraction in it for me. I cannot get out of bed for anything less.
In this vein, all my distributors have gotten raises over the years, hence the increase in my COGS (Cost Of Goods Sold) to continue to be viable, and provide my services to people, I must follow suit.
Some of the fine people I am proud to use and support:
Paragon Machine Works: Every bottom bracket shell in every bike, many of my drop outs, and now head tubes. California.
True Temper Tubing: most of my tubing, much of it custom drawn. Tennessee, Mississippi.
Aufhauser: filler metals, brass, silver alloys.
Design Engineering: braze ons - Iowa.
Gasflux Co: fluxes. iowa?
Anvil Bike Works: jigs & fixtures - Colorado.
Bringheli: tooling, imported of the only non-USA tubes, Dedacciai, made in Italy, Joe Bringheli is in Ohio.
Iron Horse Powder and Spectrum powder Works - paint, Arizona and Colorado.
And parts: DT-Swiss spokes, Phil Wood, Chris King, Hadley, Paul, White Industries, ect. - If I can source it from the USA and put my fellow laborers to work, I will. It means tons to me - I am a third generation metalworker - these people are my grandfather, my father, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins, my peers, my friends. I care about them.
So, how is this going to go down?
Well. for one thing, 2013 is closed to orders - FULL.
Taking orders as of this post for February, 2014.
I have one more frame coming up, about as average a frame as I make, and I'm going to time myself, add all the COGS, and see what i make an hour. I did this 4-5 years ago, and as i said, the COGS have went up considerably.
I guarantee I will be making somewhere in the teens of dollars per hour, and i need to squeak out a little more, for 25 years of trying to perfect my gig, and to keep myself and others employed, and continue to make the best damn bikes I can, for people like you.
Prices are fixed at the current level for everyone already in the queue, AND, if you get in an order postmarked before February 28th, 2013 you too will get a frame at the current base price ($1700.00)
What will it be raised to? I honestly don't know. I want to earn a fair wage compensation, while providing the absolute highest quality at a very reasonable price.
I'll post the roundup of the COGS and all for everyone to see - I think it will be educational for all.
PS - if 2014's build queue list does fill (I know how many frames I will build a year from now on, max) I will close the queue until caught up. I cannot entertain the concept of crystal-balling the future beyond two years, and to be frank, I don't want to hold that much money in deposits in limbo, that's killed better builders then I in cases of tragedy or duress. Not Going There.
Questions? Please let me know, and boy-howdy - thanks SO much to EVERYONE who made this possible, your support, patience, and trust.
THANK YOU!
- Steve Garro.
