How do I find a Bike Builder?

I'm gonna make an offer. I'll set up a domain and a basic webpage, free registration, for anyone who wants it known that they will build bikes. Sort of a registry - perhaps a link to this forum, maybe others. Basically, it would let folks say what they can/will build, where they are located, how they can be contacted, maybe post a pic or two. Done correctly, any visitor could just run a basic search for location and find out who is closest.

Is there any interest in such?
 
I'm gonna make an offer. I'll set up a domain and a basic webpage, free registration, for anyone who wants it known that they will build bikes. Sort of a registry - perhaps a link to this forum, maybe others. Basically, it would let folks say what they can/will build, where they are located, how they can be contacted, maybe post a pic or two. Done correctly, any visitor could just run a basic search for location and find out who is closest.

Is there any interest in such?
Nice of you to offer but think it out.

98% of everything required is already here. The only bits that need to be added to the member information fields are:
Structured locality fields - Country, City, Locality;
Telephone contact field; and
A searchable field that identifies whether a member is looking for business as a builder.

I had a little fiddle with the advanced search facility on the member list and it is quite do-able.

But as Mountainman correctly points out, there are other issues in the business world that need to be dealt with. Therefore it might be a good idea to start an area of the forum dedicated to commercial bike building.
 
Good points, HP. I agree with your basic point, but a significant number of the users here are at most casual users of computers, not terribly familiar with doing forum searches in an efficient way, and can have difficulty finding what they want to know.

I'm not proposing a new forum in any way. nor do I necessarily agree that just adding yet another subforum here is necessary or terribly useful. Frankly, the number of persons interested in actually building bikes for others doesn't seem terribly large, just based on this forums posts and those on other biking forums.

What I have in mind is more of a reference page where builders can give a summary of their interests/expertise, maybe a couple pics of their work, and make it as straight forward as possible for the casual user to enter their location (perhaps by zip/postal code) and find out what builders are fairly close to them.

If that idea appeals, then I'd suggest that a simple clickable button in the vendors area is all this forum would then need, that opens the reference site. In all honesty, the forum is already very "busy" in terms of the number and specificity of the subfora. I'm not sure a new additional subforum is warranted.

Mostly, since I'm in the apartment pretty much 24/7, my health issues are escalating, and I'm not able to provide custon design/fabrication services as a builder myself, I see this as an idea of a way to contribute to a community that I derive great pleasure and mental stimulation from.

So, if there's significant interest, I'd be glad to follow through on my offer.
 
Good points, HP. I agree with your basic point, but a significant number of the users here are at most casual users of computers, not terribly familiar with doing forum searches in an efficient way, and can have difficulty finding what they want to know. Agreed

I'm not proposing a new forum in any way. nor do I necessarily agree that just adding yet another subforum here is necessary or terribly useful. Frankly, the number of persons interested in actually building bikes for others doesn't seem terribly large, just based on this forums posts and those on other biking forums. Also agreed. On average, there's about 10 visitors to 1 member. No-one actually knows anything about them and some of them could be looking for a bike builder or simply fishing for info.

What I have in mind is more of a reference page where builders can give a summary of their interests/expertise, maybe a couple pics of their work, and make it as straight forward as possible for the casual user to enter their location (perhaps by zip/postal code) and find out what builders are fairly close to them. I think that is an excellent idea, but I think that could already be done in the forum. Problem is that there is no way to find bike builders by locality on the forum. I will set up something on the HybriPed site, but it really needs to be a Google Maps sort-of thing

If that idea appeals, then I'd suggest that a simple clickable button in the vendors area is all this forum would then need, that opens the reference site. In all honesty, the forum is already very "busy" in terms of the number and specificity of the subfora. I'm not sure a new additional subforum is warranted. At present, that is probably correct and it probably would never be popular. However, I see it as a chicken and egg thing - if it is not there, you don't know.
Mostly, since I'm in the apartment pretty much 24/7, my health issues are escalating, and I'm not able to provide custon design/fabrication services as a builder myself, I see this as an idea of a way to contribute to a community that I derive great pleasure and mental stimulation from. It's great that you are participating - Have you thought of offering to moderate?

So, if there's significant interest, I'd be glad to follow through on my offer.
Gday SimpleSimon. Comments in red

BTW. I've changed my name - was HybriPed.
 
yeah it has a slight edge on the concept, a listing of those who want to be on as MB-builder or MB-builder's services.

Many builders CAN build, but are limited in some areas of fabrications, milling, lathe work etc. So a listing of engineering places that are motoredbike friendly.

For example, on some bikes the rear seat down tube is larger than the kit's C-Mount and may require milling to increase inside diameter.
Or a spot of welding, minor things that require expensive lathes etc.
Then a listing of places that understand what building a MB is cos they built one or more themselves or are interested anyway.
.
Sort of a network, therefore if one goes to get a specific weld, mill, lathe, fabricate etc etc, one then does not have to hunt around and explain 100 times that it is a MB, it does 100mpg, it is made in China, yes/no/maybe and then if ya lucky ya might get to the point of what ya want doine, only to be over priced, cant be done, why don't ya do it this ways and all the rest of it.
I found a place where I can get my small jobs done, there is more required.
What's in it for them ? , "bread and butter" work.
 
Sort of a network, therefore if one goes to get a specific weld, mill, lathe, fabricate etc etc, one then does not have to hunt around and explain 100 times that it is a MB, it does 100mpg, it is made in China, yes/no/maybe and then if ya lucky ya might get to the point of what ya want doine, only to be over priced, cant be done, why don't ya do it this ways and all the rest of it.
I found a place where I can get my small jobs done, there is more required.
What's in it for them ? , "bread and butter" work.
Yep. That's it Bolts. I see it as a "bread & butter" thing too

And don't underestimate the potential for service work. I can't imagine the chick on the EziRide advert taking too kindly to getting her fingers greasy. I hope noone is offended by this comment, but MBs are mainly a bloke thing and 1/2 the population is naturally precluded from participating.
 
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I can't imagine the chick on the EziRide advert taking too kindly to getting her fingers greasy. I hope noone is offended by this comment, but MBs are mainly a bloke thing


Wrong, look at history, the motor car was blokey thing tilll they got it almost right, then the ladies wanted one to. Then the inventions commenced, starter motors, auto-trasmissions, radios, cig lighters, power windows, windscreen wipers, convertables, crusie control GPS, kerbside reverse tracking beepers
So don't under estimate them, they may want remote controlled telescopic trainer wheels with memory sonar height detection, and all this to run off the white wire !
 
Wrong, look at history, the motor car was blokey thing tilll they got it almost right, then the ladies wanted one to. ...
That's my point exactly, Bolts.

The ladies would love to have one, but they don't want to get their fingers greasy. And its not only the ladies, but most blokes as well. My brother was a banker and the sort of guy who would could not tell one end of a screwdriver from the other.

That's why there is an industry in roadside service, routine service etc etc. The core problem with MABs are that they are a bit messy.

A lot of people I speak to want an e-bike and they don't care that it costs a squillion and they don't know that it won't do what they want it to do. Environmental footprint is similar - one runs on coal, the other runs on gas. The e-bike is 'clean'. That's all.
 
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