Davis,
I did not see Dave Kirk at the framebuilders show; probably because
he has all the business he can handle because he's building super
nice straight-up lugged steel frames for real reasonable money and a
reasonable wait time, I assume also. His work is top notch, cleaner
than typical of many top builders and with a few nice design twists
to give the frames personality and an identity of their own. He
employs the best OEM painter in the business, that being Joe Bell of
course, and the resulting product is what you see. And he builds a
varity of frames and designs; he's not a "your bike, my design" kind
of builder.
I see these bikes without paint on them all the time when I visit JB,
and they come in absolutely beautiful and ready to paint; a painters
dream. I approve heartily of the work Dave Kirk is doing. Everything
about them is tasteful and I especially like the graphics and the way
JB and DK work the combinations together. Outstanding!
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA
I know what I like when I see it.
I saw a neat bike today at the start of my Saturday morning ride. It
was
a new Kirk lugged steel frame, a builder I was unaware of until
today.
After visiting the builders website
http://www.kirkframeworks.com/
fits
in with what I have heard of the KOF ideals. The frame had what I
believe are "Newvex" lugs and fork crown, and had what he refers to
as
"Terraplane" seat stays, which are kind of like Hetchins curly stays,
but bend the opposite way. The frame had fender/luggage mounting
bosses,
a handmade lugged steel stem, a tan Brooks titanium Swallow saddle,
and
a beautiful red and white Joe Bell paint job. Other than that, the
equipment was off topic, but it was still a refreshing sight at the
coffee shop, where my Condor is often the only steel bike out of 20
or
30. On the other hand my bike usually generates more positive
comments
than the sea of carbon and light alloy frames that surround it. Does
David Kirk participate in the NAHBS?
Davis Jensen
Lomita, CA