Small Builder Series: Getting to Know Greg from Axial Bikes (On-Trail Interview)

[@hardtailparty]

I loved creating this video, but it was a lot of work. Would you like to see more of these? If these get enough views and watch time, I'd be happy to make more.

[@AxialBikes]

Thanks for the feature, it was great to ride with you!

[@billbelgum9770]

Great interview, Steve! Please keep making these videos.

[@im4buzz]

You do amazing work Greg. Love that I get to see your builds at all the events here in Cañon. Come ride our trials Steve. We'd love to show you around.

[@hardtailparty]

@@im4buzz sounds like a blast. Hopefully I make it down there sooner than later.

[@poetac15]

The on-trail interview concept needs to be a regular thing! So good.

[@vindeta360]

Awesome video! It was really cool to learn all those litle random nuances that he knows! I enjoyed the "just 2 buddy's riding a trail chatting about bikes" vibe.

[@anthonytalevich7601]

I enjoy these on trail small builder rides, very cool!

[@thomaskuhn6541]

Love these small builder videos, keep them coming.

[@shaunroach7829]

Great Jon Steve!!! It was great hearing about the brand and what Greg brings to the table to build a custom frame!!! Even better getting to see and know a little more about the person behind it. Steve your channel offers uniqueness that other’s don’t, this feature of getting to know custom builders is fantastic!!! Well done and great job 👍 can’t wait to see the review of your custom build!!!

[@gs_weiss]

Crazy timing, I've been slowly getting back into cycling this past year. Found this channel a while ago and only recently subscribed. Yesterday while looking at track bike parts I found tubesets and started going down the youtube rabbit hole of brazing and looking for classes. Saw the Cobra guy's channel you mentioned, and found some schools, then I see this. It must be starting to trend which is pretty cool.

[@johnnydoe66]

I hope to one day have a custom hardtail built. It's funny that riders still disagree on which is better, hardtail or full suss, road, gravel, or mtn. No bike is perfect because no rider is the same, like the analogy you used of "Mexican or Chinese food", kinda like coffee, some want black and others like my wife want cream w/ a splash of coffee...lol. I still get asked if I regret buying a plus hardtail vs. a full suspension and my answer is still, "Not one bit". I am turning 56 next month, have been riding mtn bikes for 30 yrs now and always seem to be drawn to the simple HT. I ride techy trails and still go on exploratory rides with barely any plans and have so much fun, even in "bad" weather.

[@AxialBikes]

Yeah, I love exploring and any bike that gets you out there is a good one

[@hardmtnbiker]

Getting custom, especially from a smaller builder will be an experience that you will treasure. I’m sure you will appreciate your frame and consider it a work of art. Thanks for an interesting “on the trails” interview!

[@friendlyperson5095]

I’m mitring & brazing my 1st bike frame - a hardtail mtb! I subscribed & have been inspired by your channel during the process! And I learn several nuggets from these custom builder interviews ! So cool that you ride trail while interviewing! Thank you Steve!

[@hardtailparty]

Awesome! You're a few steps ahead of me, though I'm not sure I'll ever mitre my own tubes.

[@lostman65]

great looking bikes! axial bikes is in canyon city colorado, if every you have a chance to go there... bring your bike. they have some of the best trails on the front range. flowy-chunk!

[@cycling_plurality]

So awesome. I am seriously going to consider a custom build!

[@pauls3616]

Fantastic. So great to see these frame builders come out and ride with you. Thanks HP for the video.

[@hardtailparty]

It's been so much fun to learn from them and see what makes their bikes special.

[@reggieringgoldjr68]

Very interesting and informative Video, I didn't realize how a bike was welded together to introduce flex in it. That's very interesting Steve, and I appreciate it. 🤝🏾🇺🇸💪🏾👍🏾

[@paulfraley7990]

Thanks for the effort putting this together. Great video.

[@BrandonMeyer1641]

The color scheme on his frame is beautiful.

[@AxialBikes]

Thanks!

[@slimdog72]

Loved the ride a long, thanks.

[@collinkendall2028]

Love this type of video.

[@hardtailparty]

Great feedback, thanks. I hope to be able to do a lot more.

[@ZhefeiLi]

+1, this is a great format. It's so helpful hearing more about the thought process and background in a casual setting. Great audio setup too.

[@William.N]

Great interview!

[@howardmontaque8147]

Very unique interview!

[@glenzigdan]

Super interesting! Thanks very much

[@fernandopavao3994]

Great talk! Greg seems like he has a lot to share. I'm a framebuilder myself but mostly gravel and road bikes, just recently started working with hardtails and still have limited experience in riding them on harder trails. I've done some frames with 1/2" x .9mm seat stays and was wondering if it would be too cushy. Thanks Greg for confirming that this can actually be good haha. Just recently discovered your channel and it has been great help. Some more videos in depth about geometry would be great. Also videos about tubes main and rear triangle could be great, but it might be too nerdy for non builders (and also actually bother some builders as someone ordering a custom bike will want to chime in and choose every single tube in the frame without a vision for the whole. Had this happen with me some times haha)

[@hardtailparty]

1/2" was narrower than he initially wanted to make, and it's quite flexy. But I love a flexy bike.

[@lincolnfamilyadventures]

very great and informative on custom frames! it sure has my interest for when i would get a new ride for in the future. what camera do you use to record with?

[@kovenant7]

What model Axial bike is the blue bike? Seems like a real dream bike!

[@danielhartwig3150]

I love the small builder video series. So insightful and fun to watch. Were you ever in touch with Chris Cance? I would love to see you on a Fat Chance Yo Eddy. This bike was such a cult in the 80/90's. The re designed version looks beautiful.

[@8ClayA2]

Are you guys riding mezcal trail? It looks familiar but I wasn’t quite sure

[@hardtailparty]

Nope, not on this trail, but it's not too far away. Mescal isn't this fast.

[@michaelwhite5834]

I have had great FS bikes. Why do I never ride them? Hardtails make me happy. I’ve never really understood.

[@kathardt-holoch4361]

Guess I'm a super nerd as I found this really interesting!

[@hardtailparty]

It's a small, but passionate club

[@ZacTexC]

I love my Canfield Yelli but ever time I ride it I’m like should I have got a M instead of a L? I’m going to get with Axial since Canon City is close enough by way of Denver. Plus, having a custom bike would make life a lot better I assume?!

[@AxialBikes]

Come on down and let's go for a ride!

[@czechnolike]

I wonder what you guys think of 3d printing of parts and using adhesive instead of welding in the future. Seems like more companies could be using a totally different build method.

[@hardtailparty]

There are a handful of companies using 3d printed parts. Brújula, manzanita, and I believe great at axial does too. Im a fan of welding metal but I know companies like pole use glue.

[@ctsingletrack]

I just recently saw a video of Atherton bikes being assembled with carbon tubes being bonded into titanium yokes. I'm not in love with the look, but it will be interesting to see if it catches on.

[@3crowsfarm16]

I remember Chris DeKerf tried bonding a hardtail together aboit 20 years ago. It didn't work very well, but I'm sure he learned a lot!

[@edritchie270]

We use 3D parts at my work and I’m surprised at how nice they weld up having a rougher than a machined part look to them. Maybe a whole 3D printed frame ?

[@AxialBikes]

Bonding with adhesive is a method of connecting materials that can't often be joined in other ways. It's well proven in the automotive industry with examples like the Lotus Elise which is a bonded aluminum frame. Some AL alloys can't be welded or heated. 3D printing doesn't make welding impossible, and some metals can be joined by welds or brazing. Stainless can be joined to mild or cromoly steel with tig or brazing. Adhesive bonding can work, but there's no advantage to it if welding or brazing is available. It has a limited lifespan, as do all composites. The lifespan of the epoxy bond depends mostly on UV exposure. Additive mfg has its place in complex and iterative design. But for standard high-volume and strength-dependent pieces, cast or especially forged parts will be cheaper and stronger. CNC'd parts are really where 3D printing will offer stiffer competition due to material waste.

[@hansonwang2121]

Awesome video thanks for sharing. What’s your first impression of Hayes brakes?

[@hardtailparty]

I've ridden Hayes before, but never the dominions. They felt good to me.

[@ericpmoss]

Ooh, you haven’t tried a Brooks. If you haven’t tried any leather saddle, try an Ideale or Berthoud from France, or Selle Anatomica from the US.

[@hardtailparty]

I feel like the leather saddle rabbit hole has no end. So many people end up spending hundreds if not thousands swapping between leather models, waiting a long time for them to break in. I've ridden friends' bikes with brooks on them, but I've never owned one. Could be fun, but I feel like it'd take a lot of experimentation to get the right one.

[@AxialBikes]

I like their rubber Cambium line too. Works on the same principle of suspending the saddle material between the front and back, but has no break-in period and no maintenance. Both are great!

[@notice_fpv]

Very curious about how you communicated so clearly. It didn't seem to matter how much distance was between you...

[@hardtailparty]

We both had separate microphones on. But we were close enough to hear each other for the Convo.

[@mikej1348]

I liked the video but got a little hung up watching the delicious trail you were riding. I would like to see the bike’s details close up at your showroom/shop. Maybe 50/50 trail/showroom?

[@hardtailparty]

See the first look vid I release of this bike, where the full details are close up

[@mikej1348]

Thanks for the correction