The BEST Framebuilder you’ve never heard of: Meriwether

[@jasper5945]

20% here for the bikes, 80% for the cats

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Whit said next time I visit, it can be 100% cats!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

This video was a fun one. I have been trying to make the videos longer while still keeping them entertaining. This one reached 16min! Thanks for watching!

[@wertywerty999]

It felt like 3 minutes! The mix of really good interviews, technical wizardry, and history lessons is so unbelievably rad. Thanks for letting us in!

[@shawnpedersen9373]

So happy to see this. Whit has been an inspiration as a hobby builder for the last 10 years and great friend to bounce weird ideas and questions off. Thanks,Whit.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

He has helped many people, including me!

[@johnprolly]

I love my Ponderosa. Whit's an exceptional builder. Thanks for this, Daniel!

[@reneegudjon3204]

Fabulous looking bikes. And a great guy

[@yumyumhungry]

@3:05 oh look the bike shop that saved my tour divide when no one else had cinch cranks. I remember sitting on that blue swing bench for a few hours waiting for them to open and contemplating my fate.

[@anthonyd9984]

Thanks for featuring this guy! Great story

[@chadkline4268]

I agree about bigger wheel diameters. I am all for 33 or 36in wheels and longer chain stays as someone over 6ft. Tight turn radius is not as important to me as a low center of gravity between the wheels while maintaining ground clearance. It's difficult to climb rough ground without flipping over backwards on current designs, at least for taller men. The wheelbases are too short and center of gravity over the axles too high. And most all the weight is over the rear axle, which is where most cargo loads sit as well. The weight on a bicycle needs lower and more even distribution on the axles which necessitates longer chain stays. Like 6in. If you're over 6ft, modern frames are like a unicycle with a steering wheel.

[@biosfearmag]

Cool to see the skateboard stickers throughout the shop. I got more in biking after my last major skate injury in my early 40s. Seems to be a common transition.

[@keirfarnum6811]

That happened to me in the early 90s. Blew my knee out ski racing and couldn’t street skate any more; so I switched to mountain biking to help rehab the knee. Those skating skills were useful in mtb bike handling for sure.

[@Alex_564]

This was a great video, thank you. If I already didn't have a custom on order, I'd be looking at the Ponderosa, as it's close to what I ordered. I think it would be cool to see an interview with Moth Attack bikes, as she has some cool stuff out there. Also, some of the builders out in BC, like Paul Brodie of Brodie bikes & Em of WZRD bikes.

[@slowwerthensnot]

Fantastic video, miss riding with Whitt in Nederland

[@ccbredeson]

This was a great interview. I loved the blend of riding, shop tour, and interview. It would be great if you went back to show some of bikes you hinted at. Keep up the great work.

[@outtatrex]

Thanks, this guy makes amazing bikes ! I love all the machinery in his shop.

[@jackferris999]

Great video. Would love to see the stars align on a video with Rick Hunter.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

He’s very elusive, but you are right, would be a fun visit.

[@ductrung3993]

Perfect timing! Was trying to look for ways to fit big tires while keeping a short 430 CS 😁

[@mmpolverefango9578]

My favorite builder!❤❤

[@SveduP3ll3]

Fascinating! More, please!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Who should I visit next? Retrotec? Sycip?

[@jamestaheny4969]

Hunter

[@GHinWI]

@@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT: Calfee?

[@TeunS133N]

Super cool video, thanks for making it

[@ornotbike]

That flexy seatpost!

[@dallasshelp6270]

This was awesome, thank you both❤️ gorgeous bikes

[@valera4021]

Good video man. I'm appreciate what u do, with best regards from Urals mountain

[@PithyBikes]

Great video! It’s cool to see my idols in such a casual setting.

[@hongquan2574]

Only the biggest bike (forum) nerds know about Meriwether. I'm running 2.1" tires on my latest gravel bike, and it's great! You should really interview Paul from Rock Lobster next! (Come down for Surf City CX this Sunday)

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Ohh great suggestion!

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

Great vid! Spotted one of our old Safety Third stickers :)

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Thanks! Alt bike daddy noticed me!

[@euantan1167]

That bike looks so good! I'm torn between the ponderosa or the Illusive Artefact Eterna Bike

[@paulvoss733]

Great video, really appreciate his approach to bikes and you taking time to make this video. I don't understand the "alt bike" worlds disdain for racing. True I don't race (my wife does, amateur/masters, nothing serious), and true I think the best forms of bike racing are, in order, cyclocross, then xc, road, and somewhere very near the bottom would be crits. But watching and attending races for a long time now I would have to say that watching people who are really good at bikes has always inspired me to ride more and get better. And whilst I dislike carbon fiber there is a lot of other tech I don't hate.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

@@paulvoss733 agreed. I go to races I order to push myself! I know I can go deeper because there are aid stations and paramedics on standby 😂

[@slimdog72]

Thanks for this Daniel. I love his twin top tube fat bikes.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Twin top tube fat bike is his signature haha

[@Billy-cs4cc]

Great vid. Cats are a plus.❤

[@dcv9460]

Awesome bike! 😎💯👍

[@batbawls]

Love it, very impressed

[@ThriftyFramebuilder]

You got to ride the canal trails! I’ve wanted to do that ever since he first started posting pics of that trail.

[@Daniel-yf9iy]

Beautiful bikes! I did a century on my Kona Rove DL and it was very comfortable and enjoyable. However, I did not plan on riding fast.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Rad! 100mi is hard no matter the bike or speed

[@jeffpittman8725]

I keep hoping to see a custom frame builder use a front derailer.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Front derailleur is limited to a 45mm tire. Any bigger and the tire hits the front derailleur!

[@lynxg4641]

I've heard of him, actually fairly well known if you're anything into mountain bikes and spec/build your bikes instead of buying "off the shelf" bikes. He builds some really nice stuff, love that softtail. One curious question...from the drawing of the bike you showed, it looked like he measures/sets the Reach & Stack differently to pretty much everyone else, at the bottom of the HT instead of the top, is that correct? Looking at that drawing it states a 500mm Reach to the bottom of the HT, but that would be more like 470mm going by the standard way or roughly there using the 40mm TT intersection with the ST on the drawing and Stack would be more like 600mm instead of the listed 510mm. If this is how he measures those measurements it would be VERY critical to know if you're accustomed to the industry standard way of measuring them and getting the sizing right.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

The drawing shown is the "fabrication" drawing. It shows how to set up the frame fixture and the length of the tubes. The fit/handling drawings are what you would expect!

[@lynxg4641]

OK, I was wondering if maybe that's what it was, but no idea on frame building so, but made sense to be able to measure to those points easier for the jigging.

[@douglasryle6499]

Love your videos!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Thanks! I get to see and do some really cool things while building frames. Its awesome that I get to share!

[@michaelmartin7902]

That video was filmed in Penryn ca

[@austinsp00l24]

Fun vid.

[@ThriftyFramebuilder]

13:00 I was wearing those same socks on my ride today!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Gotta support the radavist! The blue pair is my favorite

[@ThriftyFramebuilder]

I was wearing the Meriwether ones! Although the Radavist ones are cool too. 😉

[@jedunboxing4127]

So his gravel bikes use 50mm tires or larger that means its like 29er mtb tires on a steel roadbike?

[@johnprolly]

The tubing is a bit more robust than what would be specced on a road bike. Road bike tubing isn't really engineered to be ridden hard on dirt. But yes, it is a drop bar bike with skinny-ish tubes, designed for a 2.3" tire.

[@jedunboxing4127]

@@johnprolly does he sell the frame in asia? Im in the Philippines

[@mohomoho1]

Pay a visit to Chris Herting of 3D Racing in Colorado. One of the original guys at Yeti. He looks very fast. I'm sure the bikes he builds are superb.

[@aintnobodygottime4dat]

Where's that seat post available from?

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Whit builds seat posts and stem, you can reach out to him via his website!

[@gregj7916]

I'm from oz, really liking the workshop and hating those bloody cats...

[@alexander.sollie]

Is 200k really “all” it would cost to kickstart a larger tire diameter? I feel like 20 tall bike nerds need to pony up!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

I know… it’s very doable. Big bike companies never want to take the risk. Also, it’s a chicken and egg problem. How to test a new standard without committing to it first???

[@alexander.sollie]

@@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT Yeah, I’m very intrigued by it but aside from making bikes look more proportional I’m not sure the benefits would outweigh the… weight.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

@@alexander.sollieI could see it happening… everyone is going to 29x2.1-2.3 on gravel bikes. A 750dx50mm would probably be faster… I would love to make a flat bar gravel bike with 750d!

[@davehause8571]

Racing is a great way to learn how to DRIVE your bike rather than just RIDIING it.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Well put! Agreed!

[@wheelzandgillz]

The design to run bigger than 40mm race day "gravel tires" is waay ahead of his time! I'm no racer I've entered the same 100mile 6k ft elevation gravel race for 2 seperate years and came 2nd to last the first year and dead last the second year. I can put in between 100-200miles a week if circumstances allow 90% on gravel and lemme tell you for the everyday non racing graveleer the 40-50mm'ish spectrum of gravel tires is a scam, there's just not enough volume to provide adequate comfort and good rolling resistance, I can get 1,000-1,500miles out of a "gravel" specific tire if I'm lucky not to slash it, for the non raceday rider I personally believe 2-2.3 is where it should be. I've finally gotten tired of buying these 42mm gravel tires and dimpled my steel frame to take 2.2 cross country tires which offer a tremendous amount of comfort with good rolling resistance at low pressures, right now I'm at 15psi front and 18psi rear! I can't go bellow 30psi front and 33rear on my 42mm tires without feeling like I'm riding in sand. Anyhow this was allot to put in text but I'm glad I'm finding more people who ride bigger tires for the crunchy stuff

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Totally agreed! Nice job hacking your bike with the dimples! Most gravel "races" are about survival for the average participant

[@Merp-mu1fm]

Way to almost squeeze some fatphobic shit in there....