Preparing the metal parts

Building starts with preparing the metal parts. I use the rear frame and the head tube of the Santos frame, and a straight aluminium tube as head tube for the handlebars.

The first work is chopping up a perfectly good frame. The first strokes of the saw are difficult, then there is no way back anymore.


All parts are covered in a thin layer of glass / epoxy. This increases the bonding between the fibre parts and the metal, and it prevents electrical contact between carbon fibre and metal, which could lead to galvanic corrosion.

After laminating the glass the parts are cured at room temperature in a vacuumbag. The vaccuum pump is made from a fridge compressor. Using vacuum increases the quality of the laminate considerably.