Bicycle Framebuilding School

Koichi Yamaguchi watches over as a student brazes the seat tube to bottom bracket.

Many US National team members rode Yamaguchi frames to compete at US Nationals, World Championships and Olympic Games - now you can learn the art of bicycle framebuilding from the former Official US Olympic / National team master framebuilder Koichi Yamaguchi.

Besides being a master frame builder, Koichi is also a Category 1 certified race mechanic. He has traveled with US National Teams and wrenched a number of World Championships and Olympic Games.

His teaching style is hands-on and unlike other frame building schools, Koichi only teaches a small number of students (maximum 3) at a time so you can have the master's attention all the time.

2-week Framebuilding Course

Duration: 2 weeks (10 days w/weekend off)
Tuition Cost: ~
A ~ deposit, along with your signed application is required to reserve a place in class. The remaining ~ balance is due on the 1st day of class.
Tuition deposit is refundable only if a student cancels in writing at least 60 days prior to the class date.

3 students maximum per course

Proper fitting of the dropout to fork blade

In this course you will build a bicycle frame and fork. Instruction starts with how to blue print your frame and covers everything start to finish.

Frame type design is your choice of road, track, Cyclocross (No BMX, tandem, touring, MTB due to lack of time and special fixture set-ups required to build such frames).

Topics covered:

Basic Cr.Mo Brazing
Body measurement
Frame Geometry
Tubing Selection
Tube Mitering
Tool Selection & Use
Jig Setup & Use
Equipment Setup
Tube Prep
Brazing (Lug and lug less)
Build frame & fork
Finish Work

Stem Building Course

Duration: 1 day
Tuition Cost: ~ A deposit is required to reserve a place in class. The remaining ~ balance is due on the first class day.
Tuition deposit is refundable only if a student cancels in writing at least 60 days prior to the class date.

Yamaguchi Frame Building School offers a custom Stem Building Course to students who have attended or who are attending the Yamaguchi Frame Building School. The Stem Building Course happens the Saturday between the two-week Frame Building School. You will use fine aircraft quality Cr.Mo. tubing, lugless fillet braze and finish the stem. Master builder Koichi Yamaguchi will step by step teach you how to build a stem. You can design your own stem. You have your choice of building a road, track or mountain bike stem in 1" or 1"1/8 quill or threadless type.

The course includes stem geometry, blueprinting, tube prepping, jig set-up, brazing and finishing. Your finished stem will be ready to send to a painter of your choice.

Your tuition includes instruction, the Yamaguchi Stem Building Handbook, use of facilities (under supervision), tools and instruction materials.

Apply / FAQ