Chapman Cycles

Chapman Cycles Custom bicycles hand built in Rhode Island. http://www.chapmancycles.com/about/
(4)

05/07/2026

Modifying the PBP twin plate style fork crown casting to match the Long Shen 303 series lug set. The LC303 crown is beautiful but doesn’t have the width that I needed. Builders do not have to match the lugs to the crown but it’s really nice when they compliment each other. The fork on a bicycle is not a component but part of the frameset so they should look like they’re from the same family.

Some additional shots of this fixed gear single speed that I shared yesterday. The recurring conversations about how fix...
04/02/2026

Some additional shots of this fixed gear single speed that I shared yesterday. The recurring conversations about how fixed gears are the essence of the bicycle are not lost on me. Much less to go wrong means much less that can consume your mind when riding. This one was indeed a joy to test ride. Makes me wish my Circle A Cycles fixed gear with 28mm tires had a little more real estate!

Ted’s 650b single speed was the second of the two bikes I brought to the . As far as single speeds go, this one was a pr...
03/31/2026

Ted’s 650b single speed was the second of the two bikes I brought to the . As far as single speeds go, this one was a pretty unique build for me with the larger 48mm tires. The frame was built with lugs, Spirit for Lugs tubing, and a hand carved version of the .bikes designed Allotec twin plate crown. Super fun bike!

Here are the detail shots of Jay’s 700c light touring bike. One of my favorite parts of this build is the way the Pacent...
03/27/2026

Here are the detail shots of Jay’s 700c light touring bike. One of my favorite parts of this build is the way the Pacenti lugs came out. The brakes and racks and stem are all nice but sometimes it’s all about the lugs. I’ve carved these a bunch of times and every design is a little different. This shape seems clean and complex at the same time. I like them!

Earlier this month I had finished two bikes in preparation for the Philly Bike Expo. This is the first of the two which ...
03/26/2026

Earlier this month I had finished two bikes in preparation for the Philly Bike Expo. This is the first of the two which is a 700c rando/light touring bike. I always call the bikes that have the detachable low riders on the front “light touring”. This one was kind of intense with the hand made brakes/stem/rack set, carved Pacenti lugs, and all of the traditional box lining on the frame. It really lights up a room with the color scheme and shiny bits! Hi-res photos are over on Flickr. More detail shots coming tomorrow!

03/16/2026

Simon Firth of is the North American saddle repair specialist. He allowed me to film him at the shop replacing the top on Grant Petersen’s spent B17. It was so entertaining to watch! I’ve never posted someone else’s work on my page but it was too good not to share. Enjoy!

Side note: You’re always told that you should never meet your heroes. I got to meet Grant Petersen this weekend at the . I was a bit nervous but it turned out that he is just a human who may or may not put his pants on one leg at a time. He was very down to earth and a pleasure to talk to.

03/13/2026

So the is happening this weekend and I sometimes have t-shirts for sale but this year I thought I’d try something different. I made 10 of these brake boss mills from axle pegs and reverse spot facers. I’m not selling them here or on my site. Come see me at the expo if you want one! $40.

03/03/2026

Brazing Campagnolo track dropouts.

It’s hard to convey the difficulty in just putting one’s head down to work when there is so much wrong with the world right now. I know I’m not alone in feeling helpless. The only silver lining is that it makes me appreciate my family, friends, and the roof above my head even more. Bike making videos seem very unimportant, just an escape from the reality of innocent people hurt by selfish leaders fighting for power.

02/27/2026

Lots and lots of tiny tube miters for this cantilever brake set. This is a brake geometry that I used on a bike back in 2021. This time around I’m doing a bit of a mixup with the tubing diameter, bending radius, and arrangement as well as the addition of the bell crank power hanger. Having the brakes and racks and stems that will be at the at the plating shop is a relief. At least I’ll have something to bring! Now to build the frames…

02/10/2026

Hi everyone. This is a long form video at 7 minutes. I hope some of you can enjoy it in its entirety. Feel free to skip around (or swipe away) when you’re bored. I get it, my attention span is limited too. Maybe save it and come back to it in the future? Anyway, this video is me building a 1” steel threaded fork for a 700x42c wheel with canti brakes. I’m using this new-ish twin plate casting from Allotec and trying out some different carvings on it. This fork will also be the fixture upon which I build the rack set. That and the stem and the brakes are coming up next. If all goes well, I’ll be showing this one at the on March 11th. 🤞

The music playing in the shop on this one is by Vladislav Delay who I urge you all to check out. The new album is called “in a lawless world there is strength in numbers”. This is so true. Support each other. Help your neighbors. Show some compassion and kindness.

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Cranston, RI
02905

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