ARTISAN LECTURE SERIES Spring 2017.
Jamie Swan, Bike Maker.
Building Modern Bicycle Frames Using Traditional Methods and Materials.
Tuesday, April 25th at The General Society Library.
The Lecture starts at 6:30 – Reception to Follow.
In this high-tech era where high-end bicycle frames are manufactured from epoxy and carbon fiber, a small community of bike makers employ steel tubing and traditional methods. These builders are often referred to as “keepers of the flame,” a particularly apt moniker because they use a torch to melt the bronze and silver alloys that bond steel tubes together into a practical and beautiful vehicle.
Jamie Swan’s presentation will cover the methods and materials used. He will share images of tools he has made and examples of his work, both finished and in progress. He will discuss the history of frame building and show examples of earlier work from which he draws inspiration.
Jamie Swan has been in the bicycle world for more than forty years as a competitive cyclist, bike shop owner, and frame builder using traditional methods and many tools he’s made himself. Notable for their precision and artistic styling, his frames have won awards at national shows. By day, Mr. Swan is a machinist/instructor at Webb Institute, a leading college of naval architecture and marine engineering in Glen Cove, Long Island. He is pleased to facilitate hands-on learning to bolster the rigorous academic program there.
Mr. Swan is a frequent speaker on tools and industrial history, as well as bike building. He lives in Northport in a saltbox house that he and his wife restored; it’s 200 years old but looks much older. For more information on Jamie Swan, please click here.
The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in The General Society Library
20 West 44th Street, (Between 5th and 6th Avenues)
New York City. Reception to follow. Advance registration is recommended.
$15 General Admission;
$10 General Society Members;
$10 Senior Citizens;
$5 Students
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs,
in partnership with the City Council.
Additional support is provided by the Friends of the Artisan Lecture Series.