July 23rd, 2025
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My daughter and I spent last weekend plucking our first blackberry haul of the season from the state park that sits behind our house. Ripe blackberries usually signal the beginning-of-the-end of summer here in Portland, but that can’t be–can it? The end of July? Where did it go?
It’s been a good one, though. Last month, that same daughter and I flew over to England to visit the Reynolds factory in Birmingham. It was a whirlwind trip, but well worth it. We spent a day at the factory, getting to know the team and snapping photos of the shop floor. I spent the plane ride home writing about the trip. (You might see an article or two pop up in some familiar spots. If so, I’ll share the links.) But here’s a peak…
“...There’s a very real humanity within that 15,000 square feet in Birmingham. That might sound abstract, but that’s the only way to describe it. Walking through the shop, that’s the word that came to mind. There’s a certain tactile quality–a humanness–at Reynolds, both indescribable and undeniable. The smell of warm steel–slightly acrid but familiar–hangs permanently in the air. Thick layers of grease cling to many of the shop's surfaces, having accumulated over decades of use. The cast-iron machines look nearly sedimentary, as if they’ve been molded to their current footprints. It's almost as if Reynolds has been poured into place over the last century. Reynolds’ shop has permanence. It is a spot overflowing with character, impossible to imitate…”
The first of many visits, I’m sure.
Last Call! MADE Show 853 Tubesets
Speaking of late summer, we’re just a month away from this year’s MADE show, once again being hosted here in Portland. As such, here’s your official Last Call to snag a complimentary 853 tubeset. If you’re building a last-minute bike for the show and need tubes, let us know!
And hey, you’ll be in good company… As of today, we’re looking at 30+ Reynolds bikes in the show. Awesome.
Gasflux Silver Rods and Flux for Fillet Brazing
Lastly, I wanted to highlight a couple products from the shop that might be lesser known. Gasflux makes a unique, green flux, Type G, that I’m personally becoming a big fan of. I’m currently building a fillet brazed Reynolds 931 frame, and using Type G and 38% silver (BAg-34) for the fillets has been a pleasure. Really nice stuff. We’ve got 38% silver in stock in coil form and rod form. I’ve always disliked coils for anything other than lugs and braze-ons. For filling tap-style dropouts and for fillets on stainless, the big 3/32” rods are awesome.
(For a bunch of reasons, I decided to stock these items instead of pursuing the long-popular CycleDesign products that have recently gone kaput. Honestly, I like this combo as much as the old FilletPro flux and filler.) If you’re curious, give these a try!
That’s all for now. Hope you're enjoying what remains of summer.