Hi, I'm on my journey into BMX parts, and I don't have the tools or know anything about bending tubes, but I have a big heart and I'm passionate about my projects. I have in mind to build 4-piece bars (mainly because I just need to do 4 bends instead of the 6 bends of a two-piece), but I don't see anyone online making their own BMX bars or any books about it. I don't know where the information is. So, I need someone who has already built their own BMX bars—where can I start? How can I make them without bleeding my wallet? How can I bend the tubes? What tools should I buy or rent? How can I make the 'grip' for the stem? What size of tube is the standard? Should I make it with chromoly or steel?
by ZA21_
6 Comments
As much of a custom builder I am if you do not have fab experience handlebars are not the place to put your tuition. I’d hate to see you on here with half a bar through your face.
Well let’s see here. Bars are a very complicated thing for someone with zero fabrication experience, believe it or not. All the bends on them are very precise, and if you’re off 1° that can throw everything off. You’ll need to know how to measure rolling offsets on tubing/pipe and what takeoffs are. You’d need to know how to tig weld and have a tubing bender. You’ll also need to know a bit of metallurgy so you can understand how the metal will shrink and expand, as well as warp during and after welding. Not to mention your heat input, if you get it too hot it will cause the area around the welds to become very brittle and that would be detrimental to your health while riding them. Like I said, bars are a lot more complicated than they look and I wouldn’t recommend them for a first time project. This is coming from a welder by trade with 10+ years of professional experience, so any other questions I’d be more than willing to answer to the best of my ability.
If I was you I would reach out to Doom Bars and Igi BMX who specialise in tailor made bmx components.
Don’t risk your wellbeing by DIY-ing a crucial bmx component.
Depending on design, 4pc are 2 bends, sometimes 4 bends. 2pc are 4 bends.
You need to start welding and generally just start working with metal. There’s tools and so many different types of metal to work with. This is a legit skillset that takes time. You have a fab shop bend the tubes for you to weld just adds in extra cost you’d have to pass to your buyers in order to recoup the cost. Plus the finishing and painting etc. it’s a cool idea but not an easy thing to just start from scratch with no background.
The part that grips the stem is knurling. Can be done on a lathe. Most home fabricators build jigs out of wood. Use the jigs to check your bends. Bike parts aren’t standard wall pipes, they are “tubes” of steel. There on tones of varieties of chromo. Bmx will say made out of chromo but there’s lots of varsities. Lots of different ways to go about it. I personally know a guy that builds race car chassis, so if I wanted to build a set myself I’d have him do all the bending because he has all the proper tools and welding knowledge. On second thought, he’d be doing all the building , not me.