Mark Combs, Chumba’s Lead Framebuilder pens some history of how he got into building bikes, crafting metal & becoming a partner at Chumba. For more don’t miss his recent Podcast over @ Shut Up and Build Bikes!
I started going to large group rides in Los Angeles in the early 2000’s. Rides in L.A. at that time were pretty huge, a thousand or more people wasn’t unheard of. At the time I would roll up on a Cannondale DJ bike or a MTB with city tires on it. Of course there was a fair share of guys and gals on fix conversions doing their thing. Whip skidding around. Then I started noticing the “real” track bikes. The bikes that stood out the most to me were the NJS Keirin bikes. Super clean lines, sparkly ass paint jobs, coming out of pretty small workshops in Japan. I was interested in the process of how these bicycles came to be.
I’ve always been interested in how things work and how things are made. My Father was an amazing machinist and he was always learning and interested and had expensive hobbies. We were a drag racing family. My Father built the cars and my Mother drove them. They were BAD ASS!! I watched my Father build things no one else was building. A lot of it was small, trick ass stuff that most people would never see, unless you knew what was up. A keen attention to detail and always learning, that was my Father.
After awhile I met some people who had went to framebuilding schools. That sounded pretty awesome! Build your own bicycle frame? I’m down. Around 2009, being into the NJS stuff and being a curious a lad I started looking into going to Colorado and attending Yamaguchi’s Framebuilding Class. The dude worked at 3Rensho! Enough said. I was working in the Aerospace industry at the time like my Father, my Grandfather and many of my Uncles too. I ran BIG ass hydraulic machines that stretched and formed various types of materials into shapes that would later become Aircraft Frameworks and Skins. I did this work for 23+ years. Basically I built Aircraft Frames. Once a Framebuilder always a Framebuilder I guess… So I figured it would be fun to take the class and I could figure my way around some files, a hacksaw and a torch.
I attended Yamaguchi’s course this in 2010. It is my 10 year anniversary, Woo! The Class was everything I expected and more. Koichi is a very kind and patient person with amazing skills and great stories. I built a road bike when I was in the class. Half fillet brazed, Half lugged. I was going to learn as much technique as I could in those two weeks in Colorado. I finished the class and drove non-stop back to Long Beach California. Home sweet home at the time.
After I got home I immediately started to acquire as many tools as I could, read as many books on framebuilding that I could find and had my friends in the CNC shop at work help me with pieces to build a frame jig. I starting making frames in my one car garage in Long Beach and at the end of the year I moved to Austin Texas to be with the Love of my life. With the help of a VERY SUPPORTIVE Wife I continued building frames for my small little custom company in an even smaller shop at our new home in Austin. I signed up for NAHBS as a New Framebuilder in 2012. While waiting for the show to happen I was looking on the NAHBS site (I believe) and saw and ad for a part-time Fabricator at Alchemy Bicycles in Austin. Shit! That would be perfect. I contacted them instantly and met them the next day, I was hired!
While at Alchemy I mitered all the frames that came through the shop. Carbon, Stainless, Titanium and Steel. The Royal Flush of frame building materials. I tacked all the Carbon frames together and prepared them for Matt and the boys to do the lay-up. Matt and Ryan were really good to me at Alchemy and I also got to work with the Legend himself, Wes Williams who was welding for Alchemy then. If you are reading this and don’t know about Wes, do some of the Google. I learned a TON at Alchemy and had a blast working there. Sadly, they decided to move to Colorado almost a year after I started working there. I was asked to join, but my life was in Austin.
Mark’s personal whip - Terlingua Steel 650b Plus Flat bar - photo courtesy @theradavist
I continued my custom work for a couple years. Started TIG welding in my tiny shop, then my phone rang. It was Chumba USA calling from out in Spicewood, Tx about a 30 minute drive from my house. They were looking for a Framebuilder to build their steel Mountain Bikes. Awesome! I met with Aaron and Vince… Bing Bang Boom, I was hired. Mountain bikes were a whole new bag for me. I was building mostly Road, Track, Cross and commuter bikes for people. Lot’s to learn! During my time building at Chumba I continued my custom stuff and I attended the Bohemian Carbon Framebuilding course in Arizona. That was cool! During this time Vince and I started talking about new models for the future. With Chumba being a Mountain Bike Company and my background building Road and Cyclocross bikes, together, we came up with the Terlingua Gravel Grinder. I worked at Chumba as an employee for a little over two years when we were asked if we would like to buy Chumba.
- photo courtesy @theradavist
Vince and I work GREAT together and we are always striving to make the best most thoughtful bikes we can. Our different backgrounds in the wonderful world of bicycles brings a broad perspective to our company. This collaboration has opened up Chumba to be more than just a "production" company. It allows us the opportunity to open up to deeper customizations and custom frame geometry.
But that’s my bag. Lets learn new skills, let’s evolve and take in new ideas and perceptions. Because if you’re not learning and evolving, in my mind you’re going backwards.
Yadda Yadda Yadda here we are!
Stay Safe! Thanks for reading.
Mark