John Murphy
Columbine Cycle Works

Mendocino, California

Columbine Cycle Works was founded by brothers John and Richard Murphy. The Colorado State flower found in stunning array in the beautiful and rugged climes of the Rockys was chosen for the name. We sought to marry the fine art and craft of framebuilding with modern science and technology. To that noble goal we brought extensive background in additional areas besides Bicycle Shop expertise such as Physics, Math, Structural and industrial sciences degrees, aircraft frame and engine work, tool and die making, and even paint expertise.

We began asking Henry James for Stainless Steel investment castings many years ago, and were first to pioneer the kind of Polished Stainless Steel artcarved lugwork that we have become well know for. Our Integrated binder bolt Fastback seatstay arrangement is the strongest most dependable seat clamp fastening system in the business. The pieces at the top of the seatstay result from multiple machining operations, and the seatstay installation operation can typically take over four hours, but well worth the time from a strength/weight/dependability/enigmatic artistic perspective.

All Columbines have Stainless Polished dropouts, have all joints low temperature Silver Brazed, have Hanks' Investment Castings, the finest tubing available anywhere (now True Temper "Platinum") that is custom gauged, sized, and with angles to fit the unique needs of the customer that the frame is designed for. The standard frame also includes Dupont Corlar primer, and a choice of over 35 Imron colors plus flower/gold ribbon decals and generous multiple clear coats, wet sanded and final "wet look" polished. The standard frame also includes swirl cutting on the head lugs, fairly extensive trimming and lightening, and a saw cut Columbine flower in the top of the downtube lug, and the Columbine Patented "Quikchainger" Chain catching and management device brazed on the right chainstay in polished stainless.