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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Somerville, Massachusetts |
| Key people | Matt Bracken, Shawn Estes, Tyler Evans, Lloyd Graves, Joe Ingram, Joel Kennedy, Brian Kelly, Jamie Medeiros, Jill Rogers, Keith Rouse, Spencer LeBouef, Jim Wilding, Jason Williams |
| Industry | Bicycles |
| Products | Custom Bicycles |
| Revenue | undisclosed |
| Employees | 13 |
| Website | Independent Fabrication |
Independent Fabrication (IF) is a bicycle company in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. It is often mistakenly referred to as Independent Fabrications. It makes bicycle frames from steel, titanium and carbon fiber. It twice won the Bicycling magazine Dream Bike of the Year with its carbon-tubed, titanium-lugged XS road frame.[1]. Independent Fabrication was founded by and is owned by its employees. In 2005, the company took part in a CNN television program called The TurnAround[2]. The show paired a growing business with a mentor from a more successful company. Independent Fabrication was paired with Jeff Swartz, chef executive of Timberland[3].
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History of Independent Fabrication
Independent Fabrication was formed by former employees of Fat City Cycles[4] and later Merlin Metalworks. Giana Roberge won the the 2004 world masters time-trial championship in Austria on an XS.
Bicycle Frames
Independent Fabrication currently manufactures the following custom bicycle frame models:
Road
- XS (Carbon and Titanium)[5][6]
- Factory Lightweight (Steel)
- Crown Jewel (Steel; Steel Special Edition (SE); Steel Special Edition Carbon (SEC)[7]; Titanium; and Titanium SEC)
- SSR (953 Stainless Steel; SSR SEC)[8][9]
- Club Racer (Steel or Titanium)
Note SEC features carbon wishbone seat stays.
Cyclocross
- Planet Cross (Steel or Titanium)[10]
- SSX (953 Stainless Steel)
Off Road
Touring
- Independence (Steel or Titanium)
Specials
Independent Fabrication has also produced specials and one-off bikes. Some are show bikes, others have been built to the requirements of customers or other companies:
- BMXS[13]
- XS version of the Planet Cross cyclocross bike.
- Phil Wood Piss Off (which had a limited production run)
- Tungsten Electrode[14] full suspension (prototyped in steel and titanium)
- Various Dual Slalom/4X frames.
Owners' Club
An Independent Fabrication Owners' Club launched in 2004. It has a register of 1,000 IF bikes.
Grassroots Racing
Independent Fabrication has a small but successful grassroots racing program. Racers past and present include:
- Tiffany Mann
- Maureen Bruno Roy[15]
- Brian Keich[16]
- Eric Roman
IF Racing
IF Racing was formed in February 2008 by team director Jonathan Bruno. The squad is a newly expanded U25 Development program for road racing and pro mountain bike racing. In addition to efforts to promote environmental sustainability and healthy choices, the team will participate in an after-school cycling program for Boston public schools.
Women's Team
The team, which started as Merlin/Smartfuel in 1997 and in 2000 picked up sponsorship from Independent Fabrication, is based in New England and rides regional and National Racing Calendar events. [17][18]
Current Riders:
- Brenda Bahnson
- Pauline Frascone
- Zoe Sheehan
- Michele Smith
- Silke Wunderwald
Former Riders:
- Katrina Davis
- Kirsten Grasshoff
- Katheryn Curi Mattis[19]
- Lisa Maxwell
- Julia Oh
- Heather Peck
- Jessica Phillips
- Kathryn Roszko
- Marianne Stover
- Sarah Uhl
- Aimee Vasse
Gallery
 A sterling silver IF head badge on a Ruby Red Club Racer frame |
 A Ti Crown Jewel |
 A Steel Deluxe |
 Stainless Steel Prototype |
 Steel Deluxe Singlespeed |
 Steel Deluxe 29er Singlespeed |
External links
References
- ^ Road Bike Reviews: Editor's Choice 2006 - bicycling.com
- ^ CNN/Money: The Turnaround
- ^ Dirt Rag {Web Rag: News}
- ^ Fat City Cycles to close - BIKEmagic Gear News
- ^ Gear & Bike Reviews: The Independent Fabrication XS Review at Bicycling.com
- ^ http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/UAN/1218/v/2/sp/
- ^ MJ GEAR GUIDE: High in Fiber - Lighter, faster, carbon fiber road bikes
- ^ Gear & Bike Reviews: The Independent Fabrication 953 Review at Bicycling.com
- ^ Independent Fabrication SSR 953 - RoadCyclingUK Reviews
- ^ Independent Fabrication Planet X - RoadCyclingUK Gear news
- ^ Steel Deluxe reviewed in bike group test. Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine, Issue 9. Todmorden, UK.
- ^ Titanium Deluxe reviewed in bike group test. Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine, Issue 29. Todmorden, UK.
- ^ Gear & Bike Reviews: The Independent Fabrication BMXS Review at Bicycling.com
- ^ Prototype reviewed in bike group test. Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine, Issue 16. Todmorden, UK.
- ^ www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling
- ^ Dirt Rag {Web Rag: News}
- ^ Independent Fabrication/Kempner Women's Cycling Team
- ^ Independent Fabrication/Kempner Elite Women's Road Racing Team
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katheryn_Curi
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