Kogswell Cycles
Encyclopedia
Kogswell Cycles, Inc. was a small bicycle frame
company with its headquarters in El Dorado Hills, California
. Kogswell frames are designed in the United States
and manufactured in Taiwan
. Kogswell frames often run counter to mainstream bicycle industry trends. According to Biking.com, Kogswell "focuses on creating bicycle frames that lean more towards utilitarian design
rather than speed and rough roading."
Customers purchase Kogswell framesets directly from the company, or through a small network of authorized dealers throughout the United States.
Kogswell Cycles has not produced any products since it moved its headquarters to California in 2009.
s to the specific requirements of individual customers, Matthew Grimm, owner of Kogswell Cycles, actively solicits design input from members of the Kogswell Owners Group, an interactive community of people who own one or more Kogswells or are considering purchasing one. In the past, design decisions regarding available frame sizes, wheel sizes, and other specifications have been discussed extensively within this forum prior to corporate decisions being made.
) and contemporary innovations. The frame was built with road geometry, but used track dropouts and a narrow dropout spacing, which precluded installation of a derailleur or multi-speed hub. Fender and rack mounts, and generous clearances that allowed for wide tires and fenders both, signalled clearly that this bike was meant to be used on the road. But its unwillingness to slavishly imitate traditional designs and geometries, or outdated and inferior manufacturing techniques, set it apart from a retro style of other boutique manufacturers.
/Randonneur (abbreviated P/R) model was introduced in 2006. Based on classic French bicycle
geometry, it is designed to support configuration as a load-carrying (porteur
) or long-distance (randonneur) bicycle. The P/R is notable because it was designed around the 650b wheel size and is available with a choice of three different forks
with differing degrees of trail, allowing the rider to choose which steering characteristics best suit their intended usage of the bicycle. The low-trail fork of the Porteur
allowed for the use of a large front rack set high without negative effects on handling. The P/R framesets were powdercoated custard-yellow and shipped with matching steel fenders.
Bicycle Quarterly
performed extensive testing on the P/R prototypes, with the results published in Vol. 4, No. 3 (Spring 2006). A review of the production frame is available in Vol. 5, No. 2 (Winter 2006).
The September, 2010 issue of "Bicycle Times" featured a cover photo of a Kogswell P/R mkII. The associated article states that the bicycle "has road geometry. Nice steep head and seat tube angles make for a quicker, livelier-feeling ride. Geometrically-speaking, this frame is very similar to the near-mythical-in-status Bridgestone XO-1, which really was a great commuter, rough-stuffer, and general all-arounder."
Bicycle frame
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...
company with its headquarters in El Dorado Hills, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Kogswell frames are designed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and manufactured in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Kogswell frames often run counter to mainstream bicycle industry trends. According to Biking.com, Kogswell "focuses on creating bicycle frames that lean more towards utilitarian design
Utility bicycle
A utility bicycle is a bicycle designed for practical transportation, as opposed to bicycles which are primarily designed for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, racing bicycles, sport/training bicycles, and mountain bicycles. The vast majority of bicycles can be found in the...
rather than speed and rough roading."
Customers purchase Kogswell framesets directly from the company, or through a small network of authorized dealers throughout the United States.
Kogswell Cycles has not produced any products since it moved its headquarters to California in 2009.
Kogswell Owners Group (KOG)
While Kogswell does not produce custom bicycle frameBicycle frame
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...
s to the specific requirements of individual customers, Matthew Grimm, owner of Kogswell Cycles, actively solicits design input from members of the Kogswell Owners Group, an interactive community of people who own one or more Kogswells or are considering purchasing one. In the past, design decisions regarding available frame sizes, wheel sizes, and other specifications have been discussed extensively within this forum prior to corporate decisions being made.
Model F
One of the original designs, a fixed gear frame with 135mm rear dropout spacing and less aggressive geometry, intended for road use vs. on the track. These were lugged, and painted custard-yellow with black headtubes.Model D
One of the original designs, a sport-touring derailleur frame. These were built using lugged joinery, and painted custard-yellow with black headtubes.Model G
A fixed gear frame, with a cream color known as "Kustard" and the signature color of the mark, with 120mm rear dropout spacing. The G typified the eclectic nature of Koswell frames: steel frame and fork, with lugged joints, but a TIG-welded bottom bracket and threadless fork, melding both traditional styles (see RivendellRivendell Bicycle Works
Rivendell Bicycle Works is a producer of lugged steel bicycle frames, located in Walnut Creek, California, United States. Rivendell produces stock and customized frames. Rivendell frames are designed in the U.S., with manufacturing of stock frames in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan...
) and contemporary innovations. The frame was built with road geometry, but used track dropouts and a narrow dropout spacing, which precluded installation of a derailleur or multi-speed hub. Fender and rack mounts, and generous clearances that allowed for wide tires and fenders both, signalled clearly that this bike was meant to be used on the road. But its unwillingness to slavishly imitate traditional designs and geometries, or outdated and inferior manufacturing techniques, set it apart from a retro style of other boutique manufacturers.
Model P
Released to market in mid-2004, Kogswell's sport-touring frameset was made with upscale lugs and heat-treated tubing. Most were British racing green in color with white headtubes. The initial production run of 150 quickly sold out. Aaron's Bicycle Repair in Seattle (RideYourBike.com) had a run of blue done in 2004.Model M
A mixte frame, designed for 26 inch wheels and 120mm rear dropout spacing to accommodate a fixed/free singlespeed hub. The framesets were powdercoated in black and came with matching steel fenders.Porteur/Randonneur
The PorteurPorteur bicycle
A porteur bicycle is a kind of cargo bicycle designed for carrying cargo loads on a platform rack attached to the fork. Porteur bicycles are similar to butcher's bikes, baker's bikes, low gravity bicycles and delibikes, but they include design differences which make them a distinct category...
/Randonneur (abbreviated P/R) model was introduced in 2006. Based on classic French bicycle
French bicycle industry
The french bicycle industry and the history of the bicycle are intertwined. Spanning the last century and a half, the industry has seen two booms, and continues into the 21st century, albeit less dominant today.-Invention:...
geometry, it is designed to support configuration as a load-carrying (porteur
Porteur bicycle
A porteur bicycle is a kind of cargo bicycle designed for carrying cargo loads on a platform rack attached to the fork. Porteur bicycles are similar to butcher's bikes, baker's bikes, low gravity bicycles and delibikes, but they include design differences which make them a distinct category...
) or long-distance (randonneur) bicycle. The P/R is notable because it was designed around the 650b wheel size and is available with a choice of three different forks
Bicycle fork
A bicycle fork is the portion of a bicycle that holds the front wheel and allows the rider to steer and balance the bicycle. A fork consists of two fork ends which hold the front wheel axle, two blades which join at a fork crown, and a steerer or steering tube to which the handlebars attach ...
with differing degrees of trail, allowing the rider to choose which steering characteristics best suit their intended usage of the bicycle. The low-trail fork of the Porteur
Porteur bicycle
A porteur bicycle is a kind of cargo bicycle designed for carrying cargo loads on a platform rack attached to the fork. Porteur bicycles are similar to butcher's bikes, baker's bikes, low gravity bicycles and delibikes, but they include design differences which make them a distinct category...
allowed for the use of a large front rack set high without negative effects on handling. The P/R framesets were powdercoated custard-yellow and shipped with matching steel fenders.
Bicycle Quarterly
Bicycle Quarterly
Bicycle Quarterly is a magazine that examines the history of bicycles, their design, and evolution; with emphasis on Randonneuring bicycles. Articles evaluate equipment and bicycles for performance and function, and articles include footnotes. It is published and edited by Jan Heine, of Seattle,...
performed extensive testing on the P/R prototypes, with the results published in Vol. 4, No. 3 (Spring 2006). A review of the production frame is available in Vol. 5, No. 2 (Winter 2006).
P/R mkII
The second-generation P/R frame, produced in 2007-2008. These differ from the first batch in that they are made with smaller-diameter and thinner-walled tubing for improved riding characteristics and lighter weight, have three water-bottle mounts (one added under the downtube), redesigned rear drop-outs, a repositioned rear brake cable stop, a pump peg behind the seat tube, and are powdercoated black in color. In addition to the 650b models, frames designed around 26-inch and 700C wheel sizes are also available in certain sizes.The September, 2010 issue of "Bicycle Times" featured a cover photo of a Kogswell P/R mkII. The associated article states that the bicycle "has road geometry. Nice steep head and seat tube angles make for a quicker, livelier-feeling ride. Geometrically-speaking, this frame is very similar to the near-mythical-in-status Bridgestone XO-1, which really was a great commuter, rough-stuffer, and general all-arounder."