T45 tubing
Here at Curtis we build our frames from a type of tube called T45. T45 is a combination of Carbon, Manganese and Steel and is one of the strongest and highest quality tubes available. To top it off it's made in England! T45 is used a lot in the aerospace and motorsport industries because of it's superior strength to weight ratio over other steel tubing. T45 was used to construct the chassis on Richard Nobles Thrust 2 land speed record car. T45 is not easily available abroad which is why all imported steel frames are made from American or Taiwanese 4130 Chromoly.
Chromoly tubing also requires heat treating after any welding or brazing, where T45 does not require any heat treatment whatsoever. T45 is simply a stronger and higher quality tube than Chromoly. We have been using and brazing T45 tubing since the 1970s, and it is due to our choice of tubing, along with our reinforced headtubes (see right) that we are so confident in our frames and are able to offer such an extensive guarantee to our customers.
Our workshop
Run by Gary Woodhouse and Brian Curtis, and they spend most of their time here. Everything is done here in house- the tubing cut, mitred and shaped. The frame jigged and tacked before Brian brazes the frame together into its final shape. Extras like brake mounts, cable stops and gussets are then added. The only thing not done in house is the powdercoating. Frames are mass produced by Gary and Brian at the rate of 1 a day. During busy time, you may have to wait a little longer for your frame - but it will be worth it!
Headtubes
The headtubes we use on our handmade frames are a bit special. So special infact, they have been proven unbreakable. The headtubes themselves are made from T45 tubing but it is the reinforcement rings top and bottom which add the real strength - made from EN16T steel which can withstand 75 tonnes of pressure before cracking or flaring.
Each model of frame we make comes with a slightly different headtube, with the thickness of the EN16T reinforcement rings matched to suit the riding style for that frame. In nearly 10 years of use, we haven't had a single frame returned with a headtube flared or broken!
We are so confident in our headtubes, our guarantee on all of our frames includes headtube flaring resulting from any form of riding.
