Jester Hand Built Bicycles
Builder Profile

JESTER's philosophy on bicycle design

Each JESTER is hand built and custom designed to fit both the owner's individual physique and the owner's particular needs. You as an individual human being, are unique, there is no one else exactly like you, either in personality or physical form. So why would you, as a cycling individual, ride the same bike as countless others do in riding an off-the-shelf model?

A bicycle's beauty truly is in its ride. it should be well finished and a beauty to behold, but if it rides like crap, what good is it? I believe that if one is going to build bicycle frames, then one ought to do the very best possible job of it.   

Jody Thomas Lee B.A.

All Jester frames are hand built by Jody Thomas Lee.  Jody combines a unique blend of talents in his frame building meticulous craftsmanship high degree of technical skill mastery of metal joinery an artistic eye a scientific mind anthropology background provides rare insight into human physiological variation material science studies utilized in bicycle frame design.

It Jody's love of bicycles and of bicycling, combined with his inquisitive mind and experimental nature that lead him to frame building.  Frame building lead Jody to Julian Edwins, (who had an earlier influence on Jody's thoughts on bicycle design)

Jester frames are built in accordance to the Edwins formula of custom frame design and fabrication.

The Edwins Formula was developed by Julian Edwins based upon extensive research into human kinetics and modern materials Edwins frames were built during the 80's and early 90's renowned for delivering an unequaled combination of performance, responsiveness and comfort

Julian Edwins has since retired from frame building and has chosen Jody to continue building frames in his tradition.  

There is no singular factor that leads to this objective. Rather, there are several equally important factors whose cumulative effect results in the manufacture of the very finest bicycles. These are:

The Result: Lightweight, strength, rigidity, resiliency, comfort, control, efficiency, beauty, function and speed.

JESTER Joinery

Every JESTER frame is: 

  1. A silver brazed

  2.  Can be built with lugs

  3. Can be built lugless-fillet brazed

Construction Techniques:

Construction techniques, tolerances and material choices ensure the greatest possible joint strength available of ANY joining method each joint on JESTER frame is designed and crafted to produce greatest possible amount of strength and rigidity each joint on JESTER frame is designed and crafted to be free of stress risers joinery like this can only be achieved by hand work, it is not possible with production building techniques

For example:

The down tube and seat tube are each mitered to on another (double mitered) giving nearly twice the strength and rigidity over the more commonly used single miter method.

Further example:

On a JESTER, all of the tubes go through the bottom bracket to the inside face of the shell in both lugged AND lugless designs with lugless frames, piercing the shell provides up to SIX times greater joint strength than the more commonly used method of mitering to the outside of the shell  

Types of Tubing

        Today, there exists a great deal of confusion about bicycle frame materials.

        At JESTER Hand Built Bicycles, the science of metallurgy is used as a guide for selecting frame tubing.

Having researched and experimented with a variety of materials, JESTER  currently recommends two different types of micro-alloyed  steel tubing and one type of stainless steel tubing. All steels used are high strength and are chosen because they retain their high strength after joining. These are produced by a number of manufacturers as follows:

Nickel-chromium steel marketed and sold as:

Vanadium steel from a number of different manufacturers such as:

Stainless steel marketed and sold as

Each of these tubing manufacturers markets their tubes in a variety of tube sets and as individual tubes, and under a variety of quaint names.  There are some subtle and not so subtle differences between the various alloys of vanadium steels offered.

With a knowledge of materials and their applications, an objective tubing recommendation can be made based upon the rider's physical needs, goals and budget. Therefore, it is best to consult Jody on your individual needs and requirements.

Types of JESTER bikes available:

Road Frames 

Track Frame

Off Road


Products and services available utilizing BTCs.

We sell frames and complete bicycles.

Standard frames

Custom frames

Retrofitting services

Construction methods

Frame materials

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Contact Information:

JESTER Hand Built Bicycles
17 Merritt Street East
Welland, Ontario
Canada
L3C 4S7

Phone: 905-788-1497
e-mail - Sales:  jesterbike@sympatico.com
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