Handmade bicycles, custom composites fabrication and carbon fiber repair.
Montenegro Manufacturing is a small composites fabrication company with a passion for offering the best carbon composite services available. We take a strong hands on approach to high end carbon racing bicycles, carbon components, and carbon fiber frame repair.
That's right! We now have our very own workshop. We are currently in the remodeling process but we are still taking overs in. The new shop is located on 1613 1/2 Armacost ave. Los Angeles CA 90025. Carbon repair is going strong as well as the final test of our carbon fiber bicycles (stay tunned for updates on that). Shop is only open by appointment so make sure you conntact us before your visit. Hern@Montenegro-mfg.com
Thanks!
Let me present you the new Anytime Crew race team kit for 2014. Kits are hand made in Los Angeles by Endo Customs with the best materials around. Pre-order ends on April 4th. Please allow about 6 to 8 weeks production and delivery.
This will be the first and only production run of the MMFG Team kits for 2014. So this is your chance to get it before they are gone forever!
PRE ORDER YOURS HERE!
I've decided to write this blog post to give you a clear idea of how it works and a better understanding about sending your bike to be repaired.
Before we start the bicycle frame gets thoroughly inspected and goes through a few stress test to find damage that is not visible. These test don't compromise the structure of the frame, if the frame is in good condition. But if the structure has been compromised due to a crash or just too much abuse then the bicycle frame can show signs of fatigue and or break. The first sign of deterioration is noticed by sound. I used to use a Stethoscope to look for small cracking sounds in the joints, now I use a Fetal Doppler and an Ultrasound Thickness Guage. These devices allow me to look for movement inside the structure more accurately and with less intensity during the stress test and check variations in wall thicknesses. If the structure vibrates or moves during the test then it's damaged. Finding out the structure is damaged with lower pressure is a lot better than having the bicycle blow up in front of my face or worse, have the bicycle fail while you are riding it.
So let's say you need my services. You send me an e-mail with photos of your damaged bicycle and a brief story of how it happened. This is important to me, it helps he visualize how the damage happened and pay extra attention to other parts in the frame that in theory would be compromised also. Please don't send the "I was just riding along on PCH and all of a sudden my _ snapped so I had to call my wife to pick me up" . No, I don't buy it. These bicycles don't break if if they were properly used. You must've done something the bike didn't like or crashed or dropped it, etc.
Once I have an idea to what happened to this bike and checked it for additional damage, I'm ready to move on perform my magic. The structure is sanded down to the last damaged layer of carbon. The whole damaged area gets removed to the last layer. Many structures will need an inner core to build the structure back up since they can't hold compression on their own. Different types of carbon fiber and other composites are used (such as Kevlar) to rebuild a structure. After the structure is rebuilt, the frame is in good enough condition to get back on the road, but I prefer to take it a step further. A few extra layers of 3k twill plain weave carbon are used to top off the repair. This makes it stronger than before and provides extra support to the frame. Then after many hours of finishing and sanding, the frame gets clear coated or repainted. In the gallery below you can see a few steps of this procedure
While I may make it sound very simple, it is not and it requires a lot of patience, skill and experience. I believe I provide the fastest and most reliable service, but every repair needs its time and attention. So please allow me 7 to 10 business day to repair your frame. My prices are very reasonable and I can guarantee you'll be happy with the results.
Thank you for reading. Hern
Hello! Welcome to the first post of this blog. Let me start by introducing myself briefly. My name is Hernan Montenegro. I live in Los Angeles, California. I love riding and racing bikes, playing with my dog "Homie" and making amazing bicycle products. I worked for a different custom carbon bicycle company for years but I left and decided to start my own. Most people know me by my skills in carbon fiber frame repair, but I want people to know me by the things that I actually make also.
My first pruduct is a Bar/stem combo. It uses an Enve bar and stem and is bonded with Hi-mod unidirectional carbon and reinforced with kavlar. The fibers spread out wide through out the handlebar and stem, a lot more than a than the regular clamp making this set up stiffer compared to a traditional set up. The bar combo weights 315g after paint and bolts. And they are the best looking set up out there (of course that last statement might be a little bit bias.)
The price for the custom modification is $300 with stock paint (Black or clear with 2 color logo) Custom paint such as the handlebar featured is extra. This does not include the handle bar and stem. You can send us a cockpit set up that you already have at the position you ride them or we can order a pair. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an e-mail: Hern@Montenegro-Mfg.com
