Eric Hindes found his way into bicycle building through a family interest in mountain biking and magazines that introduced him to the sport's early makers. Work in bike shops and with a local frame builder led him to Moots in Colorado. He has spent roughly a quarter of a century there. Today his role stretches from programming computer-controlled machines to refining how frames and components are made in-house.
It is easy to picture titanium framebuilding as a matter of welding alone, but Hindes draws attention to preparation and finishing. Once the machining, facing and hand finishing are complete, the structure remains visible rather than hidden under paint. Small imperfections therefore have nowhere to disappear. When he started, the workshop had one computer-controlled machine that was not yet set up. He now works with four, used to make frame parts, stems, seatposts and production fixtures.
The story is about standards as much as machinery. Hindes remembers a time when the finishing department had only two people and work that fell short had to be redone, even when that took longer. He connects that discipline to the rider who has chosen the frame and will take it on real journeys. Conversations with owners on group rides have stayed with him more than orders for famous athletes. They give the precision of the workshop its purpose.