Originally Posted by
StirFry
...I decided that I wanted to model it after All City's Big Block model as I'm familiar with the geometry, though it has no toe overlap unlike my current frame.
Aren't these two ideas contradictory? That you're familiar with the geometry but it's not the same as what you're currently riding?
The guys I'm going with seem to be a somewhat new business. I've read that it's best to go with experienced frame builders, but they came in at an agreeable price point ($1800) and I like that they're local. Their website and ig page shows some nice repair craftsmanship to my eyes though not a lot of full on frame builds. I'm thinking that since this could be a somewhat new experience for all of us, I should come here and get a little ahead of the game with knowledge before proceeding with this build.
I won't comment on their pricing -- that's their business. Local is good, though. But as a builder, if some one came to me and said "I want x geometry" without a lot of interview to support it, my first reaction would be "pass". I often find that few people really understand the impacts that small changes in the numbers can have on the feel of the ride. The language that one uses to describe aspects of how a bike handles can mean more than any set of numbers. When I interview a rider for a commission, I measure out their current bike along with that interview, and it informs the design. I'd be leery of any builder that would take a set of numbers and just build a duplicate.