Originally Posted by
David Tollefson
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?
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.
I'll be meeting with him in person in a couple weeks to really iron out the geo. What I mean by familiar with its geometry is that my current bike has trackish geo, but this one has it without the expense of toe overlap. Seeing as though he's advertising himself as a builder moreso than a fitter, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a geo ready to go if he didn't feel as confident in his abilities to do so. I probably wouldn't had done this if they seemed a bit more seasoned. If it ends up totally different than the specs i initially gave him, but still gives me what i want, then more power to the both of us. I did provide my intentions, that I'm going to be interviewed by them, and the fact that they appear to be a new company in the OP.