jorglueke

There's more than a handful out there so who has had a bike custom made and who made it? Besides online reviews how would one determine the right builder for a bike?

CrowSeph

There are a lot! In italy i belive there are more than 50 frame handcrafters, is not easy to tell which one is the best.
Everything is different , from the geometry to cost but for me is definitely a good investment.

Machka 

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...companies.html

jgwilliams

Not so many here in the UK as there were. I had one made for me back in 1976 when I was 19 by Witcomb of Deptford, England. Sadly Witcomb packed up business a few years ago but the bike is still going. I took it back there somewhere around the year 2000 - can't remember exactly when - and had it modified so I could put 700c wheels and modern brakes on and to have it re-enamelled. It's still going strong, though it's had a hard few years and needs another paint job now.

John

fietsbob

What kind of bike do you want? race , tour-cargo, Cyclocross-gravel, etc..

indyfabz

I had a custom ti road frame built last year. The builder is a local Philly guy who also owns a LBS. I chose him because of his experience and reputation, including winning best MTB at the NAHBS--twice. Also, buying local meant I could get an in-person fitting.


The result is spectacular (You can't see it in this photo, but there is a small LOVE statue decal on the left chain stay. Nice touch.):

jorglueke

A mostly road bike. 32 tires, drop handle bar, medium aggressive posture, defintely be able to handle lights, panniers. Given those limitations something I can still get up hills, that's relatively light (<25lbs), a bit stiffer and less rattling than my Pilot.

I will have to visit more LBS and see, some of them work with builders I'm sure.

jorglueke

Nice! I love the little details some vintage bikes have in the chainring, on the forks, brake handles etc. Just a little art added in.

Leebo

Looked at what is out there for stock builds already?

PepeM

Look for someone local. You would determine the who the right one is by talking to them.

EDIT: A quick Google search spat out a lot of them in your area. Go talk to a few of them, get a bike from whoever you feel understands your needs best.

fietsbob

Bikeschool.com/resources Bike Industry Links

jgwilliams

That shouldn't be a problem. My old bike works out at 25lb with a rack and mudguards (fenders) on.

SingleSpeeDemon

I concur with the idea of finding a local builder. I know a guy who lives just a couple streets down from me who builds beautiful frames. He's done some custom work for me before, but I have yet to have him build a frame for me. (Money IS the object.)

SingleSpeeDemon

I like the unpainted Ti panels and chainstays.

Maxacceleration

Davidson and Erickson make beautiful lugged steel frames in the Seattle area. Been doing it for a long time.
I really wish I wasn't building a current lugged Bianchi... I would be all over a Davidson lugged bike.
The proportions lend to a very balanced bike.

indyfabz

Actually, the coloring is not paint, but a ceramic glaze called Cerakote, the primary consumer application of which is coloring firearms. It's lighter, cheaper and more chip-resistant than paint. You spray it on and bake it in the oven. Enve even approves of its use on its forks. I don't like the look of all naked ti so I wanted some color. One issue with Cerakote is that the straight colors produce a matte finish, but if you mix them with their gloss white you get the pearl finish you see there. I did a custom blend of gloss white and zombie green. The applicator was Paint by Todd in Sellinsgrove, PA. He does a good amount of bicycle work. He tested a pink and white mixture, but it came out looking too much like bubble gum. IIRC, the Cerakote was only $350.

rmfnla

My first custom bike was by Andy Gilmour in Tuscon; no pics available but it is a beautiful road frame with fancy lugs.

Gilmour Bicycles

That was a fun process since I was in Tuscon so was not only able to get measured but Andy and I went for a ride together so he could see my riding style (and he didn't laugh even once!).

Current ride is a Curtlo, by Doug Curtis. I actually lucked out and bought it second-hand (but never built up) from someone my exact size so it fits as if it was made for me.

.Curtlo Cycles - Handmade bicycles. Custom Mountain Bike, Road, Cyclocross, Tandem bikes

Beautiful bike, and Doug is super-nice. His website does need updating, though...

79pmooney

Three of my five bikes are custom. My username, built for me after my last race by a clubmate as a do everything but race road bike. (Room for huge tires and big pannier but steers like a quality road bike. (Design requirement - to be ridable in the lower 48 states 12 months of the year and be the bike I could ride to stay sane. The crazy post head injury years.)

The other two are ti bikes built by TiCycles. I had been working with them for a few years, having custom stems made, so I knew what they could do and had seen their work, both in progress and on the road. When the chance came (job change) to buy that custom ti I knew I wanted since I did a test ride on an early Merlin, going with TiCycles was a no-brainer. The bike suited me so well I had them build me a custom fix gear road bike.

I am a big fan of talking with the builders, getting a feel for who you are comfortable with. I have gone to a number of framebuilder trade shows; the big national one and the local Oregon one. There are a lot of builders I like the work of and respect, but don't get the feeling that they would build exactly what I want. There are others that even though we have never talked about the bike I should get, I feel really good about. Ed Litton straightened by Mooney's fork decades ago, then a year later repainted the frame and painted the replacement fork. He felt to me like a really solid guy I would trust to build me a bike. Likewise Andy Newlands (Strawberry), whose shop I pass a block from regularly and Mark Noble who did a little work on the Mooney when he was still based in Ann Arbor.

Except for TiCycles, these are all older builders, some of whom will certainly retire soon. Just a reflection of the fact that my journey started a while ago and I am in the same boat. There are lots of younger builders, many of whom trained and apprenticed under the names I mentioned and their peers. One thing you might consider doing is going to the NAHBS trade show (March 10-12, Salt Lake City). There you would get to talk to the builders and see their work. But I also second the idea by a poster above of finding local builders and visiting them.

My Mooney is not far off what you want at all. Its weight is over 25 pounds but that does include fenders, triple, racks front and rear, heavy wheels and 30 yo technology. Getting it under 25 pounds (with a few $$) would be easy.

Ben

metalheart44

A local or nearby builder can make the process easier. If I lived in Mn, Dave Anderson would be on my short list. I have seen his bikes at a couple of NAHBS shows and they stand out in terms of quality and aesthetics. ANDERSON CUSTOM BICYCLES - Bicycles built by hand for YOU, not the masses

jorglueke

Cool, I will definitely look at Dave.

martianone

Had a great experience working with Gunnar for my road bike with custom geometry. Fit is great, bike is very comfortable.

bgraham111

I had a custom bike built recently. I went with one of the larger builders of custom bikes. I got a Waterford. I worked with a bike fit specialist, who is a Waterford dealer (she's a Gunner and Seven dealer as well, which all make bike built to order). Probably a little different than working directly with a builder, but I had a great experience, and the bike fits me so well.

I picked them because.... I don't know. Heard good things about them. I know some people who have Waterford. I wanted a lugged steel frame (I really almost got a Ti Seven). I thought they "looked" good. And I knew I would eventually need a custom frame for some of my sizing requirements. I don't know if I could get an off the shelf bike again, knowing how well this one fits, and that I don't fit the normal standards of biking.

Camilo

If/when I get a custom frame, I'll probably try to find one near me with a good reputation. I'd bet that there's a bunch that are considered "excellent" and the differences among them are mainly convenience, price and intangibles. I'd go for in-person service and discussion.

dedhed

Chris Kvale Cycles

mongol777

I am only planning to get custom at some point but looking (only virtually so far) at custom builders daily.
And as such - I have a weekly crush on one or another frame. Winner this week is Breadwinner LoLo, Breadwinner Cycles ? Work Hard Ride Home
And at some point I absolutely have to have Marinoni whether custom, off the shelf or CL find, would love to have RetroSL, Cycles Marinoni

Cycle Exif and Radavist are on my daily drool over list,
https://www.cycleexif.com/
https://theradavist.com/