Miles2go

Are you the forum police now Machka? OK… Hey, someone has discussed tires before and on top of that, it's probably covered in one of the stickied threads! No more tire threads!

And by the way, none of those threads you pointed to do what the original message here does, in several ways. For one, people research this forum often with keywords limited to the subject and the same goes for internet searches for "custom touring bike".

The criteria are somewhat loose and is in place for a reason, to keep from a tourer having their time wasted, or worse, money and time. Builders who have a proven design belong here. It's pretty easy for a builder to find a friend to go tour on a bike and document it so I feel it's a pretty valid criteria for the sake of a customer that there be some actual evidence that a real product has been produced before it is listed here. So, is there a journal or two of someone touring on one of these bikes that your friend builds? If so, bingo, they are on the list. Any verified report that any of these builders are no longer producing custom framed touring bikes and that builder will be removed. FAIR.

If you really have a friend that builds custom touring bikes then I can't see why your are railing against this thread. It's like pulling the rug out from underneath your friend because this thread will be found by people looking for custom touring bikes, and if your pal is legit, he'll eventually be on it.

And yes, I think people who pursue making such frames should get a special list of their own because it requires a **heck** of a lot of additional effort to build frames per order and vary the geometries.

I love to see innovation, such as what Rob English has done but at this point, I don't know that the bike shown is much more than a concept machine, with obviously one foot in full on race mode and toe stepping into the tourer's world. Rob knows touring well, but where does he stand with him building custom, built to order, touring frames/bikes? Didn't get a chance to talk to him.

I think a tour journal or two should be the standard and thus far, each builder listed in the first post has accounts of their custom touring offerings being toured on, by buyers.

Miles2go

Exactly. Add an appendage to the supposed entire list of touring bikes (which BTW isn't up to date, what year was it last updated) but this absolutely should be a thread and list of its own for search reasons and those others mentioned in my previous reply.

alan s 

Jeff Jones is not taking orders, but is still building custom bikes, including for touring. Just because there is an order backlog, he's off the list? Sheesh!

Miles2go

Glad to hear he's busy. Awesome situation for a builder. He's built custom touring bikes before? Journals? Accounts? Examples of finished products in the hands of customers? I had come across his work online before you mentioned Jones in this thread, and dug what I saw on his site and in journals, but didn't see any touring bikes.

nun

Ok so he's English, is named English and uses a Union Flag type logo....that's fine, but I would lose the saltire to make the logo match his name better.

veganbikes

Circle A Cycles in Rhode Island does awesome work and is listed as one of Richard Sachs' next wave builders. I am more than likely going to Chris and the crew for my dream bike.

? index

Also I might recommend Brian Chapman formerly of Circle A and currently of Chapman Cycles

Miles2go

Thanks. Looks like Brian has been turning out thoughtfully designed touring bikes so I'll gladly add him.

So many builders out there and so many who do not seem to "embrace" building and offering touring bicycles, which is fine of course…but I'm fairly certain a couple more of Richard's "The Next Wave" will added here.

Thanks again.

yochris 

Some more Next Wavers...

Aufderheide ? Breadwinner Cycles

veganbikes

No problem!

Miles2go

Thus far, all of the custom builders I've talked to are happy to hear about this list, even if they aren't on it yet. Will be working on digging up a few more go-to custom touring bike builders to add here after I finish up the work I'm taking a break from right now for The Loaded Touring Bike Photo Gallery. This retirement thing is tough.

rawklobster

I'm seriously considering Independent Fabrication. I discovered them through This Website and although there isn't much information about them, nor people who can testify to their tourability, I'd say they deserve a mention. Just check out the build sheet, and all the questions they ask about the rider. Add to that their understanding of what a tour bike should include, and you've got yourself one sexy touring bike! The price point might be high, but there's no denying it's a company people might want to look at when comparing different bike companies, which I would guess is why this list exists. I don't think anyone would check it out and think it *shouldn't* be on the list. It was mentioned before (see quote) but it's not on the list.

Independent Fabrication Bikes - Custom Bicycles & Frames Hand-built in New England. - Independence - Steel

fietsbob

I built 1 frame myself Borrowed shop space & tools, the 2nd one I got to use a cargo bike builder's shop, some materials
more tools, and some ATP-Burly (90) Tandem parts.. used it on my 50th birthday trip,
(Which was commemorated on the day in Scotland, with new friends)

[guess I said similar on page 1]