nycracer1986

Lets face it, the market for folks looking to spend 15-20k on a bike is narrow and clearly one of highly specific/technical expectation and probably skewed towards the high-earner end as well. Which is great, all easy to appreciate in my opinion. BUT, the acutal resources in the marketplace set up to fill such an order are few and those that are available are pretty lackluster at best I'd say. How do you guys feel about this. I'm going through the process now and I feel like its like pulling teeth to buy things from these guys and trying to get them to reply with specific item changes and things like that are addressed as that of a low price point low expectation service - however, this is really not that sort of purchase.

Its sort of annoying and market seems to be ripe for someone, anyone, to open shop and treat this for what it is - high spenders with specific expectations who woudl appreciate the attention and "effort" on part of the seller to try and care. Right? Thoughts?

nycracer1986

It's like im begging these guys to take my money and reply to an email with added products, etc.... Its hilarious. I'd be out of business in a day in my industry if I were like this and I'm honestly tempted to setup up a business and take the orders of these folks in a way they 'd appreciate and honestly already sort of expect anyway.

shelbyfv

Your concerns are so vague I doubt anyone here will be able to "help." Not surprised you are having trouble communicating with your prospective providers. However, big spender signal received so you might consider that a plus.

chaadster

I think it’s as it is with most of the luxury market: you need bona fides.

If you’re a real player, you’ll know people. Few are interested to roll out the red carpet for unknown randos. Boats, cars, watches, wine…the best go to those who’ve earned entrée, not just to newbies flashin’ cash.

My advice is to make some friends in the right places. You’re in NYC? It shouldn’t be hard to find a good shop there where you can start moving in the right circles.

Other than that, I’m sure Trek’s Project One will be happy to eat up your $20k.

urbanknight

When I was much more involved in the scene, racing every weekend, working in a bike shop, making custom built wheels... "high spenders" were rather rare, and most of them still wanted something off the shelf, albeit the most expensive bike off the shelf and with all the most expensive accessories. Only the experienced rider with big pockets (a fraction of the high spenders overall) wanted a custom build, and quite a few regular shops were happy to help with that once the customer assured them they were serious and going to pay top dollar, including the cost of having them build it up from scratch. I just think your type is abundant enough for a shop to make good, consistent sales, but I could be wrong.

chaadster

The OP doesn’t need a whole shop; nycracer1986 put me on retainer and I’ll assemble for you a super-sick, fully tricked-out, custom whip in excess of $15k lickety-split, with all the special, one-off goodies from the finest artisans around the globe.

If you just need a build list, for a one-time fee of $5k, I’ll give an initial 1 hour consultation and two 40 minute follow-up consultations to help you design and source the parts and assembler of your ultimate bike build. PM my inbox.

nycracer1986

Yeah this may not actually be the right place to bring this up. There's nothing in NYC to be honest. Half the shops I've gone into don't have a clue about frame geometry and cant answer any of my quesitons. The few resources out there that I've been able to get actual conversations out of that are of any sort of substance that would be that of someone who has any idea what they're talking about, are lazy and make waiting and buying from them miserable. I'm saying the market needs a resource with the sort of NYC finance professionalisim that many of us buyers are used to, to go and buy high end bikes - because there's a lot of us. And yeah, smart enough to know more than 90% of anyone you'd meet in a bike shop about frame selection and components - because we give a ****. Its like that sort of thing. I feel like i'm always talking to idiots. The business is making it easy to get a badass resource together who knows how to treat clients and actually give good information.

This **** about moving around in circles and hanging out in shops, don't have time for that and honestly - will go head to head with anyone like that and definitely promise you I know more about what i'm talkig about then they do. Try me....

How about anyone who's not a deadbeat.... That would be a great start. I've ordered my 20k bike but it was slow and painful and I had to peace it all together. I'll build it also.... because I'm not a ******... less ******* would be great!

rsbob 

Here you go: https://www.rodbikes.com/catalog/wait-times.html

nycracer1986

Its just painful. With what I know about business and client's in general business sense, these guys are making this look too easy to kick everyone's ass. I'm really tempted to start a business because theres truly not a great one.

HTupolev

This implies that half the shops you've gone into do have a clue about frame geometry, which I'm not sure is a low ratio.

nycracer1986

Right, good point. That other half you have to beg to order all the parts and build out a frame as opposed to just picking the dura ace level frame kit ordered from a company. I'm like dude i'm literally begging you to spend a little extra time and order the Lightweight wheelset for 8k and the power2max crankset for another 2k and the this that and the other and build it for me - please let me spend money lol - you're just too lazy to do it.... its so painful. As i said, i've done it all myself but god was it long and annoying and I KNOW more people woudl do this if there was a good firm who knew how to handle clients and made this easy for them....The industry needs THAT and seriously, I'm kinda thinking I'm going to start looking into pulling things together and do that. There's no competition. And that there may be, come on.... easy

Outrider1

chaadster

I don’t buy any of that. Through Rapha you can get to Richard Sachs and EF/EasyPost pro team, but they can’t do anything for you? Rapha sold in 2017 to the Walton family’s investment group for over 260 million dollars, but you can’t find any value in the business? Yeah…you’re a random newb here, too, so it’s real hard to buy in on the notion that nobody knows sh*t except you. I think you need to try better.

chaadster

I got a guy, a shop, in Netherlands that’ll hook you up. Put up some cash and I’ll hook you up, player. Seriously. PM for Venmo.

Maelochs

Google says : https://rideons.wordpress.com/2011/1...rame-builders/
https://www.******.com/r/NYCbike/com...ilders_in_nyc/ (r-e. dditt?)
https://www.bikefixnyc.com/
https://coastcycles.nyc/
About | Kirk Frameworks
https://www.solacecycles.com/about

That was just a tiny part of the first page. hard t believe everyone of these firms gave you the exact same response, except ... common factor and all .... no, it might not be.

Here is the funniest part---after all those posts, I am still not quite sure if any of this is what you are looking for.

If it is .... there it is.

rsbob 

For some reason, I think we could give him the solution on a sliver platter and he will still be complaining.

LesterOfPuppets

Wait, what kind of assistance are you looking for then?

indyfabz

With the plethora of custom bike builders out there, if you can’t find what you’re looking for you probably shouldn’t be looking for it.

DonkeyShow

Info on the 20k bike you have already ordered?(what's the point of this thread exactly?)

Garthr

I get it ..... better to get a laugh out of it all and move on though.... and smile. Smiles are free and welcomed everywhere.

wheelreason

No, you have this all wrong. You come into our shop with exactly what you want, and how you want it, and we will make it happen. The conversation goes sideways (and to an end) when you try to explain why the quoted price is wrong, I assume it's similar in most good shops. Now what's this geometry you speak of?...

shelbyfv

Seems OP is still being coy as to the actual nature of his problem, Our local shops regularly substitute components on new builds, as long as the customer is willing to pay and possibly provide the part if it's not offered by their regular suppliers. Bring in a list and they will have a bike for you, eventually. If it's a custom frame and builders won't use geometry provided by OP, then he's just wrong and should reconsider. Now if OP wants someone to serve him coffee and pastry, hold his hand while he natters about the virtues of one seatpost vs another, that might be a problem. Anyway, OP seems to have somehow ended up with the bike he wanted and I think we deserve some pics.

RB1-luvr

there are boutique builders/shops out there that cater to high means clientele. Keep looking OP, you'll find your place. REV Endurance in CA comes to mind. I'd be surprised if you could not find a place like that near you.

big chainring 

What do you tip a custom bike builder?

smd4

This would definitely be the attitude that would turn off many artisanal framebuilders, whom you actually need far more than they need you.

And if you're as good as you seem to think, you'd order your custom frame, order the exact parts you want, and build the damn thing yourself--which many of us would prefer, anyway.

Walking into a custom frame shop, throwing cash around and telling the owner that you know more about frame design than they do will get you a quick trip to the curb.