sWords

I'm thinking really hard about having a custom road frame made, but I don't want to spend a crapload of money. I'm hoping to keep it under $1000 for frame and fork.

The problem is that I don't know where to start looking for builders. The obvious ones like Indy Fab, Gunnar, Sycip, etc, etc, are all well over the $1000 mark. This is where bikeforums.net comes in. Can somebody point me in the right direction? If somebody has direct experience with a builder or two and wants to pass on a recommendation/warning that would be awesome too.

sWords

Surferbruce

i would check out https://www.soulcraftbikes.com/
they're some of the guys from salsacycles before they were sold. i think they look like very cool bikes and frames are around 1200$, not sure if that includes the fork....
i would love one of their 29" hardtail mtn bikes. their cyclocross bikes have won quite a few races.

blanchjd

Well, Davidson cycles in Seattle has his signature TIG welded road frame for $1199 not including the fork. He is a well respected but lesser known frame builder.

www.davidsonbicycles.com

www.elliottbaybicycles.com is the shop davidson works out of. Cool shop.

-Jeff

baxtefer

curtlo? fame+fork starting at ~$900
https://www.curtlo.com/
gunnar, should be around $1100 for frame only
https://www.gunnarbikes.com/roadie.php

LordOpie

$750... with fork and one color powder coat.

https://www.waltworks.com/dev/index.php

He's primarily a 29er builder, but I put a deposit down on a custom roadie and should have it in a few months, so I can't comment personally, but there ya go.

timwat

https://www.mikkelsenframes.com

Alameda, CA, home page quotes custom steel frames $900, forks $250, lugged steel frames $1400.

Also, isn't the Gunnar Roadie under $1K with fork?

shimanopower

I make really good wood frames. They aren't as stiff as steal but they are much lighter. If you're interested just tell me what kind of wood you want it made of and what color you want me to paint it (or lacquer)

Jarery

If you can find a dealer with Marinoni its about 750-900 Cdn, about 600-700 US for a steel frame and carbon fork

https://www.marinoni.qc.ca/html/2005/05_en_index.asp

squeegy200

I rode a Davidson for many years. Lugged steel. Beautifully hand made frame. Bill Davidson bicycles have been around for years and fetch a pretty price used. My friend just had one made recently in Steel. Very lightweight and totally custom fitted. But I think the price may be well above your range.

Most custom framebuilders will charge somewhere around $1500 for a custom frame. '

For the price of a good frameset, you could learn to make your own.
www.hottubes.com

Pjmsj21

Check out Gunnar at gunnarbikes.com. I purchased a custom Gunnar Sport for $1200 including fork. They also have some great color of the month options for a truely custom look at no additional charge. I looked at all of the moderately/low priced builders ie Davidson, Landshark, Rodriguez, Nobilette and Gunnar provided the best value.

dfw

The manager of my LBS has a Gunnar steel road bike frame as well as a Gunnar steel touring bike frame. Both have been built up to very nice bikes. For my next road bike, I'm probably going to get him to build one up for me from a Gunnar frame. I think they are an outstanding value.

Steelrider

Frames by builders like Davidson, Eisentraut, and Moulton (if they were still available) are/were incredibly reasonable given their experience in terms of who they learned from, sheer number of frames produced and their reputations. There are certainly trendier and more expensive builders out there, but when you consider the price of "name brand" production frames and the price of a full custom from someone of the stature of a Davidson or Eisentraut - especially when you consider the uniqueness of them given how many you see around (rare) - I'd save a few hundred more and go with one of them.

redfooj

go overseas with Mercian cycles ... you can get a custom frame & fork for less than 1000$ shipped here

Pjmsj21

When choosing a custom builder one of the most important criteria is being able to communicate effectively with the builder as to what your needs and requirements are. If I didnt feel comfortable in this process I would keep looking no matter how good of a deal it is. You should in essence interview the builder and use the conversation as an important criteria in the selection process.

Thylacine

I do a Columbus Zona road model, full custom frame for US$995 inc delivery. Both Stickerguy and William Karstens on the forums have one.

PM or e-mail me for more info.

Serpico

bob jackson or mercian

lilscotboy

www.jonnycycles.com

we just took delivery of my girlfriends custom white lugged dedaccai track frame - shuld be in your price range with a fork, i think jonny has a bit of a long wait list at the moment, but well worth it, these are truly special frames

Wurm

Orbea Spirit - $999. Top-of-the-line Columbus Spirit tubes, and custom sizing will tack on only $100. Plus you get Orbea's famous hand-painting too - no decals on these baby's. Weight for 54 cm. is given as 1620 gm.

Can't beat this deal with a stick.



https://www.orbea-usa.com/fly.aspx?me...=105&taxid=235

sWords

I looked at the website and I don't see anything about custom geometry. Where is it?

sWords

uncutproducts

johnnycoast@trackstarnyc.com

guy build custom track bike sfor about $900 in brooklyn. don't see why he wouldn't do a road bike. really nice work too.

douchebagonwhlz

booyah

Wurm

I don't think that info is on their site, but talk with an Orbea dealer and they'll tell you. This is assuming that you already know what geom you want - for that price, a dealer is not going to do a bike fitting for you, and then expect the factory to pull together some custom-cut tubes.