Originally Posted by
Jburrow
I really appreciate this feedback as well as the feedback throughout the thread! Sorry for delayed responses - the forum doesn't allow newish members to post regularly. To answer some of the above questions:
- $4k for a completed for frame? Either way. My wife and I are both looking at bikes, and in the ideal world, getting something that is tailored to our bodies and needs is extremely attractive. We wouldn't even mind spending up to $6k given that this bike would be a purchase that we would cherish for decades to come.
- I have looked up all sorts of shops. I live in rural Mississippi, and there isn't many bike custom shops of note within a close distance. Thomson is in Macon, GA which is only about 5 hours from here which isn't awful.
- We would like to go custom if we can afford it given that we were already planning on dropping $3.5-$4k on a production bike like the Giant mentioned in the original post. When we add another set of wheels and tires, we would be looking at pushing $5k overall. Why not go a bit further and get something custom?
- The problem being is that there are a plethora of custom shops around. Breadwinner seems fantastic on everything I can find. Speedvagen seems cool, too, as did IndyFab, Ritte, Horse, and a host of others. However, I have no idea what separates them out. We want a bike that is well made, could handle centuries on the road and on the gravel, could do a few overnight trips by bike, and to join in on our club rides.
Thanks all!
First off- mstate in my name= mississippi state. Cool that you are down there and yeah- its one location in the US that is for sure a desert when it comes to steel builders. There are some in KY and TN as well as OK and TX, but none really close to you.
As for what separates builders- its a bunch of things and nothing all rolled into one.
- lead time is good, it means they are in demand. too much lead time is no good because you want your bike this decade.
- some weld only, some use lugs, some fillet braze. No style is really better than another, its just aesthetic preference for the end user. Focus on one style if you really have a passion, otherwise this isnt important.
- some are limited in what they can offer like no thru axles or only post mount disc brakes. If that matters to you, then its a way to whittle down the field.
- builder's experience plays a part. Ritchey or Sachs are legendary because they have done this for so long AND market themselves. Others are incredible but dont market themselves(Jeff Bock) and you never know of them.
- look for someone you identify with- whether its their background story, their unique finishing touches to droupouts, their paint schemes, or anything like that. Then see if they are easy to work with. Just like a general contractor, if they cant ever get back to you and dont ever really listen to you, its frustrating.
Waterford/Gunnar is another option- its a Schwinn relative and some like having that connection to US cycling history.