Who The Hell Needs A Custom Bike?
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- Thanks to:
Giles for a great ride and interview: / giles__harrison
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I'm glad Giles has the option of a custom bike. For most of us, the issue would surely be the price.
You'd be surprised, the price is comparable to a high/mid end new top brand bike and if built correctly can last you a lifetime.
A custom Rock Lobster frame starts at US$1850. Seems worth it to have a frame that fits.
Well stated
1850 might seem affordable for some. it’s well beyond my budget for a complete bike and i am not alone
@@winterwatson6437 shop used.
Hi guys, thank you all for this great report and the visibility you give to us! Kudos to everyone! Happy rides Giles
Naming brands and makers for nearly 30 seconds straight is so valuable for the convenience of not having to search for them. Thank you for that service!
Brilliant that Giles has had his biking "problems" sorted.
Kudos to James, laying the groundwork.
Looking forward to seeing that US crossing with Justin again, cracking adventure :)
Watching Giles dance on the pedals up that incline looked like perfectly synced locomotion. I'm so happy to see a bike fit its owner so seamlessly.
Proving yet again why this is the best cycling channel ever
Add Ira Ryan Cycles, Ioklin Frameworks, Bishop Bikes, Tomii Cycles, Enigma Bikes, and Bastion Cycles to that never ending custom builder list haha
Tonic Fabrication, English Cycles, Liminal Cycles, Vanilla Workshop. That’s just Oregon. Tonic & Liminal are very affordable.
@@daveanolik8837 Vanilla and SpeedVagen are no more. Bastion is STUPID money, STUPID and that is from someone that spends more on bikes than most vehicles, STUPID money for what they are.
@@edgerat thought Speedvagen just moved, but you’re probably right. I’d never get a Bastion (or Argonaut) just because of the price (but they’re very nice). Tony at Tonic or Brian at Liminal can build you an awesome affordable steel, stainless or ti frame. I’d go for a ti Liminal before the Tonic, but only because I’ve got two steel Tonic’s already 😁.
Follow up: Speedvagen ain’t gone, they just moved.
I have a custom Bishop! I've got about 4000 miles on it, and it's perfecto! Working with a custom builder to not just get the fit you need and the ride quality/performance you want but also to get a unique bike, has the style you want, and doesn't look like virtually every bike that the big manufacturers put out is well worth the money and time. It's a great experience.
Bertoletti - Italy
trail running style 250ml / 500ml soft flasks in the jersey pocket might be a good option for hydration? They won't dig into your back and compress down as you drink them, so when less full, won't slosh around. They are readily available. If in UK sportshhoes sell UK brand Montane's 250ml flask cheaply to test out.
Plenty of ways to mount bottle cages on top tube, handlebar etc or just use a double bottle cage adapter with back to back side loading cages.
As always, great video! Giles's bike is an absolute rocket ship 🚀. Both my bikes are custom steel builds and at a super price point. The brand is Scarab from Retiro, Colombia. Just outside of Medellin. Other than the superior quality, it's great supporting local businesses. All Scarab employees are from the area. I highly recommend it if you're shopping for road or gravel. Thanks for the bangin' content!
The fact that the average height woman in the UK is basically not served by bike sizing is insane. My wife is 160cm and 95% of bike models don’t come in her size. Half the worlds population of women (plus the men) are shorter than her. Jesus Christ why is it so hard to find frames to fit her.
My 1983 Bob Jackson was built for me. I am still riding it to this day. 531c tubing and a absolute steel weapon when this 74 yr old rider is on song. LoL.
Went to the Handmade Bike Show in London a few years ago. Amazed at the value and the beauty of the frames. If people realised this is a feasible option I doubt they'd be queueing for Specialized, Giant et al.
Comfort is key. But there were some stunning looking bikes also. Nice to be a bit different.
I’m fortunate to build and paint my own custom steel bike I took a course on a little company call " la fabrique à vélo " ( the bicycle factory ) in Switzerland.
I’m very happy and proud with my bike 🥰
I am 207cm and reached out to Quirk Cycles and got a custom bike made and it’s the best decision I have made. It has an all road geometry and I have two sets of wheels for on/off road as I wouldn’t be able to buy two bikes
Waltly makes custom Ti frames in china, starting around $800, could be a nice video to go through the process of getting one (+ reviewing it).
Brilliant video. Getting a bike fit and then a custom bike built with James at Bicycle was best thing I’ve done. The difference is phenomenal, no more numb hands, sore back etc. And a bike I just want to ride that puts a smile on my face every time I go out.
This made my day! What a legend, that maap kit is 🔥I bet he climbs like a pro!
There seems to be a resurgence in the USA for custom steel fabrications. Sadly, not so in the UK, but do not forget those who have been building bikes since before many of the others were even born. Such as Mercian and the incomparable Geoff Roberts of Roberts Cycles. I am proud to have been riding one of their custom frames since 1988 when I was 19yo. It fits like a glove and I shall never part with it. I appreciate just how fortunate I am to have this as some have said, the barrier to most people is the cost.
Nice video Francis.
You've probably heard of waltly but many people restrain from considering them since they are a Chinese company. I own a custom titanium frame from them and after a year of riding it i can say I'm really happy with it. The frame and fork cost me 1.4k € with shipping to Europe. If anyone is interested in one they have more manufacturing options (like 3D printed parts) than what they show on the website (it desperately needs an update 😅), also for finishes
I am 5'4" so finding an off the shelf bike is definitely difficult, not impossible. But they still aren't ever a perfect fit, something is always a little too long or short. I would love to have a custom frame, hopefully one day I can afford one.
Dutch frame builders: Braun, Colossi, Van Nicolas, RIH, St. Joris, Project 12, Lester Cycles, J Guillem, Wikkit.
Koga 😁
@@appelflapdrol Koga does not build custom frames for consumers
This is awesome coverage, stoked for Giles!!!!!
im 5ft 2 155 pounds (lift weights) i went custom a year ago and went through scarab bicycles. I absolutely love my road bike. Recently purchased a new gravel frame through them, cant wait to get it! No more pain while riding has been a game changer.
In Italy, you can find at least 30 manufacturers who are still making frames in custom sizes and geometries, in all kinds of materials and price points. From B like Bixxis to Z like Zullo (I just could not remember a brand starting with "A" but there is one for sure)
I bought from Enigma because they do custom sizing and my ideal size is always between two off the shelf sizes. So pleased I did, it fits me like a glove and it's super comfortable.
Here in Montreal, we have Marinoni (a legend around these parts). I bought a custom steel gravel bike from them back in 2019 and, to this day, I maintain that in terms of dollar per unit of enjoyment, it is the by far the best money I have ever spent. Pushing 20,000 km on that bike alone in the past 5 years, and I still love it.
Jimmi's Howler is the most metal bike I have ever seen. Full respect
Completely agree that going custom is essential for many cyclists that have unique sizing needs or want something more bespoke. Personally I have 2 custom Seven Evergreens and I will be getting another custom hardtail soon. Probably one of the biggest reasons why I go custom is because I want to support the “craftsman” that build custom frames.
I’ve seen Giles absolutely ripping it around Regent’s Park!
4 years ago I bought a custom steel frame from Woodrup in Leeds. It’s stunning, unique and fits me like a glove. The handling is exactly how I wanted. I’ve used this bike to get the position correct on my other (off the peg) bikes but there is always a compromise.
I have 2 custom Sterling road/race bikes and 1 custom Bilenky mountain bike, all built by Stephen Bilenky of Bilenky Cycle Works Philadelphia PA USA. All mixed Reynolds tube sets; filet brazed and lugged. All built between 1985 and 1990. While components have worn out, and frames have been repaired, and I can no long ride with my handle bars slammed, I still ride almost every day.
I’m 6’4” / 193cm - tall, but not exceptional. But I have long legs and arms and a short torso. Nothing crazy - regular clothes mostly fit me. And yet… there are literally zero off the peg frames that properly fit me. The most relaxed frame I ever found - the Condor Fratello - is ok with a setback seatpost (long legs), shorter bars and an 80mm stem, but I have absolutely no wiggle room and it’s literally one option. That bike is designed as a super relaxed tourer, yet for me, to get the right seatpost height and leg position, I end up in a pretty aggressive posture because the bars end up so far away. I now have a fantastic (but not cheap) custom frame from Donhou and it was a game changer.
But my point is more: how on earth are we in a situation that someone with a far from exceptional body shape can’t find a single frame on the entire market that fits me? See also Francis’ observations about the average female rider. It’s a crazy situation.
Bonus facts: I use 165mm cranks and have toe overlap on both my bikes (pretty unavoidable for me).
I feel you. Cheers
Oh and I genuinely don’t understand why anyone would buy a top end £5-12k road bike (e.g. an S Works) when you can have a custom bike for the same price - they’re just better in every possible way…
@@kazarothspeed and weight could be “better”.
@@konigsegg_1to1I agree- but I also think comfort = speed. Unless you’re literally competing, I bet you’d be faster on 100k club ride on a well fitted bike than one that’s 1kg lighter… :)
@@kazaroththat is no joke
I had a Rosko cyclocross bike built for me and to this day is my favorite bike to ride. I also have a second hand Serotta that I absolutely love.
Great video as always. Love you guys. I have had a few custom bikes including my first racing bike, a Merlin (now defunct British bike) in the 60's. I would like to recommend Holland Cycles in San Diego California. They are currently making my new travel bike, now with disc brakes. They use Ritchey couplers, so it is hard to tell that the bike comes apart and fits in a suitcase. My old bike that they made had rim brakes and was awesome.
Awesome stuff. More people on a bike, the better.
You also have the french titanium bike brand. CYKL. They have 6 models with six sizes but you can request a custom frame made or a custom bike design.
Thanks Giles , Francis , and Jimmi . I had no idea there were so many custom bike makers .
I'm 4ft 11 and have wanted a proper road bike since I was a teenager. I got a tip about a small local bike shop, where they actually took the time to help me look for bikes. I ended up ordering a Liv Avail 1 right away, and now I can't wait to go on a proper bike ride and make cycling my new personality, it has been a long time coming.
I recently purchased a Liv bike for my daughter as she needed one for junior triathlons, I have to say the service my daughter got from the dealership was second to none granted she was getting an expensive bike but the time they took with her it was basically a full bike fit , I’ve got one very happy daughter
Been eyeing custom frames from two brands: Scarab (based out of Medellin), and Schon Studio (based out of Squamish, BC). Both do beautiful work. Schon is interesting because they also do framebuilding courses, which honestly sounds amazing.
Pretty sure a few weeks ago now I saw Giles riding his bike at Westerham Kent. He was climbing a hill and wasn't hanging around. I remember thinking that theirs a fella not letting his size inhibit him from doing what he enjoys doing.
This is a solid video from a continuity stand point. You've entered your Edgar Wright Cornetto phase and I'm loving it. Get a bottle on one of the forks Giles. Also,"My mate Billy"... Lmao
Custom frames are idea if you have extra long arms and a short inseam. Stock 54 or 55 cm Frame I end up using a 130-140mm stem and 56cm frame are too tall with stand over. RockLobster out of Santa Cruz, CA makes a reasonably priced aluminum racing frame for Road, CX and XC, which will be my next road frame.
Cool bike Giles, it may be worth putting a side load bottle cage in play and getting a CamelBak if hydration is a challenge. Ibis are also a great example of a company that makes decent small frames and there's a great story if you look into it. Basically the CEOs wife is small and rightly advocated for shorter riders. Also Atherton bikes has a great approach to custom frame sizing. Thanks for doing a video about inclusivity and accessibility.
I have a custom steel touring bike, made in the 90s, using MTB wheels for strength... It was a great idea at the time, but these days when 26 inch wheels are all but dead... So it hangs on my office wall as art. It was the only bike I have ever ridden that felt wild and fun at walking pace. I loved that bike, but making Shimano road levers work with V-Brakes took some effort and a special pully wheel.
I’m chipping in Marino bikes, They’re from South America and they do Chro-Mo frames, idk if they would do higher end tubing, but it will definitely be a good entry point for custom bikes. they involve you with the building process, i.e. design, measurements/geo, specs ( how many bottle cages, fender/rack mounts/ anything mounts) and paint schemes too
I haven’t tried them but a couple youtuber’ s feature their work and they love it.
Oh, for Giles hydration problem, TT style mounts on the back of the saddle, Maybe hydration top tube bag? pretty sure Jimmy has some lying around 😅
Donard cycles in Northern Ireland 👌
Built mine and it is mint model 058 aka 'Big Pink'
(Also glad to see I'm not the only one with a fetish for unique things.)
Back in the day when they built bikes sized every centimeter even less people needed custom. They stopped not because a compact small. medium, large size run was any better but so bike manufacturers could make more money.
I have one custom bike from Racer Rosa in East London. The fit happens here , the bikes are made in Italy. They are also agents for Daccordi, who also make custom bikes
Rourke. I had a steel Rourke built and they made a beautiful job of it. I thought the paint was particularly on the mark. In retrospect, whish I'd sprung for stainless, but that was my choice. Excellent work.
Really good to see Giles get a bike he's happy with. Hard to see any other way he would get a satisfying bike for his needs.
I have one off the shelf steel is real love it.
@@arcoulant87 Definitely has the best feel.
I have a steel rourke and it's wonderful. The guys there are amazing
Awesome video. Super interesting and Giles’s bike is an absolute beauty
Marino Cycles (Steel frames 4130 to Reynolds 853)
Hup CC/kidsracing were great when we built up a gravel bike for my 4ft11 better half. Well designed small bikes and small components. 👍
Haha I totally feel the no toe overlap thing with Jimmy. I'd love a custom road bike with a longer reach (but shorter stem) and slightly slacker head tube angle so I can have no toe overlap and even more importantly, brake harder without going OTB!
Just like Jimmi, I had a custom frame made because all gravel bikes have dumb road geometry with 72 degree head and seat angles and tons of toe overlap. I had it made out of titanium by Waltly and I couldn't be happier with it. I designed the whole frame by myself and learned a lot of stuff. I've never ridden a bike that handles so well.
Not all gravel bike have a race geometry. Do your research.
I got a custom Seven in 2017. Before then I had been riding various "women's" frames with limited success. I'm 5'2" (157cm) and a 26" (660mm) inseam. Once I got my custom bike I completely stopped having neck pain from riding. And it's beautiful and fast. Put several thousands in upgrades on it last year--SRAM Red AXS, carbon wheels. Hope to keep riding it as long as I can get rim brakes for it. When I decide to change I'll go back to Seven and get a new one.
My Seven Alta from 2003 is my only road bike, easy to upgrade and when I cant keep the DA 9100 mechanical groupset going I'll be going back to Seven for disc brake and electronic equivalent.
You should check out Spino. A custom shop in the south of Brazil that does steel builds. Luiz, the owner and framebuilder, takes his time to understand your needs to design and build the perfect bike.
Here in the Philippines theres some guy named "Ave Maldea" who specializes in making steel frames, you just bring the tubing for the bike and the measurements of your body and he'll do the rest, he only does steel frames but ye, steel is real
the water problem is something we all face, he could mount a bottle cage anywhere, saddle, top tube, bars, even hydro pack.
There's Waltly Titanium if you want a custom ti frame under 2k (they are based in China though).
I have a custom steel 29er xc bike made by República, it is a lovely, made specifically for the kinds of rides I do that are a bit too rough for a gravel bike but nor rough enough for a modern xc bike.
I've known several people with custom frames and only one ever complained about his and I think that was mostly because he had it built to what his fitter told him after a session. As he settled into that position he found it wasn't right.
Add Enve to the list of custom frames, I don't know what the backlog on the orders is like, but their custom road is one of my favorite custom frames.
many bike brands offer custom geo for a (usually) small fee on top of the bike/ frame cost, that and a bike fit should
result in a custom bike ? It's great to see someone like Giles, who has unique needs, get a bike that fits!
Though I always though smaller bikes like off the shelf XS bikes should be fitted with 650b wheels.
Many? Name 5
Firefly! Breadwinner! Baum! Spooky!
When I saw the first footage of Giles riding his bike I thought “that’s a nice looking bike” with no notion it was custom even though that’s the topic of this video. On closer examination I can see the custom details. Point is it’s a nice looking bike.
"Naked cycles" and "Mariposa" from Canada make great bikes. "Toyo" "Nishikawa" "Sanrensho" and a huge multitude of others in Japan... But most you'll have to deal with in Japanese. Great to see the call or for 22!
Giles is a legend! Stupid question from a runner: Would a saddle-mounted bottle holder be an option for him on those hot days?
Cycling's now a mass-market industry. LESS SKU's not more!!! T-shirt sizes. All brought to us by GIANT back-in-the-day with those gawdawful aluminum things they put the ONCE team on. Flag pole seat posts, comically long stems...the pros looked like hell on them, why shouldn't you? Good to see the pendulum starting to swing back. Your suit analogy is great - I'd always ask a potential client whether they'd buy a suit in size 50 if they wore 42, as long as the price was low?
A bike you're not comfortable on or doesn't fit is pretty worthless while one that does is almost priceless...but there's not enough $$ in that for any but the little guys whether they're bike fitters or custom, made-to-measure bike makers...so here we are.
I got a custom steel frame made 25+ years ago by Taylor. I still have it in my quiver. It was done as a crit frame with Track geometry. feels really fast not great for long rides though.
Custom bike builder shout out: My Custom is by Donard Cycles, here in Northern Ireland...Steel Frame and build as a ode to my recently deceased mother. Its a thing of beauty!
What an awesome dude.
I can fit stock bikes, but I will need a longer stem and at my height, there's usually a lot more trail than the average size frame. There's basically enough trail to make a performance road bike into an endurance bike. And usually the tubing in small stock bikes, because of the need to pass ISO certification, is a bit stouter than I would prefer. So, I definitely benefit from custom. There's going to be some people who really need custom, and more who would benefit to some degree from custom.
I have very strong positive feelings about custom. I was never completely happy with any bikes I owned for 60 years. There are a few percent of us that have parameters that cannot be accommodated by off the rack bike sizes. A few years ago, I had a custom built. Well, I did not know what pure biking pleasure was until that moment. And, custom is no more and most times less expensive than top tier bikes. The best part is you are supporting an artisanal business that main stream bike companies will never be able to duplicate.
I had one made by the same guy that made the 24" bike in the video. Unfortunately it was a super bad experience and a lot of drama with delays, communications etc. The bike I got is okay, but nowhere near as good build quality wise as I had expected it to be. Old mate has since gone out of business, because he kept up the same bad practices with other customers after me. My caution here would be: If you're going custom, double and triple make sure you can trust the builder. Don't get swayed by some nice paint jobs, a website or even a nice media video in some magazine. Do better due diligence.
Lots of frame makers out there I was interested in Passoni an Italian brand with a titanium frame offering off the peg and custom.
So glad Giles found a bike that fits him!
Would love a custom bike but for me it's not affordable, so it'll be off the peg. At 6'1"/185cm tall, the problem then is choosing the right frame size. Having watched so many bike fit Tuesday videos and listened to James's take on the matter, I think I'll end up dropping down a size to what a brand/company recommends. Perhaps advice for buying off the peg could be the subject of another video?
I have a custom steel Jaegher. It’s a Belgian brand. It’s so nice! Sure check it out!
King cage makes a stem cap with bottle cage mounts. I could see a setup like this becoming a bit counterproductive when it comes to aerodynamics but for chill rides maybe this could solve Giles‘ problem with water supply
I never had a custom build frame (at least I have a custom painted Bianchi Oltre XR4 🙂) - but it would make things easier; as I have very long legs and a short torso (90cm inseam at 180cm overall height) I need big frames to get the seat right, and then I need unusual short stems so that I don't sit too stretched out. Back in the 80's, when I started riding race bikes there where custom frame builders all around - of course making steel frames...
I feel very fortunate to be of exceedingly average height. I have quite long limbs in relative terms, but I've had no problems with consecutive 54 frames.
Like a lot of good parts in life, the real question is not who needs it, but who wants it and can enjoy it enough to pay for it
Jitensha studio in CA does a custom bike, and their window is gorgeous
CMT bike (Custom Made Titanium) in France. They make really nice titanium custom frame!
Probably didn't need it but I wanted it but I have a custom steel bike from Alfano Frameworks based in Leicester. Would have probably brought a Fairlight, but instead have a one of kind bike! Do recommend a bike fit otherwise you'll end up having to make changes afterwards. We didn't have the opportunity to do a proper fit as it was during COVID. However, I've now got a bike that I've ridden a 600km audax on so it can't be that uncomfy!
one of the smaller Frame builders i would like to add to the list would be Paul Sadoff/rock lobster cycles out of Santa Cruz California
Awesome bike, awesome guy ❤
you kinda forget how life is for those not in mean of the distribution - glad Giles is sorted!
Rourke cycles in Stoke on Trent - absolute legends
Parlee. I have a lovely a custom geometry, carbon fiber, Z-Zero RD which is handmade in MA USA.
I saw him doing Tour de Big Bear 100 mile ride in August 2024!
I'm amazed his bike doesn't look like shit, even tho it's super small. I'm glad he is able to ride such a nice build.
Camel bag pack and good to go
I didn't use a water bottle for ages. Water in my back pack is way better IMHO. It's safer since I have 2 hands free, I can carry more water and if the back is suitable for your size you don't even notice it, no air drag either.
The one I use carry 2L and doesn't cover my jersey back pockets so is a win win 😉
I got a custom steel bike _decades ago_ from a company named "Medici". _I loved that bike_ & I miss it. I sold it when I decided to buy a car (which made sense at the time 😐).
Maybe Giles could find a bottle cage that fits behind his saddle? Like Tri guys used to.
Sinnett bicycles in Suffolk build custom columbus steel road/gravel bikes.
Shout-out to T-Lab out of Montreal, Canada. Ti bikes, with custom as an option.
FAVALORO/FM Bike in Italy will be happy to create a made-to-measure bike for you in carbon, steel or aluminum. They're near Lake Garda in northern Italy. English speakers might contact them through the US importer Albabici in California. I know them all personally and can vouch for the quality of their work. Michele Favaloro is a great guy! I'd put links here but they usually get deleted but Favaloro/FM Bike is easy to find online.
I ride a Sage Titanium. Their built in Portland Oregon. They’re not cheap!
Custom builders that come to mind: Rodriguez, Olivetti, Nate Zukas, Scarab, Agustin Hincapie.
I have three custom road bikes, a Moots Vamoots RSL, Breadwinner Lolo, and an Alchemy Xanthus. Check out Bill Holland bikes.