custom carbon frame?

Does anyone have a custom carbon frame? I am planning on getting a new bike (road bike) and I want to get a carbon frame. However, the companies which make carbon frame bikes do not make a small enough bicycle in my size. I am only 5' tall and I need a bike with a standover of 68 or less, so I have been considering getting a custom made bike. I have been told about Calfee. But I wonder if anyone has another maker that you would recommend or if you have been lucky enough to find a carbon frame in such a small size?

Thank you for your help!

Letty

mmmmmm...custom carbon fiber! Lance Armstrong has one. I'd like to know the answer to this question too. Although I have no rich relatives ready to die & leave me $$$....

I just did a Google search on custom carbon fiber bicycle frames. I only came up with two companies: Calfee and CAS.

Calfee is in my husband's words, "The undisputed king of carbon fiber." If we were looking to go that route, that's who we would choose.

When we were at Death Valley we talked with a woman who has a custom Calfee tandem - very small woman, very light bike! She does a lot of ultra distance events and she was just thrilled with her tandem.

Here's a link to a picture we took of them on their way up Dante's View.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/calfee.jpg


I noticed you're in the Bay Area. You might try going to Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos and talking with them. They do both Calfee and Trek (since Dogmama brought up Lance :) ) and they'd be able to tell you if you really needed to get a custom bike or if a production model would fit.

I have heard Sausalito Cyclery is also very good, but haven't done any business with them myself.

Good luck and enjoy the search!

Veronica

Hi Veronica!
Thank you for the info, that makes me feel more secure in case I decide to get the custom frame. It is a big investment!
The Bicycle Outfitter has been one on the places I went and tested the Calfee and the 5200 WSD. The smallest 5200 WSD is a 47 frame with a standover of 70.9, I do not have enough clearance on that frame. Trek also has the 2200 WSD in a 43 frame which it actually fits me, but it is not the OCLV 120 Carbon and does not come with a triple, not really what I want. I test rode a Calfee in a 48 (production frame), which also does not give me enough clearance. But the Outfitter is checking on Tuesday with Calfee on the 46 frame they have listed on the brochures but the standover on the brochure says it is 71.5 (I do not think is going to work). The Outfitter said that if that frame does not work for me then I should go for a Calfee custom made (which is what Cupertino Bicycle Shop recommended too). Both say good things about it. Anyway, we'll see what they say on Tuesday! :(

Letty

Do you have your heart set on carbon fiber? Rivendell will make you a beautiful custom steel bike. :D I love my Rambouillet. The thing is a joy to ride, corners beautifully on the twisty descents of Diablo and Morgan Territory.

Veronica

Hi Veronica,

I have a steel and an aluminium frame bike. When I only had my steel bike (I was my only bike for 3 years), I wanted to get a lighter bicycle, so I got the aluminium. Now that I have had the aluminium for 5 years already, I want a smoother ride. I tried the titanium and carbon frames, I liked the feel of carbon better.

I always tried to save money when buying my bikes and always ended compromising something. But I realize that I spend a lot of time on my bike! I want to have everything that I wanted be completely happy with my bike and keep it for a LONG time!

I also checked the Rivendell custom bikes from their website, but the price of a Rivendell custom bike ($2,495 for fork and frame) is not much more different than the Calfee ($2,795 for fork and frame). I think the custom Calfee is sounding better. It is scary, I had never spent more than 2K on a bike before!

:eek:

I will let you know what I end up getting. I may even wait on my purchase, if I find out that TREK will make the 5200 in a 43 frame next year. (I actually sent them an email asking about that last week!) But I am itching for a new bike!

Letty

Yeah, if you're petite those pounds will really make a difference. I say go for what you really want - it's only money. My husband hates it when I say that. :p Of course, I pretty much buy whatever I want anyway.

I'd get a custom Calfee, even if Trek does come out with a bike that will fit. Treks are so ubiquitous and they're great bikes, but custom is so cool! It will take a while for the order to come in probably, so you can keep saving.

Enjoy the ride.

Veronica

This might be a silly question, but what steel?

I have a steel (Reynolds 653) custom and I absolutely love it. It's over ten years old, probably has over 40,000 miles on it and I'm still riding the same C-Chorus group (knock wood!) I keep it clean & lubed & take it in for its check ups & majors.

I road tested a carbon fiber before I bought this one and it was too squishy in the corners for me. I imagine they've improved, though. This was when carbon fiber was just starting to be seen in the Trek OCLV's.

If steel cracks, it can be fixed. Plus, you can get a new cool paint job. Most shops guarantee their custom frames for life - assuming you aren't doing cyclocross with a road bike.

And cost - don't even start. When my bike was new, it was worth more than the truck I used to haul it! Money can't buy bliss, but you can sure come close!

"I noticed you're in the Bay Area. You might try going to Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos and talking with them. They do both Calfee and Trek (since Dogmama brought up Lance :) ) and they'd be able to tell you if you really needed to get a custom bike or if a production model would fit.

I have heard Sausalito Cyclery is also very good, but haven't done any business with them myself."

also try Robinson Wheelworks carries the Calfee, as well as Seven, Torelli, Mondonico and others. Chris Robinson and his crew are building my bike, built my last bike too. They do a lot of work for "mini cyclists" even pros, I'm 5'1". Good luck and enjoy the search!

TREK420

Hi Letty,

I just got back from vacation so have been away from the boards. I notice no one has mentioned Aegis yet. They are a small carbon-frame builder in Maine. Check out the Aegis Swift, which comes in a 44 cm size (650c wheels). I just got a great deal on an unused 1999 46cm Swift frame and fork off eBay (I'm 5'2"), and it is absolutely gorgeous and light as a feather! I am going to have it built up after the holidays, and I can't wait. I currently ride a steel Terry Isis, which I love, but expect the Aegis to be about 5 lbs. lighter when built, which should help some with my hill-climbing (I hope!) I also test-rode a Trek 5200WSD in the 47cm size, but it was just a hair too long in the top tube for me (19.7" vs. 19.1" for my Aegis).

The Aegis folks have been wonderful answering the few questions I had, and I do believe their prices are slightly lower than Calfee. They are very well-regarded but not as well-known as Calfee.

Their website is: http://www.aegisbicycles.com/. No affiliation, just a happy customer!

Do let us know what you decide!

Emily

Here's a real life Aegis. Hope the picture works!

44 cm, 650c wheels, Campy Record/Specialty TA crankset. Colors Lupine and Blueberry.

Thank you all for your replies!
I actually heard about the Aegis Swift and I checked it out, but the standover on the smallest frame (44) is 70.3cm (sight). :( Also, the guy at the bike store, where I went to check it out, told me that since I do long distance riding, the triathlon frame will be uncomfortable.

I also heard back from Treck, no plans for a 43 frame in the 5200 WSD in the near future.

I will to take a trip to the Robinsons Wheel Works to see what they have.

Letty :p

Letty,
Sorry my picture didn't work. The Aegis Swift is not a tri bike. It was built specifically for small riders. It was designed in such a way that the softness and stiffness of the carbon helps to asorb road shock. And it was designed with lighter weight riders in. It's been around since 96 or 97. The frame is entirely different than than the larger models that Aegis makes.

I bought my Swift 3 yrs ago. The first week I put over 400 miles on it. An average ride for me is 60 - 70 miles and last summer I was averaging 200 miles a week on it. If it were uncomfortable I wouldn't be doing this much mileage on it.

My standover is 71cm and I have plenty of clearance on the 44cm frame.

Also, remember TT length plays into the formula. I went to a smaller frame for the TT length not standover height.

You need to find someone who is a good bike fitter, my shop was, and let them determine the size you need.

I'm not sure you your feelings on Ti but Titus also makes small women's frames.

Aegis is a very good company to work with and I think they will help with sizing or any other questions you may have.

And finally, the Swift is such a joy to ride.

"Thank you all for your replies!....I will to take a trip to the Robinson Wheel Works to see what they have."

Tell Chris, Jason and the guys howdy for me. When they sized me for my next bike (I chose steel) I was seriously tempted by the Calfee.

TREK420 but my LBS calls me Dita ;)