Who's bought a custom bike "long distance"?

[Triskeliongirl]

While I haven't gone full custom yet, if I think about the folks that just rave about loving their custom bikes, both here (Mimi, DebW) and local people I know, they all worked with LOCAL custom builders (around here Crumpton in Austin has a terrific rep...). That is my plan once I finish putting my kids through college...... The next best thing I think is flying out for a fit/design session, but I think you need to meet and ideally go for a ride with your builder, let him observe you on your present bike, etc., be sure your philosophies mesh (i.e. don't buy a bike from someone that doesn't think TCO is a problem if you think its a problem, stuff like that).

[Triskeliongirl]

Correction, if you wanna call a bike friday a custom, I did have one built from measurements I mailed in of me and my present bike, and it had to be re-done......... SO that is what I think of that route. But bike fridays aren't truly custom bikes. They have pre-fab seat masts and mid sections that get put together in diff. comb. depending on your size specs, which is not the same as having a custom builder design your bike from scratch where frame angles can be varied, etc.

[Pedal Wench]

I would also suggest trying other pre-built frames with different geometries. Get your measurements, then see if anyone makes a bike with that geometry. You might not need a custom bike, just one that truly fits YOU!

When you're working with your local LBS, do you get a feeling for what's not working on your current bike? Is it too big, too small, reach too high, too low, seat position okay, etc? You might just need a new bike that's the right size for you.

[SadieKate]

I think we all need to clarify what we each mean by "measurements." I worked with Tom Kellogg of Spectrum, arguably one of the best in the business. Many world titles on his bikes. He didn't want body measurements; he wanted to see profile photos of me in very specific positions on all of my bikes and measurements of my current bikes. He was working with joint angles and weighting because that is what allows the proper muscles to be engaged. Measurements like leg length, etc., tell a builder nothing about your flexibility - for instance, how comfortable you are with leaning forward and where the bend is achieved. Some folks will never have a pure "flat back."

I had a very experienced fitter do everything locally and then set up a fit bike off Tom's CAD drawing and take more photos. Tom nailed the fit from across the continent. But I've got 20 years of riding under my belt and knew what positions my body was happy with. Therefore, Tom had an experienced and knowledgeable customer to work with.

All this doesn't mean you don't need a custom bike. A friend's first road bike was a custom Seven because her body just didn't fit stock bikes. She looks fabulously comfortable on it and her mileage zoomed up, but she worked with a local fitter (happened to be the same one that I did). The builder doesn't need to be local, but whoever is doing the fit and advising the builder needs to be be. Tom could turn out the same great fit for an inexperienced rider if he has a good fitter to work with. For one thing, the average newbie wouldn't know how to measure bikes properly.

Ask BikerZ about getting her Seven. She had a local fitter and the bike was built across the continent.

And good builders should be willing to work with local fitters. Otherwise, move on . . . .

[IFjane]

I had a very experienced fitter do everything locally...

The builder doesn't need to be local, but whoever is doing the fit and advising the builder needs to be be.

And good builders should be willing to work with local fitters. Otherwise, move on . . . .

Amen, SK!

My LBS owner is a very experienced fitter. He took all my measurements, similar to SK's experience detailed above. Once he and I were happy with my positions on the fit bike, he sent everything to Indy Fab in MA. Four months later I had my bike & it was the best investment I have ever made (in cycling, that is! )

[Triskeliongirl]

I too was referring to working with someone locally, not just trying to do the whole thing yourself over the internet. I thought she was asking about those places where you fill in a chart with body and bike measurements, and send them in and they build you a bike. I also think any local person you work with has to be a really good fitter, which you may or may not have in your area. Indeed that same fellow that has a Crumptom bike he loves, also got a Tom Kellog bike before that, but in that case he did fly out to visit Tom for a personal fitting. In my opinion, I also think its best to take out the middleman and work directly with the builder, if at all possible, but again it depends on your local options, if the 'middleman' knows you, your bikes, your riding style really well, maybe that is the best way to go.

[SadieKate]

Triskeliongirl, you know I'd normally agree with you about cutting out the middleman, but, besides the obvious "no builders in my area" problem for a lot of folks, there is a huge increase in the number of new builders who haven't put in a lot of time doing fittings. They may be able to turn out a great bike, but I'd want to see their credentials and if they're being mentored by anyone.

A superb welder does not mean a good bike designer or a good fitter. But s/he can still set themselves up as a custom builder.

I've been looking lately at some newbie builders but I'm also looking at where and with whom they apprenticed.

[tulip]

Bad Juju, if you can get a stock bike that fits you well, it's alot less hassle than going custom. There are alot of very good stock bikes out there, and they may be more appropriate than a custom bike. Having a good fitter is just as important for choosing a stock bike, too.

If I the pre-built Luna that I bought had not fit me, I would have worked with my local shop, which is a Luna dealer and the owner of which is a fantastic fitter, to get a custom Luna. Margo of Luna is an experienced fitter, and she worked with me to tweak the pre-built, although it didn't need much tweaking. I would not have bought the pre-built Luna without going out to New Mexico to ride it and have Margo fit it to me. Luckily, I just happened to be there for another reason and decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

I know what I like in a bike after riding them for 25+ years, including a few racing years. I felt comfortable getting the Bike Friday remotely; I also didn't just send it the form, I talked to them alot.

[bikerz]

I'll chime in and reinforce what SadieKate and IFJane said.

(And IFJane's point is good too - in my case the "middleman" knew me and my riding history and goals well, and was an excellent interpreter between me and the builder.)

I had a great experience with my custom Seven - my regular LBS guy is a very experienced Seven fitter and dealer out here in California*, and had been helping me tweak my old bike for 2 years before I started the custom process. He had a clear idea of what had worked and what had not worked for me with my old bike, and understood very well what my near and long term cycling goals were. I test rode a couple of steel and Ti Sevens he had in the shop that were more or less my size, with my saddles, pedals and wheels, and another Ti bike, and then Chris and I talked about how each bike felt to me.

He spent a long time with me on the Serrotta fit cycle and taking other measurements. One of the nice things about working with an experienced Seven dealer was that I didn't have to do the whole 20 page Seven questionnaire myself (well, not really 20 pages). I don't have a ton of cycling experience, and a lot of those questions were over my head, or addressed aspects of cycling that I felt I didn't have the expertise or discrimination to understand and address. Also, Chris does so many Sevens that he can bypass the "standard" process with Seven, and submit CAD drawings and measurements directly to the builders, which made the whole process very quick.

And the proof is in the bike - I love, love, love my Seven, I feel totally at ease on it, no more scootching around constantly to get comfortable. And it just GOES, snappy and responsive yet smooth. Plus it is beautiful!

* Chris Robinson at Robinson Wheelworks in San Leandro

[BikerDar]

And the proof is in the bike - I love, love, love my Seven, I feel totally at ease on it, no more scootching around constantly to get comfortable. And it just GOES, snappy and responsive yet smooth. Plus it is beautiful!

* Chris Robinson at Robinson Wheelworks in San Leandro

Hi! Just had to chime in here, when I saw you mention Seven and that you were in CA, I thought maybe you were talkin' about Robinson Wheelworks.

He's one of the top rated, if not THE top rated fitter in the country and his attention to measurements is awesome. He fit my partner for her dream bike, a Seven Axiom steel. He fit me too, but luckily (moneywise) I'm built like a guy in terms of short legs, long torso, so a standard frame worked for me. I got a Titanium Habanero, with a Campy Compact Double that I could ride all day long.

he makes a great espresso too!

[motochick]

My 2 cents. If my bike got stolen or crashed, I would buy a custom Habanero.
Ti is a lifetime buy, as long as the hurricane doesn't take it! But knowing the salt/water won't damage it, makes it something to consider.

Brenda

[Trek420]

I'll chime in and reinforce what Bikerz said that's ....

I'll chime in and reinforce what SadieKate and IFJane said.

..... I had a great experience with my custom Seven - my regular LBS guy is a very experienced Seven fitter and dealer out here in California*, and had been helping me tweak my old bike for 2 years before I started the custom process.

......

It helps if your LBS knows you and your bike/s. Chris did an extreme makeover on my ol' Trek420 over years and all the work on my commuter-mobile.

I decided to get a Mondonico Futura Legero the weekend Antonio himself was in the area doing fittings. I got to meet and be measured by him Wow! He was probably muttering in Italian "I can't believe I, master builder Antonio Mondonico am building a frame for this Sunday duffer "

After a long wait the frame arrived and Chris built it up. It fit like a pair of old blue jeans from the first pedal turn.

Chris keeps exhaustive files on each clients build and work done on your bikes. It's not like he has it memorized but if he needs to he can pull up "Bikerz's crank length this, stem height is this ..."

While my bike was being built he loaned me a bike from his stable. I ride a 47 most days the smallest "spare" bike he had is a 50 cm De Rosa. Going from his measurements it fit me. If I would have been able to afford 2 bikes I'd have got that too.

Even so our bodies change all the time. We get more ... or less flexible, more ... or less strong, some of us are shrinking

If I was getting a new bike like maybe an LHT even with all he knows I'd have it fit and not order long distance.

And BTW, Bikerz's Seven is amazing.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=16017

[BikerDar]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Hobbs!