To go Custom or not...do today's mass-produced OTS bikes allow good enough geometry?

[SFLiz]

I've read each and every response several times. I'm floored over the excellent advice you have all offered me and I've really taken it all to heart.

I understand the reasoning behind many of the opinions that I'm not at the stage to be riding an expensive bike because I don't know what I don't know yet. I do know that, in the past three years I've been riding a MTB, FlatBar and folding bike, I love going on rides averaging in the 40-50 mile range on a weekend day. I really have taken to cycling and don't foresee losing interest. I tend to keep with a hobby sport. I've been a semi-serious runner since I was 15yo until about 5 years ago when I decided I had to break from the activity due to my knees. I took up golfing ten years ago as a break from the monotony of grad school and it stuck. I still enjoy getting out and playing. In fact, my adoption of that sport parallels my current situation. When I first started learning golf, I had to get a set of clubs. I've always been someone who only buys something after somewhat intense consideration of options and then staying with what I have. (Cars especially.) At the time I picked up golf, I thought about buying a cheap starter type set like AMF to get me going. Without boring you with the details, I decided to buy some nice Callaway VFTs of which at the time I was unworthy at my level (complete beginner). I'll spare you from my decision-making justifications. Point is, I still play with these clubs; have never considered upgrading. Still love the feel of my clubs because neither time nor technology has changed the fact that they are quality clubs. Yeah, I've changed my swing slightly as I've developed as a golfer, but the clubs are forgiving enough that I'm happy with them 10 years later.

Another example is piano. I learned to play starting at around age 11 or so. To this day, I play the same piano my mom could afford when I was a kid (it's not a great piano) but it's still pretty good and good enough that I wouldn't upgrade --- hey, I'm never becoming a concert pianist and I'm fine with that realization. It's all about enjoying your hobbies.

However, from everyone's advice on this forum, my understanding is that with cycling, it might not be the case that quality equals good choice because we change a lot more as cyclists than as golfers let's say. Unless there is someone on this forum who is also a long-time golfer (if so, perhaps she can speak to an analogous evolution in terms of athlete and equipment), I don't think I can apply my general philosophy - that of trying to buy the best my budget allows at the start and then growing into the quality of the equipment as the caliber of my skills improve - to cycling. This is very good to know. Cycling does seem quite unique in this respect. For most other hobbies in my life to which I can apply my experience, I've had positive reinforcement in obtaining the highest quality I could get at the start so that I could grow into it. Not so, maybe, for cycling as we evolve as cyclists.

This is a valuable understanding to arrive at through everyone's comments and advice. Thanks again to everyone who took their precious time out of their days to read, consider and offer thoughtful advice to this newbie. Perhaps someday I'll see one of you out there on the road (mostly likely the back of your head) -

Thanks again.

[indysteel]

I'm not a golfer, so I can't help there, but it's an interesting analogy.

I think some of the push-back you've gotten on going high-end and/or custom from the start is an attitude among many of us that top-of-the-line doesn't necessary translate to a substantially better experience on the road. It's not a question of growing into a $5k bike, but whether the $5k bike is measurably better than, say, a $3k bike. For some, it is. For many though, the distinction, if not totally lost, is not appreciated enough to make up for the price difference.

But as Tulip said upthread, there's no one right answer. There's no one right/perfect bike for all of us. Assuming you're not bankrupting yourself to buy the bike you want, then there's really no shame in buying the bike you want. But then we circle back to how to even articulate your wants and needs when you don't have a ton of experience. For me, that's the real rub. Not whether you should buy a bike you can grow into, but whether you know which bike you really want to grow into. There are so many variables. You might choose wisely or with regret. Of course, experience doesn't necessarily shield you from regret, but it often help.

[tulip]

SFLiz, you don't have to justify anything here, let's just get that clear. If you want a $5k+ bike, then go for it. It doesn't affect us one way or the other. Enjoy your bike, whatever it turns out to be. Do learn to change your tubes and do basic maintenance and repairs, though. And if you get the electronic stuff, remember to charge it up. Any chance they come with solar or friction chargers so that they could be charged while you're riding the bike? That would be very cool indeed.

[Catrin]

You may also find, as many of us have, that as we ride longer we find ourselves buying different types of bikes for different types of riding as our interests and experiences change. The important thing is to ride!

[Becky]

You may also find, as many of us have, that as we ride longer we find ourselves buying different types of bikes for different types of riding as our interests and experiences change. The important thing is to ride!

This, for me, sums it up. Both my riding style and my bike fit have changed as I've become more proficient and as I've discovered new types of riding.

[Catrin]

This, for me, sums it up. Both my riding style and my bike fit have changed as I've become more proficient and as I've discovered new types of riding.

Yes, this. The bikes I ride now are quite different from my first bike - I am very glad I didn't go for custom or even very expensive to start with - thought that first bike wasn't cheap. Eventually I did go with custom because of both my size and certain fit related issues, but it would have been a mistake for me to have done that right off the bat.

[Crankin]

I never thought I'd be coveting an around town mixte with a basket.
Of course, this has to wait until I live in a part of town that's flat.
I wonder if there's a townhouse that will have room for 6 bikes?

[Owlie]

I've read each and every response several times. I'm floored over the excellent advice you have all offered me and I've really taken it all to heart.

I understand the reasoning behind many of the opinions that I'm not at the stage to be riding an expensive bike because I don't know what I don't know yet. I do know that, in the past three years I've been riding a MTB, FlatBar and folding bike, I love going on rides averaging in the 40-50 mile range on a weekend day. I really have taken to cycling and don't foresee losing interest. I tend to keep with a hobby sport. I've been a semi-serious runner since I was 15yo until about 5 years ago when I decided I had to break from the activity due to my knees. I took up golfing ten years ago as a break from the monotony of grad school and it stuck. I still enjoy getting out and playing. In fact, my adoption of that sport parallels my current situation. When I first started learning golf, I had to get a set of clubs. I've always been someone who only buys something after somewhat intense consideration of options and then staying with what I have. (Cars especially.) At the time I picked up golf, I thought about buying a cheap starter type set like AMF to get me going. Without boring you with the details, I decided to buy some nice Callaway VFTs of which at the time I was unworthy at my level (complete beginner). I'll spare you from my decision-making justifications. Point is, I still play with these clubs; have never considered upgrading. Still love the feel of my clubs because neither time nor technology has changed the fact that they are quality clubs. Yeah, I've changed my swing slightly as I've developed as a golfer, but the clubs are forgiving enough that I'm happy with them 10 years later.

Another example is piano. I learned to play starting at around age 11 or so. To this day, I play the same piano my mom could afford when I was a kid (it's not a great piano) but it's still pretty good and good enough that I wouldn't upgrade --- hey, I'm never becoming a concert pianist and I'm fine with that realization. It's all about enjoying your hobbies.

However, from everyone's advice on this forum, my understanding is that with cycling, it might not be the case that quality equals good choice because we change a lot more as cyclists than as golfers let's say. Unless there is someone on this forum who is also a long-time golfer (if so, perhaps she can speak to an analogous evolution in terms of athlete and equipment), I don't think I can apply my general philosophy - that of trying to buy the best my budget allows at the start and then growing into the quality of the equipment as the caliber of my skills improve - to cycling. This is very good to know. Cycling does seem quite unique in this respect. For most other hobbies in my life to which I can apply my experience, I've had positive reinforcement in obtaining the highest quality I could get at the start so that I could grow into it. Not so, maybe, for cycling as we evolve as cyclists.

This is a valuable understanding to arrive at through everyone's comments and advice. Thanks again to everyone who took their precious time out of their days to read, consider and offer thoughtful advice to this newbie. Perhaps someday I'll see one of you out there on the road (mostly likely the back of your head) -

Thanks again.

You should absolutely buy the best bike you can afford that meets your needs. However, in my humble opinion, buying an off-the-rack bike is much better for your budget than going custom unless 1) you have fit issues that cannot be solved with standard (or advanced) after-market fit adjustments, or it would VERY costly to do so and/or 2) can't find what you need off-the-rack (that fits). This is for a few reasons that everyone has covered: you don't know what you don't know, and you change as a cyclist--your riding style changes, your goals change, etc. (I started out thinking that I would never want a go-fast bike. And now I'm looking at aggressive carbon frames.) In addition, the manufacturer gets a far better deal on components than you ever will. You can upgrade parts as you go, provided you get the fit right from the start.

I do understand the desire for a bike that isn't like everyone else's, but it is much harder to get away from if for some reason it doesn't work out. It's much easier to sell a mass-produced bike.
Unless you're racing or have specific fit issues, I'm not sure that the extra money that custom requires is necessary, and the same goes for electronic shifting. If that's what you want and can afford, by all means, get it and post pictures when it arrives. But I strongly recommend that you test-ride several stock bikes.

(Confession: I absolutely do have fantasies of a custom steel cyclocross/light touring bike in British racing green. Maybe one day. )