The biking thread

[Omnis]

The bike that invented the unsightly sloping top tube? No thanks!

Go check out July bikes then.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It's definitely neat to see somebody making hand-built carbon frames, but I think you're missing out on a ton of engineering by not going with a big brand. They have the layup dialed, they have the shaping of the tubes dialed, they have the compliance and stiffness dialed. I would love a custom Ti bike one day ( @Shaun ), but this bike I just want to be a weapon.

 

[Shaun]

It's definitely neat to see somebody making hand-built carbon frames, but I think you're missing out on a ton of engineering by not going with a big brand. They have the layup dialed, they have the shaping of the tubes dialed, they have the compliance and stiffness dialed. I would love a custom Ti bike one day ( @Shaun ), but this bike I just want to be a weapon.

I'll always be an advocate for a custom-built bike, nothing quite like getting on a bike where every dimension is designed to the mm for your body. They do however come at a significant cost. Some of the off the shelf carbon bikes are really excellent also (though I can't really help here as I'm firmly in the metal camp) but are bordering on custom prices nowadays it seems if you are looking high end.

Custom carbon has been around for a fair while now also, Sarto, Parlee and Bastion just to name a few.
I had a close look at a Bastion at a custom bike show here in Melbourne and they are stunning but also come with an eye watering price tag. Interestingly when the guy at the stall asked what I rode after my reply he said "well thanks for even looking at our bikes", kind of tells me how highly regarded my bike builder is in the industry.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I'll always be an advocate for a custom-built bike, nothing quite like getting on a bike where every dimension is designed to the mm for your body. They do however come at a significant cost. Some of the off the shelf carbon bikes are really excellent also (though I can't really help here as I'm firmly in the metal camp) but are bordering on custom prices nowadays it seems if you are looking high end.

Custom carbon has been around for a fair while now also, Sarto, Parlee and Bastion just to name a few.
I had a close look at a Bastion at a custom bike show here in Melbourne and they are stunning but also come with an eye watering price tag. Interestingly when the guy at the stall asked what I rode after my reply he said "well thanks for even looking at our bikes", kind of tells me how highly regarded my bike builder is in the industry.

I was looking at Parlee but the only bike they make that's in the aesthetic category I'm looking for is made in Asia anyways and I'd argue hugely overpriced. Their made-in-the-USA Carbon bikes look more primitive than Trek OCLVs from 30 years ago. Sarto is eye-wateringly expensive - like as much as I bid on this AMG Mercedes that I didn't win. The other thing is that I view Carbon frames, sadly, as somewhat disposable. I wouldn't buy a carbon bike expecting to hold onto it forever, so it would be hard for me to justify the spendyness of a custom frame in that case. Eventually, I'm going to take a trip to Boulder and get fitted on a 100% custom Mosaic Ti bike, but that will probably be of the all-road variety.

edit: Those bastion bikes have Pagani-like attention to detail. Good lord. Also Pagani-like cost
edit2: And what do you know, somebody did a photoshoot of a Bastion with a Pagani. Indisputably pretty bikes, but too glam/baroque for me. I'm not an investment banker.