WHY YOU DESERVE A CUSTOM BIKE

Custom. The word evokes passionate opinions about what constitutes a custom-made bike and who gets to ride one. There's this idea that they're wildly expensive pieces of functional art meant only for the fittest, fastest riders.

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That's simply false. Custom is an expansive term that can mean different things to people. The fact is, almost every rider customizes their bicycle to some degree when choosing saddles, bar tape, accessories, or component sizing. And the definition also varies from one brand or frame builder to another.

We've spent years testing nearly every production bike on the planet, and we're here to tell you that a custom bike might be the smartest choice for you--no matter what kind of rider you are. With production road, gravel, and mountain bikes now regularly carrying five-digit price tags, a bicycle designed to fit your specific riding needs might cost less than a top-of-the-line stock bike and provide better value.

WHAT IS CUSTOM?

Broadly speaking, custom means not stock. Stock bikes are what you typically see when you walk into a bike shop. These bikes, often from large manufacturers, come out of boxes with all parts and dimensions locked in. And companies usually offer them in only one or two predefined finishes.

Custom bikes are generally made by much smaller companies. This could be a one-person operation run out of a backyard shed, or a brand with a handful of employees. Either way, it's probably not an outfit with an HR department (or any departments, really).

These low-volume, craft builders typically make most of their goods in-house. Many do it as a full-time job, while for others it is a side or passion project. Hundreds of these brands from around the world fuel the ever-growing small frame builder and custom-bike community.

Some of these builders offer full-custom, one-of-a-kind bikes. They make bespoke frames with geometry, tube sets, frame shaping, and paint designed for only one person: the buyer. These frames may be adorned with an individualized build kit of hand-picked parts and accessories. Sometimes, the parts themselves are custom-made or custom-finished.