I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a British built custom frame several times over the years. ‘Back in the day’ it was a Roberts Dogs Bolx. Yes, that would have been lovely. But I never did. More recently I’ve thought of a Curtis or doing a frame building course and making my own. Or maybe a Retrotech (USA, yes, I know) single speed. I’ve gone as far as making vague enquiries and costing the build up.
But every time I’ve not gone ahead. I could afford it, sure, but something has always stopped me. Like, why do a frame building course that would end up with a bike very like my Inbred? Why a SS? Very niche, yes, but also very limiting. Stuff like that.
Last year, however, I clapped eyes on probably just about as close to my perfect bike as I’ve ever seen at the Handmade Bike Show in London. It wasn’t a flashy bike. It wasn’t a road bike or a mountain bike, just a plain simple bike for riding distances from a mile to the shops or 1000 miles over a continent. And I can’t get it out of my head.
And I’ve realised that it would be silly to have a custom MTB as things change so quickly anyway. But I know what would suit me now, and what sort of bike I’d ride forever, no matter what.
It certainly wouldn’t be a cheap bike, but nor would it be bling for the sake of it. It’s probably going to be about a year before I can push the button, but I think I’ve made my mind up this time.
Dunno what the point of this thread it really. Just rambling out loud I guess. 🙂

Oh, the bike I saw?
http://www.woldcycles.co.uk/gallery
4th one down, Shaun’s 631 Tourer 🙂

Thing is many of your dream frames will ride much like an inbred!

I’d build your own.

Build your own.

And as I’ve found out, even the most basic tubes will probably end up lighter than an CEN rated Inbred……

http://www.halletthandbuiltcycles.com/650b.html looks interesting.

Follow your dreams, you only live once. Get it built and ride it

Vanilla build nice bikes. Bit of a waiting list though.

Just shows how times have changed. In my day both Shaun and Peter were boys names.

It wasn’t a road bike or a mountain bike, just a plain simple bike for riding distances from a mile to the shops or 1000 miles over a continent. And I can’t get it out of my head.
And I’ve realised that it would be silly to have a custom MTB as things change so quickly anyway.

Agreed on both. For me it’d be a Shand, so much experience there to gain from. Robin Mather makes some lovely bikes like that also. The shiny colour-matched detail show bikes aren’t what I’d want for touring and travel but getting all the fittings, details and geometry just-so is worth the custom-build price. Then paint it matt powder-coat black : )

Don’t forget 18 bikes if you want something different – he’s building my 853 Monstercross right now.

Open to odd ideas and ery reasonable on cost esp. as its full custom.

perhaps it’s just me, but if I was presented a custom built bike that used zip ties to keep the mech cable on the chain stay I wouldn’t be massively happy

looks to me like the zip ties are holding the helicopter tape on, or maybe stopping the cable hitting the stay when slack?

perhaps it’s just me, but if I was presented a custom built bike that used zip ties to keep the mech cable on the chain stay I wouldn’t be massively happy

I think that’s actually holding on the chain stay protector. I hope it’s not intended to be permanent, a bike like that deserves better.

yeah, after I wrote that I realised that they weren’t for the cable. still looks gash though

perhaps it’s just me, but if I was presented a custom built bike that used zip ties to keep the mech cable on the chain stay I wouldn’t be massively happy

So quick to criticise! 🙂
No sign of those when I saw it…..

[url=https://flic.kr/p/n7bcCj]IMG_3388[/url] by Peter Atkin, on Flickr

And have you SEEN these dropouts they do…?
mmmmmmmmmmmmm

positively Thornesque with that many spacers 🙂

After shelling out for a frame like that I’m not sure I’d be able to afford all the headset spacers….

I had a road frame made last year by Sword Cycles (See here)

It’s the best thing I own. Rides sublimely.

Save up and do it! You’ll not regret it.

So quick to criticise!

Hate zipties! 😆

On a wider point, I’ve a mate who’s ooooh 8’6″ at least, who needs a custom built frame (thank god for 29ers, he looked for all the world like he was riding a clown bike) but I’ve never really though that custom bikes were all that.

Some are pushing boundaries fo’shure (Jones springs to mind) but the vast percentage of these are the middle aged blokes equivalent of an expensive handbag aren’t they?

I think my custom bike will be audax style from
http://www.winterbicycles.com/gallery/page/3/

Looking at the pics, I would imagine the zipties were added post-delivery by the owner, Shaun, who then sent in the pictures to the manufacturer.

I will use simple friction shifter for the rear and a retro suicide shifter for the front .Little to go wrong that way in a crash when miles from home .I fancy a really nice steel retro build