Framebuilders in London that would do a fatbke for a decent price?

I really want a symmetrical steel/titanium fatbike, but the only ones on the market (bar the singular – no mounts for anything) are the Surlys. The Ice Cream Truck frame is £700 + £90 for the 135mm fork (for dynamo). I mean at that much, I was wondering if I could maybe get a custom/semi custom? I’d love to help make it as well too. that’d be really cool. Does anyone know of anyone? I tried Pactbikes for maybe ordering one but they’re going to take 8 weeks, kinda defeats the point, I wanted it for the summer!!! going back and reading the old thread just now as well, thanks! (:

I’d assume the wait for any custom frame is going to be a minimum of 8 weeks.

I’d assume the wait for any custom frame is going to be a minimum of 8 months.

+1

Darn. I wouldn’t really know, but thanks for keying me in 🙁 I can’t stand the thought of paying £800 for the only symmetrical steel fatbike frame on the market 🙁

You’ll be paying far more for a custom build I’d expect

Last chat i had with a custom builder and a starting quote was £700+ for a very standard/normal 921 hardtail. For the added tech of building a fatty, in Ti, i reckon you should at least double that, and then some!

You have to remember the massive overheads of haveing a workshop, then double that for having a workshop in London! this is ontop of all of the other big expenses of working for yourself. If you would like to help out as well that is likely to also slow down anyone working so up the price even more. Don’t give up but jsut be awear of the hurdles to overcome.

Haha I’m not too fussed about whether it’s Ti to be honest. @The Brick you make some really good points that I needed to hear. I probably will just slow things down lol. And the costs of a workshop in london would probably be a fair bit more than anywhere else. The time hurdle is one I just can’t overcome though. I need it very soon, for summer!! Ice Cream Truck it is then 🙁 going to cost me a small fortune still lol:
Frame: £680
135mm fork: £95
Dynamo front: £250
Exposure Revo: £160
Cranks that fit: £250
And I already owe £400 🙁 Hopefully selling my Mukluk and ECR will be able to fund it all

Couldn’t you get the singular and have any extras you want added? They’ll be relatively cheap and simple to do and then you can also get a spangly new paint job. You never know, Sam may even have one with damaged paint that he’d sell a bit cheaper…

How’s your DIY full sus fat bike coming along?

There’s not much benefit to getting the singular (very closely priced) and I much prefer the Ice Cream Truck. Might just have to settle for a darned offset design. Put a wanted ad in the classifieds for a small/xsmall pugsley, fingers crossed. Just want to get out there and adventure (:

Any framebuilder who can build a frame in 8 weeks, I’d be wondering why they’re not busier!

What will the Fat bike do that the ECR (assuming Knards) can’t? (other than riding on snow!)

Was it 18 Bikes that were offering framebuilding courses? Obviously they’re not in London and a course may not be available to suit your timescale, but might be a way of being involved )very involved) in the build without holding up a pro who’s more interested in getting your frame finished and out the door.

Not custom but how about the Genisis Caribou?

Haha I assume it’s steady pay then? 😉

The ECR was the complete wrong size for me, did not fit me at all.

@HopkinsGm that’s actually a brilliant idea, went their website though and didn’t see any mention of framebuilding courses?

@shaggy that is a really good idea! Unfortunately it seems the Genesis Caribou this year does not come in frame only 🙁 and last years is still availible in some places but smallest size they made it in was 17.5″. I was considering an XS Ice Cream Truck but it does seem such a rip off if you can get a custom titanium frame for £200 more. Unfortunately I just can’t wait 8 weeks. I much prefer building up a bike from the frame as then you can spec all good parts, not generic hubs and brakes.

not custom again but check out traversbikes – http://www.traversbikes.com

really nice looking titanium fat bike.
plus they are based down your way…ish

44 bikes

I follow this guy on faceybook. I’ll never buy a bike but….well never say never.

They look great but they’re just too much, double the cost of the Ice Cream Truck. Will probably just go for that. The annoying thing is I have a whole Moonlandere fully specced with Chris King and Hope stuff everywhere. It’s perfect apart from the frame. I would get another frame but they don’t make them in gorgeous space black anymore. I might just try getting used to it with the backwards stem.

Also bear in mind that the amount of fat bike frames that a typical uk frame builder will have built will be approximately zero. Do you really want to fork out that money for what will basically be their first best guess.

Symetric, but for a rohloff only (135mm hub) and 4″ tyres. No idea about price tho.

http://www.facebook.com/tumbleweedbikes

Sounds good but they’re located in California. I messaged them anyway lol.

A SURLY MOONLANDER SIZE SMALL HAS LITERALLY JUST POPPED UP ON CLASSIFIEDS!!!!!!!! Doubt the guy will break it up though 🙁

Could you consider someone just outside that there London? BTR are in Kent and they will do custom jobs I believe.

No fat bike in their current range but, can’t imagine designing one wouldn’t challenge them too much…

Ping them an email?

@cookea thanks! They look pretty good, I sent them an email, though like other have said they may not have the time right now?

BTR are in Somerset, but great guys.

I can do really small fatbikes, but not for £700 and not any time soon.

Mr OfficerFriendly

Just buy a bike and ride it you honestly don’t need to overthink having an adventure.

Buy it ride it enjoy it all summer while you plan your perfect bike.

I promise

Why do you want the symmetric frame? Stays are asymmetric for a reason.
Or is it just for the looks?

If you need it for the summer, I suggest you just buy the Moonlander 2nd hand rather than faffing around kicking tyres & wasting time.

Mr Josh Vegas you are so, so, so right. I just want to go out there. I don’t want to spend more money and faff around with more bikes. I just want to go adventure. Far out. I think I’m just going to ride my Moonlander. Sure it can only really take 5″ tyres and it will be a bit slower than 4″. And it’s not the perfect size. And it looks wrong with that stem backwards like that. But it works. It is superbly comfortable. With the slicks on it feels almost effortless to ride. I did 30 miles last week on it and the bars were fine the whole time, super comfy. It is the best bike I’ve ever owned. The weak point was the saddle surprisingly enough!

Here’s a pic:

And a close up (please don’t mock LOL)

I’ll just spend the money I get from selling my other bikes on a Dynamo for it (yay!) (:

And thanks all for your replies and help. Much appreciated (:

please don’t mock

Err…

Officerfriendly today

..
serious (non mock) mode/ If you had a custom with a tt short enough to replicate your current position you’d get toe overlap from hell.

I’ll just spend the money I get from selling my other bikes on a Dynamo for it (yay!)

Its summer. You don’t need a dynamo.

You don’t need anything. Stop before it gets dark. torch for any light duties.

Does that set up really fit you? Are your knees not rattling the handlebars?

How tall are uou??

Err, I have news for you…

Can we see the ecr?

WTF is that set up all about?? ^^^^ 😯

If that ecr you are selling/swapping on the classifieds is set up so you can ride it even uncomfortably it fits better than the moonlander.

Oh deary me. Officer Friendly. out.

okay let me just clear somethings up. before i go.

@Rorschasch yes I would. But it feels really comfortable? And LOL. it does kinda feel like that. My arms are perfectly long, they come down to my thighs. I don’t get what I’m doing wrong at all….I think I just need a bike fitting.

@Scotroutes What is your news? I’m not getting it.

@Josh Vegas really don’t get what you’re trying to say?!

How tall are you?

That setup on the moonlander doesn’t look like it works at all because your bars and saddle proximity suggest you have tiny arms comlared to your legs.

The ecr seems to fit you better if you can ride it like you are trying to sell it.

You are free to do and ride whatever makes you happy. But I you need to get yourself one bike that fits you properly thats more important than having a fatbike. Why not pick up a cheap rigid second hand bike and sell the rest and Have a blast all summer and save cash for what you want.

Scotroutes news is that moonlander doesn’t fit you in the slightest. A bike fit won’t help if the frame requires that much bodging.

+1

I was about to suggest the same. Forget fatbikes, dynamos and blingy Hope components. You’ve said that you want to get out bikepacking, how is that getting on? Why not buy yourself a cheap, 2nd hand bike for the summer and get out with your kit to try it out. Worry about a fatbike later. You’ll find loads of choice and you’ll get something on which you can manage a lot more than 30 miles, giving you more opportunity to explore.

why the hell is your saddle that far forward and your stem the wrong way round?

am I missing something?

Those photos have blown my mind.