Custom frames for bicycles?

Question

Why do custom frames usually cost so much in Canada and America?

The wait for a custom frame is also terribly long as well, sometimes from 6 months up to a year lead time is required.

Answer 1

Customs bikes and trikes cost more because of the Duty and Taxes on Imported Products.

* tariff classifications,
* import duty rates,
* quotas restrictions,
* and all other product specific import details.
All play apart in the final price of the product you buy or have imported.

If your talking about having a bike custom built in this country and there is only a few reasons for doing so and the biggest reason for costing so much is materials and components.
Most people that have a bike built do with the highest grade and lightest materials available, and the best components they can find and it ups the cost, then you can look forward to paying a builder top dollar to do the build and it's not cheap.

IMO unless your made of money and can put this bike on the wall to look pretty and or for show, it's a waste cause I'm sure not going to put a custom on the road for riding.

Answer 2

Why? Where are custom bikes cheap? They should command a premium price over off-the-rack frames. They do not enjoy economies of scale that large builders have.

They can also be viewed as good value because they are made to fit the buyer and while not cheap, the steel frames that many specialize in still cost less than many top line models from the big name companies like Colnago, Cinelli, Litespeed or Trek even. And customs often ride very nicely.

Lead time varies. The top custom builders like Richard Sachs can command high prices and have long lead times because his bikes are very sought after. Some builders like Yamaguchi get really busy when the Olympics roll around. Some can build in 3 weeks. Ask around.

Answer 3

They cost a lot because of the time and skill. The equipment is not cheap either. High end tube sets for carbon, ti and steel are not cheap but much better than a production frame.

here are some options that list prices.


www.landsharkbicycles.com
Fast turn around about a month. Everything is built and painted by John Slawta. His bikes (painted as a team bike) have won the Giro de Italia, Alp Duez stage and many other races. Prices are on the site and you talk to him not screening people as he is the only employee. Steel and Carbon fiber and mixes of both.



DeSalvo custom bikes, friends with the above builder, usually longer wait about 3 months, painted by out side source but does build titanium as well as steel.

Answer 4

Depends on the builder, and how "custom" it really is. Hans Schneider built my bike, and Hans is a solo operator. So we talked on the phone, went for a bike ride, he measured me and my bike, we talked some more, then he built the bike. I also paid a visit to the painter, looked at his scrapbook and designed my paint job (with help). All of this takes a lot of time, and Hans is not a rich man but nevertheless it adds up.

As an alternative, there are many "semi-custom" shops where you can specify a few things to change on a standard design. And there are "boutique" shops like Rivendell where the frame is really not custom at all, but it's still built-to-order.

Reality is, a properly fitted off-the-rack bike will fit as well and ride as well as a custom.

Good luck
Scott

Answer 5

Wow! That's a long wait time!

I ordered my custom frame from Dean three years ago, and it took 7 weeks to get it. Even that was out of the ordinary for them, but at the time they were working on an order for the Vitamin Cottage team.

The cost wasn't that bad, really. $1250 for a custom, hand-built, titanium road frame with the best welds in the industry and a lifetime warranty is a pretty good deal.

The real reward is that you get the frame to fit your body and riding style, and after three years on my Dean I still absolutely LOVE it!

Try giving them a call.

Answer 6

because they take alot of time and demands an abundance of expertise. all the bends have to be exact and straight to tailor them to your style of riding. theres a lot of math involved to figure out the angles of the bends. think about it, if everyone could do it, then you could pay a guy $50 to build you a frame.