Since nobody else besides the OP has posted about Hampsten Cycles, let me share my experience with them:

It all started in October of 2011, about a month after my trip to Italy as a guest of Cinghiale Cycling Tours, the touring outfit run by A. Hampsten and Co....

While riding in Italy, I talked to Andy about the dream of replicating the geometry of my Eddy Merckx TSX bike but with more modern materials, making it stiffer, yet still having that same magical century geometry feel and handling that all Merckx bikes seem to have. Andy looked at my fit and said it was good but ideally, the headtube should be about 1cm higher.

While in Italy, Andy had given all of the 14 guests a small trinket from Rifugio Bonetta, at the top of the Gavia--I was cleaning up all the maps, papers, etc. and filing them away after getting back to NYC and I had no idea what to do with the small badge so I decided what better than build up a new bike?

So that's how it all started.

I contacted Steve Hampsten in mid-October 2010 and we discussed materials. I was really intrigued with XCr (stainless steel) but both Andy and Steve hinted that Ti was the way to go, after telling then that my top 3 wants in terms of the ride were: 1) A Go-To bike that 2) I could travel often with 3) would not have to worry about the wear and tear from riding a lot and traveling a lot.

The time from the first e-mail, pre-deposit, to receipt of the finished project took under 12 weeks. The geometry was completely custom; I let Steve take care of the smaller aesthetic details.

I assembled the bike myself but S. Hampsten took care of the headset.

In 6 months, I have travelled 3 times with the bike, once to a different country...

This is me in California:


This is the Hampsten in South Korea:


The S&S couplers do take about 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours for me to pack neatly, as shown below:


However, one caveat is that HampCo. bikes might not be for everyone. These are not magical bikes--they are just good, simple bikes, key-word being "simple". This does not mean outdated or bad in any way. If one needs an exotic paint-job, like half pink, half polka-dot, crazy and wavy seat-stays, etc. this is probably not the builder to go to.

Steve and Andy and Co. have been around bikes a long time--heck, they've been riding more years than I've been alive, each! So it's best to just trust they know what they are doing.

It's like when I was riding in Italy and wanted to tackle the Gavia after doing our morning ride on our "easy day"--Andy offered me his jacket and at first I refused. Andy knew I would be cold so after his second suggestion, I sort of got it. But then I really got it when he he had the guide taking me up the Gavia take care of me with refreshments at the top, knowing I'd be hungry as well!

The process of creating the bike was similar. I asked Steve and Andy about all the options, like butted tubes, lighter fork, different materials, etc. They hinted on what they felt was a good option and I went with their word. One thing that really impressed me was when Andy remembered, specifically, months after talking to me, recommending the head-tube on the Hampsten to be 1cm or so higher than the Merckx.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with how the bike turned out. Special props goes to Max Kullaway, HampCo.'s chief Ti welder, who did an awesome job!

It is not the lightest bike, the stiffest bike, nor the cheapest, but it does fulfill my three main requirements in every way, and then some: 1) A Go-To bike that 2) I could travel often with 3) would not have to worry about the wear and tear from riding a lot and traveling a lot.