Hi,
Thanks for asking about our bikes. We're a direct to consumer bike company located in Southern California. In addition to creating world class bikes, we believe we've created a better way to buy a bike. Instead of building bikes that are spec'd for a majority of dealers to try to sell through the bikes quick enough to confidently put in a larger order for next year as early as possible, we decided to build a company around our bikes with a sharp focus on the customer.
It seems simple, but a truly customer-focused approach requires much more than friendly bike shop employees. It requires a fundamental shift in the way a bicycle reaches the customer. It requires an approach to business that deals with customers directly; a direct-to-consumer model. Great value is only the beginning of why a consumer-direct approach is a winning proposition for every customer. With the direct interaction afforded to us by this approach we are able to truly listen to our customer's needs and provide the appropriate solutions. It’s the way the new bike buying process should work.
We get to know each of our customers and through our consultation process we get to know what you've ridden in the past, what you liked about, what you didn't, and the type of riding you do and on what terrain. Whether you ride 5-8 hours/week of flat roads or over 20 hrs/week in the mountains, we'll personalize the component selection on your new bike to match the type of riding you'll be doing. We'll talk about how your chosen drivetrain (SRAM/Shimano/Campy) when paired with specific bars might alter your fit coordinates and ultimately your ride. We'll share our experiences with stems, seatposts, saddles, and bar shapes.
We'll make recommendations based on our experience and what you're looking for. We'll take you through gearing and help you choose the ideal crank/cassette ratio for you. Most parts can be changed for similar ones at no additional cost and there is only small charges for upgraded parts. As an example; if you choose to buy a Force or Ultegra level Balcom and upgrade to carbon handlebars, we know you won't need the stock alloy one as well. That's why we ship the bike to your door with the bar of your choice. So that you can go out and enjoy your new ride and not try to offset the price of your new bike by selling take off parts on eBay or to your buddies.
As for triathlon or time trial bikes, we take you through the same process and share with you our fit philosophies for each discipline and the different distances. If you race sprint distance or Ironman distance triathlons, we'll talk about your fit and how crank length and base bar options might impact your fit and in turn your bike AND run splits, and let you choose what you want on your new bike. In the end, we want you to be faster and more comfortable on our bikes than on any other bike you might be considering, and we enjoy seeing our new customers find their way onto podiums and PRs.
We also ship our bikes ready to ride to your front door via FedEx. There isn't even any tape on the box! Just two straps. Simply cut them, lift the lid, roll the bike out and drop the front wheel into place. You're ready to roll on a brand new bike, spec'd exactly the way you wanted it on day 1, fit and tailored specifically to you. We believe this is the way the new bike buying process should work.
Also, like UCIMBZ said, the extra confidence in your new bike purchase comes from the warranty and service. That's why we choose to stand in front of our product with a lifetime warranty in addition to some of the services I highlighted above.
Hammy56, I'm glad you like the bikes. I look forward to having you ride a Balcom someday! (Hammy 56 and I used to race 250GP motorcycles together back in the day!) Steve90068, I recognize you and appreciate you joining us on this ride. I hope you get the chance to get a new Kanan soon!
If you ever have any questions, feel free to give us a call. We'll do our best to answer them for you. After all, we love talking bikes. That's ultimately why we got into the business in the first place!
Talk to you soon,
Julian
Julian Franco
Franco Bicycles
30961 Agoura Rd. #307
Westlake Village, CA 91361
o / 818.865.8226
A BETTER WAY TO BUY A BIKE.
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