I've been riding custom geared bikes (road, mtb, and cx) for the last five years, and love how they feel -- in part because I know how much better they ride than the mass-produced bikes I rode 15 years ago, but also because they're truly *mine* and that enhances my cycling experience.

My biggest take-away from working with framebuilders, or shops that communicate directly with framebuilders, is that there is difference between fabrication skills and bike-fit knowledge. Beautiful welds, brazing, lugs or paint don't mean squat if the bike doesn't fit you well, and for the $1,200-$3,000+ you'll spend on a custom frame and fork, it better fit *really* well. So my suggestion is that you learn as much as you can about bike fit -- especially *your* fitting needs -- before pulling the trigger. Make sure the builder you select really understands sizing of not only the frame, but stem length and saddle setback, too. If you invest the time in all of that, you'll end up with a spectacular ride.

Steven