Originally Posted by
RNAV
Yeah, that price seems a bit excessive. What stock frames were you thinking of?
Here is a very abbreviated list of builders I know of/have interacted with. This is incomplete, but hopefully gives you an idea of what is out there that is comparable in quality and costs less, the same as, or more than the Washoe. I only included 1 'production' frame(Fairlight), but there are more of these for cost savings(Ritchey Logic for example). And that is also the only brand outside the US. There are a good number of brands in Italy and England that would come in at/under the Washoe price.
Ultimately, geometry is really what is going to make a bike feel great or feel 'meh'. Luckily there are hundreds of brands with varying geometry so if you can sort thru the data there will be many options for you.
Gunnar was mentioned and its a really well established brand. I doubt itll be as light as the Washoe, but it will be just as well designed and built. Even if it isnt as light, itll be 200g more, maybe if that. Richard Schwinn wouldnt quote weights for a frame for me and Ive read he wouldnt do that for others too. I understand the risk- people get so focused on grams that if they deliver a frame thats 60g more and the customer is upset, its a no win for Gunnar. They have stock and custom geo for $200 more or something insignificant like that.
Custom Bikes ? LaBerta & Sons Cycles is in STL and builds with lugs as well as TIG. Pricing isnt listed, but Ive read frames start at under $2000. Based on what tubing he uses, if he thinks you can/should ride something thin and light- a frame could be in the range of Washoe(1705g for a large size).
https://www.rodbikes.com/catalog/out...tlaw-main.html Rodriguez in Seattle is well respected and has fair pricing. $2350 for the Outlaw frame and Enve carbon fork.
https://www.rodbikes.com/frames.html
https://breadwinnercycles.com/product/lolo/#frame Breadwinner is $2850 so higher than the Washoe but the Lolo is crazy nice looking.
https://fairlightcycles.com/product/...v=7516fd43adaa The Strael 2.0 is a TA disc brake, but its a small company that handbuilds in Europe, uses quality tubing matched to great design thoguht, and is $1560USD. It comes in seemingly limitless sizes to give you whatever setup you want.
https://fairlightcycles.com/strael/?v=7516fd43adaa This is the original Strael that is disc brake with QR for $1170USD.
https://www.curtgoodrich.com/home
https://www.andersoncustombicycles.com/ $2800-2875 depending on lugged or fillet brazed so higher than the Washoe. carbon fork can be swapped instead of the steel fork for no charge.
HOME you could have the custom geometry, a steel fork,and buy a brand name carbon fork which would still be cheaper than the Washoe.
https://coconinocycles.blogspot.com/ His frames were $2300 with custom paint a few years ago and under 2k for 1 color.
https://stoemper.com/product/taylor/ $2400, made in MPLS, choose disc or caliper. tweaks to standard geometry can be made.
Here is an outdated and incomplete list of US builders. Some websites are dead links because the builder is out of biz and some are dead links because the page has simply changed. And this isnt everyone.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=113817