Custom frames and Test Rides
 

I have recently been thinking about a new bike, specifically custom as I am 6'5" and it is really hard to find production bikes that fit me. I am lucky in that my current primary bicycle works quite well. However, given my size and desire to invest in a titanium bicycle in the near-ish future I have been considering going the custom route to get something that really fits me properly.

Additionally, as a sometimes reader of RedKitePrayer, I saw an article by Padraig in the last couple weeks that was really a basic "how to test ride a bike" sort of guide. For anyone who has gone through the process, it was pretty much things you already know. However, the article, a comment in response to it, and my recent considerations of going custom presented me with an odd problem.

One should not buy a bicycle blind, always do a test ride, but how does one test ride a bike from a custom builder?

The immediate and obvious answer is that you cant test ride a custom bike that is going to be built for you, duh. So do you take the builder on faith and reputation? Further, as someone who has only had a couple bikes (but has one that seems to be a pretty nice fit out of the box) do you go with what you know in terms of sizing and geometry or do you let the builder do their thing? What happens when you go the custom route, get the bike, and realize you hate it and it all could have been avoided if you had been able to test ride it?

Well, the odds that you'll enjoy a custom frame are pretty high. Very few riders I've met were unhappy with their custom bike's ride. Sure things like color, braze on details can and sometimes are off from what was intended. But these are secondary to the bike's ride and fit.


A certain amount of faith, trust and ability to explain in words what you want WRT a known production bike is needed for your custom purchase to work best. You should have enough interplay with the builder (or their agent/dealer) to be able to get a feel for their experience, their business professionalism, their design style (there are some builders I would not go to for a loaded third world touring bike as example), their policies. From this set of discussions you will form your opinion as to your comfort/trust level. If it's low you aren't yet ready to go forward with that builder. That you have certain concerns about the process and policies your talk with the potential builder needs to cover them specifically. And if you do go forward the understanding needs to be on paper in some form (Emails, contracts).


I'll put in a plug for Seven. I've worked at a LBS that sells a few each year. Often the customer is at the ends of the height bell curve. We have a number of 6'+ riders on Sevens. There's probably around 8 to 10 hours of pre frame ordering time spent between the customer, us and Seven. Often we go back and forth a few times w/ Seven about the frame design before we agree that it will work for our customer. Then we and the customer meet to sign off on the design and build up estimate. Having built in steel I find the whole process and results interesting to track. Then there's the results, the frames/bikes. I tend to have a rather critical eye for frame details and designs. I have been very impressed with what I see coming from Seven. When built up and test ridden I find the bikes handle really well. But all this is dependent on the Seven dealer being good at bike fitting, detail focused and communicates well. If the local dealer isn't then don't do a Seven from them. Andy.

Not trying to influence your decision, but I happen to ride with a couple of tall guys who have gone the custom route. One went Ti and while he is quite happy with his Guru, even he would agree that it is not nearly as stiff or light as the other guys Parlee. The fact that Parlee make so many bikes for really tall people suggests you might be able to get a test ride on a very similar bike to what you might eventually order.

Their size chart makes me think that you might even be able to go stock. Although if you are set on Ti, this option is probably not for you.