Franco bikes???
 

Anyone have experience with Franco Bikes or link to reviews?

http://www.francobicycles.com/bikes-1.html

I have searched and really haven't found much info on them.

Interested in the Franco Triunfo TT bike.

It it isn't Trek, Cannondale, Giant or Specialized, don't bother to ask about it here. After all they seem like open mold frames, so it all boils down to the warranty and service.

Im friends with the owner of Franco bikes. He's a standup guy and without a doubt stands behind his product. I dont own one of the bikes but really wish I did! :(

They are a direct to consumer brand that does not use open molds. all of their frames were designed by their team. I've been following them since they started and have actually talked two friends into buying a Balcom (unfortunately I don't have the cash yet) and they spoke VERY highly of the service and quality of the bike.

Their new Kanan frame is stunning and more for an endurance rider. If you're interested, I recommend checking them out on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FrancoBikes), lots of happy customers

Long story short - bikes look great, are a great deal and it would be my first choice if I were in the market for a new ride

Franco is right here in our neighborhood. He spoke at our club meeting a few months ago. Everyone I know who has purchased his bikes are really happy. (no, I don't own one....that takes some cash). He supports local cycling and I wouldn't think twice about going to meet with him if I was buying.

Check out this video review:
http://www.pelotonmagazine.com/Teste...d-Video-Review

Looks like a solid bike and if you live in the area it comes with a fit which is a huge plus. If I was in the market for a new bike I'd definitely consider it.

I think you get a Retul (http://www.retul.com/) bike fit regardless of where you live (as long as you have one within driving distance)

I've seen them up close and they look real nice. I ride in the area where they are located and see quite a few locals that ride them. Guys that own Francos seem to really like them.

All their bikes are named from local roads.

Wow thanks guys. Really looking hard at these now. Yeah most of the bikes on franco seem to offer a free Retul fit no matter where you live. I have one right down the road from me!

If anyone on BF actually owns one, I would love to hear your review on it.

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.

See “Our Backyard” on Vimeo

www.francobicycles.com
www.facebook.com/francobikes
www.twitter.com/francobikes

I also know many people with Franco bikes. Everyone says they are amazing and can't be beat for the price. I have not heard even one negative comment from anyone about their bikes. Really wish I had the cash right now to get one....but that's not happening anytime soon.

^Thanks for the info fishy.

Thanks so much for the detailed reply Julian. I like your company philosophy. I will be giving you guys a call for sure next week.

Wow! These look great. I really like the business philosophy. I just saw that they are a tube-to-tube construction frame. Maybe I'm showing my ignorance but that makes me a little more cautious than if they were monocoque construction. Maybe I just need some carbon fiber frame edumacation.