Custom builds
Nothing gets us going like custom projects.
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A bicycle is a tool that enhances our human ability to move about our world. A bicycle is an extension of the rider, and the right bicycle disappears under you, unlocking a pure form of expression that is hard to put into words. Most people who ride know this feeling. Some people are lucky enough to have a bike that gives them this feeling every time they ride. Most of the time, though, this experience is compromised by a poor bike fit, or a poor fit between the bike and what the rider is using it for. This is where a custom build is the only way forward.
Off the shelf bikes are usually hard to beat for value, because big bike brands get bulk pricing from the big component companies. But that value disappears the moment you decide to make a change to the setup — maybe you want to try shorter cranks, or you want to put on some flash carbon wheels, or you have no interest in going even a single mile on the stock tires that came in the package. Replacing those parts can be expensive, even if you find a way to sell off the parts you’re removing.
If you’re looking for something specific that isn’t satisfied by an off-the-peg bike, almost always you’ll at worst break even by building something up from scratch. It gives you the opportunity to save money where it makes sense, make no compromises where you can’t afford to, and leave the shop with exactly, precisely, the best bike for you.
Nothing gets us going like custom projects. Drop us a line, let’s get you rolling.
Personal projects, built not bought.
In the last 12 months the drop-bar mountain bike has become cool again, but we like to think we brought it back first. 120mm of travel from a Fox 34SL, a 69-degree head angle, boost spacing and clearance for 29x2.4 with a 42t chainring, and handbuilt deep-and-wide aero wheels on Berd spokes.
A titanium clone of a Salsa Blackborow, with significantly shorter chainstays (which required angle-grinder modification to the proprietary rack) and a belt drive and Pinion gearbox combination. It runs 29x2.8 (measured) in the summer and 27.5x4.5 in the winter. It bikepacks, it trail rides, and it puts a big smile on the face of everyone who throws a leg over it.
What it costs
We charge the same regardless of the kind of frame we’re building into a bike. We don’t make a margin on parts, so we have no financial incentive to coax you towards nicer parts than you need or want.
The twenty dollars for the consultation exists so the call is a real one rather than a free-quote fishing trip, and it comes straight back off the build if you proceed.
When a build is not the answer
Sometimes the right bike already exists and somebody is selling it. Buying used is where most people get burned — a frame with a hairline crack, a groupset one generation from unobtainable parts, a size that is nearly right.
So there is a purchasing consult: we look at listings with you, tell you what a bike is actually worth, inspect it before money changes hands, and set it up properly once it is yours. It is priced on a sliding scale against what you save versus buying the equivalent new — which means if we cannot save you anything, it costs you nothing worth arguing about.
We will happily tell you not to build. A custom bike is the right answer less often than a shop that sells custom bikes would like it to be.
Bring us a wish list, a spreadsheet, a frame you already own, or a vague feeling that your current bike is not the one.
Text (445) 201-3388 · email jonathan@cresheimcreekcycles.com · compose in Gmail