Custom built bike frame - what can you expect as a customer?

[booze and cake]

If I wasn't happy with any part of a custom frame I'm say something for sure. Not that I'm expecting utter perfection, but if its custom it should be how you like it surely? And engineers have been working to tolerances much smaller than a millimetre for donkeys years, so I wouldn't cut them much slack there, if I spec'd rear spacing of 130 mm, I expect it to be that. As others have said though you need to be clear from the beginning what you want and what you are expecting, there's no use saying, 'oh I was expecting it to look like....' if you never expressed that before hand, they are not mind readers. If you are not sure, a good custom builder should be asking you what sort of riding you do and other questions to try and help tailor the bike to YOU.

I've got a few bikes but have only had one custom one, my Mercian single speed. I found the whole experience great, apart from the 6 month waiting time from fitting and order to finished product arriving. That time dragged so bad....but they were up front with that at the beginning so that's more my impatience. Also do not expect regular updates or anything like that, its done when its done. I think the Vincitore Special model I have is done my one person from start to finish, so if they are off sick or on holiday so be it. But every time I see its fancy lugs I'm reminded of the man hours and the love and attention that have gone into it, and that gives a nice warm fuzzy feeling I don't think I'd get from a robot made bike. In my mind my bike was made by men with beards in a small workshop after I spent an afternoon drinking tea and designing it with a person who clearly loved bikes, call me a hopeless romantic but I just love that.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The basic price for the 853 Rourke frame was approx a grand. That’s good value for a costom fitted frame..

Is there any difference between your frame proportions and an off-the-shelf Rourke, or are they all customs by default? I was wondering why I didn't see any lugs, now you said it's Reynolds 853 I understand why. Must be super super light for a steel frame. It was a lot of money, but I'd say £2.5k's worth of steel is better than £2.5k's of carbon!

 

[jayonabike]

Give Mercian a ring.





Ah go on then





Here’s mine.
Mercian Strada Speciale 853 Pro Team

 

[Aravis]

I've had one custom frame, also a Mercian. When I collected it, immediately apparent was an asymmetry in the lug at the top of the head tube. The off-centre heart-shaped cut-out constantly under my nose made it hard to miss. But after a while I realised that if it wasn't there the bike would've lost an essential part of its personality. That must've taken at least 30 seconds.

Its replacement was an aluminium-framed tourer, on which the frame joints were neither lugged nor smooth. I don't know what that style is called, but you'll know what I mean - it looks as though it's come from a tube of toothpaste. But coupled with the vibrant red paint, to me it looked purposeful rather than ugly or wrong, and again, an essential part of that bike's personality. Of all my bikes, that was the one I was most attached to.

Although sometimes it seems a bit weird, I don't think it's surprising that we can have strong feelings for our bikes, even love. As well as being a means of transport, they enable us to express ourselves. I'm sure musicians would recognise this immediately.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Is there any difference between your frame proportions and an off-the-shelf Rourke, or are they all customs by default? I was wondering why I didn't see any lugs, now you said it's Reynolds 853 I understand why. Must be super super light for a steel frame. It was a lot of money, but I'd say £2.5k's worth of steel is better than £2.5k's of carbon!

All Rourke frames are custom built.

 

[Brads]

All Rourke frames are frikin awsome, is what he meant to say !

 

[FishFright]

All Rourke frames are frikin awsome, is what he meant to say !

I bought a 2nd hand 853 Rourke and couldn't get on with it . I've still got it somewhere and keep meaning to sell it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

All Rourke frames are frikin awsome, is what he meant to say !

If they’re good enough for Jason Kenny and Guy Martin, they’re sure good enough for me....

Yesterday:

 

[Fab Foodie]

I bought a 2nd hand 853 Rourke and couldn't get on with it . I've still got it somewhere and keep meaning to sell it.

Not made to fit you?

 

[FishFright]

Not made to fit you?

Well I didn't buy it off myself ....

It was made pre 2000 as my friend but it 2nd hand then , something something 3rd hand

 

[Fab Foodie]

Well I didn't buy it off myself ....

I mean, does it not fit you or some other reason you don’t get on with it?

 

[FishFright]

I mean, does it not fit you or some other reason you don’t get on with it?

It is a tad too big for me really . It's not rubbish and looks well made but for some reason I never jelled with it.
I have a Longstaff compact audax that I really like but don't love,which was NOS, and Longstaff tourer that I am absolutely smitten with , also NOS.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It is a tad too big for me really . It's not rubbish and looks well made but for some reason I never jelled with it.
I have a Longstaff compact audax that I really like but don't love,which was NOS, and Longstaff tourer that I am absolutely smitten with , also NOS.

I had a lovely second hand custom Omega Nivachrome race bike that I could never get to fit me. Shame, stonking bike.
In fact, until the Rourke, no other bike except my late 50s/ early 60s Holdsworth ever fitted me well.

 

[aniki]

Hey,

Thanks for the replies thus far. A little more information;
The first custom frame I referred to was in fact also a Rourke, a Brian Rourke. But that was a long time ago and a different story.
Regarding getting fitter and faster and having changing needs; well I've been cycling about 30 years now; 6 of those professionally so chances are I may get 'unfitter' and slower but not vice versa! That's by the by; my reason for custom is that the frame I want simply cannot be purchased off the peg. Anywhere.
-
I won't mention the builder just yet as there are still some parts of this experience left to unfold but I don't mind if they read this as I'm simply stating the facts.
Part of the design process involved me specifying wishbone seat stays. I'd also seen this feature included on some previous frames from the exact same builder; but admittedly, not up close.
Anyway, some time later the frame arrived but there was clearly a problem. One of the rear drop outs must have slipped in the jig and that whole corner had kind of 'dropped' which essentially made the wheel sit completely off kilter.
Other than the disappointment of having a useless frame I was also disappointed that it had got as far as me with this fault.
So the builder offered a replacement frame. I received a photo of the wishbone last week to show that the wheel was sitting straight but my concern was the symmetry of the wishbone.
It certainly doesn't look terrible but to be honest, I expected better.
The builder has advised that this section is built freehand and simply cannot be produced more accurately; stating that there will always be some degree of asymmetry.
So I still haven't even received it yet and I'm already disappointed.
When I see it I may completely love it and it may not really be an issue but I wonder how others would view this?
This is why I asked what you would consider as an acceptable amount of 'handbuiltness'?
It's not geometrically critical, just cosmetic at this stage.

 

[Crankarm]

If some one is providing goods and services they have to do so with the requisite amount of skill. It would not be unreasonable that some one holding themselves out as a bespoke bicycle frame builder that they could actually build a bicycle frame that was straight and true otherwise what is the point of having one made over purchasing a mass produced frame? Have you paid this frame builder any money? If so you need to inform him, or her, of the defects in the frame and departures from your specification, establishing with them what they intend to do to remedy these. Otherwise you could just cancel the contract, seek refund of any monies paid and go elsewhere.