Design your own Ride (Custom build bicycles)

A quality full spectrum custom bike calls for a bike builder who has the expertise and skill to pick and choose each and every piece of metal to fit your specifications. In order to best learn what the client's needs are, the frame builder will interview the rider and conduct fit sessions that will uncover the right direction to go for
that particular client.

*To find the right frame builder for you, you should conduct some interviews of your own to find the bike-building partner that feels best to you.

Make sure your bike fits! To get both the best performance and enjoyment from cycling, regardless of whether you're riding for fun or to win, a properly fitted bike is a must. So, how do you fit a bike?

A properly sized bike allows you to extend your leg as far as possible without completely straightening your knee—if saddle is too low, you won't be able to achieve this optimum leg extension. And, you should be able to straddle the frame with both feet flat and still have a bit of clearance.

If you've made a trip to a serious bicycle shop lately, you've probably noticed that bicycles have gotten a lot more complicated. It's hard to know what to buy without first thinking about how you will be riding. Ask yourself these questions before making a selection:

• Will you use the bike on paved roads or on trails?
• Will you be traveling long distances?
• Is comfort or performance most important?

Once you know the answer to these questions, the pros in the bike shop can lead you to the type of bicycle for you. Over time, and once the bug has caught you, you can buy another bike that fulfills what the first bike doesn't (that is, if you weren't completely satisfied).

Don't underestimate the effort put into a custom bike! For the amount of hours it takes to build a custom bike from the ground up, the investment is really quite reasonable.Custom bike take as much as four times the man-hours of most production bikes. A basic custom frame set can take at least a week to produce.

* You can really make your bike suit you. Did you know that highly customized models can include intricately carved or polished lugs and wild paint jobs?

Do you know the difference? Many people mistake a custom made bicycle with a customized bike. Take note of the differences:

• Customized bikes are bought with components and accessories then added to

• Custom bikes are built for the owner, made to fit specific body specs and usage

If you are really hooked on cycling, the investment of a custom bike might be well worth your while. Often you can spend just as much on an expensive off-the-shelf bike as you can on the custom one (especially if you're going to change and accessorize it anyway).

www.bicycleinc.info