Too many great builders - how do you pick?

[davids]

Buy from the one with the best porn. This works for me.

[Don Walker]

Buy from the one with the best porn. This works for me.

So, you have bought a Peacock Groove???

:eek::eek:

DW

[acotts]

Just give Steve P $50 and he will decide for you.

SP, my take is 10%.

[BryanF]

Like a lot of folks here, I've been fortunate (or financially dumb) enough to have owned a bunch of bikes from a few of the top guys who frequent the board. In a few cases I've had multiples from a single builder, and I have to say that I've been amazed at the continuity that I could feel between bikes made by the same guy. Despite being quite different in design and application (road, cross, rando...) those bikes have displayed a hugely similar point of view. My Speedvagen road and Vanilla cross bikes are quite different, but there's an unmistakable attitude that connects them. Same thing with the two Kirks I've owned...which felt very different from my Sachs or Spectrum Steel...ditto for multiple Serottas and Sevens...

There's a LOT to be said for connecting with the builder on a personal level, but don't loose sight of the fact that different people build bikes that actually feel different. How you effectively shop around for that, I dunno...tell me when you've figured it out....

For whatever it is worth, I can say without hesitation that there hasn't been a single bike among the lot that could/should have been my ONE bike....they've all been that good.

[M_A_Martin]

You're buying a bike...it's not like you're going to marry them.

Oh hold it....

;)
My suggestions mirror what others have already said...
You ride like X, you want a bike that does X or Y or and Y. Find the builders that you think might do that, chat with them see if you can do business with them. Do they listen to you and give you honest answers (not necessarily answers that agree with yours or what you want to hear)? Do they build what you want. And lastly, the most minor consideration, but one that is available now. Look at their reputation on the web forums. Not if they participate, or even their presence. Plenty of builders don't hang out on teh interweb, and others have thrown money at a web presence without having skills to back it up. Nope...do some poking around. See if there's too many sour grapes stories from customers to be sour grapes, consider if you can deal with that tang. Some fine wines come from grapes you wouldn't care to eat.
(Yes, I've worked too much overtime this week and it's only Tuesday night.)

[Cookietruck]

i like what kirk and kellogg says.
figure out what exactly you want and then figure out who does it well. then go with the one that you feel comfortable with.
most good builders will be able to build a large array of bikes.
i had to consider wait time too because i wanted to be riding something not waiting to rise up the queue.

[Ishmael]

If all else fails (i.e. you are still overwhelmed by the range of choices), go local. Who are the builders you can drive to, talk with in person, see the shop, etc.? Don't think this is an absolute good, but I find the idea of supporting a local builder, and of making a person-to-person contact with the builder, fairly appealing.

[e-RICHIE]

in case it's not buried by others in the posts above -

buy a frame from a professional framebulider who has some degree of
experience and a history in the trade, the sport, or both atmo. the
electronic era age has made it possible for many who have short term
work periods and outputs seem like career veterans. find a way to filter
through this.

[riceburner]

After considering all the above good tips, you should also consider the re-sale value of the frame in the aftermarket. Since you are not sure of what you really want or who you really want, you may end up with a frame that does not fit/suit you after riding it a bit. If you go too "esoteric", then your chances of unloading the frame without a significant financial hit are high, especially in this economy.

It is somewhat easy to see by perusing forums like this, ebay, etc. what used frames of certain builders sell for as compared to what they used to retail for, that being said, maybe you start with a used one, to see if you like it without incurring a huge upfront premium.....

[FlynRide]

in case it's not buried by others in the posts above -

buy a frame from a professional framebulider who has some degree of
experience and a history in the trade, the sport, or both atmo. the
electronic era age has made it possible for many who have short term
work periods and outputs seem like career veterans. find a way to filter
through this.

ATMO /s/

[RudAwkning]

If all else fails (i.e. you are still overwhelmed by the range of choices), go local. Who are the builders you can drive to, talk with in person, see the shop, etc.? Don't think this is an absolute good, but I find the idea of supporting a local builder, and of making a person-to-person contact with the builder, fairly appealing.

This is true too. There are a number of highly skilled builders in the bay area. Steve Rex, Inglis/Retrotec, Sycip, Steelman, Rock Lobster, Hunter, Ahrens just to name a few. Many of the OGs hail from the bay too like Litton, Gordon and Eisentraut as well (Traut is the "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" of framebuilders, although Albert has more or less hung up the torch).

[friedtongue]

I'm going to offer a bit of a different perspective. I agree they need to have established them self to some degree and do what it is you think you want done, beyond that I think what you want is a little piece of them, their philosophy or what a bike should be to them. Anything I've bought custom was to me buying into the guy building it. If not why bother just get something off the rack. No matter how great the bike if they were a dick I wouldn't buy it, unless that is what attracted you to them in the first place. If you are considering someone here read their responses and posts then call and talk to them and I think it will be easy at that point.

[slwrnu]

go with whoever does a red one.

[nahtnoj]

in case it's not buried by others in the posts above -

buy a frame from a professional framebulider who has some degree of
experience and a history in the trade, the sport, or both atmo. the
electronic era age has made it possible for many who have short term
work periods and outputs seem like career veterans. find a way to filter
through this.

I kinda dig builders who have outdated websites - tells me they are focused on building and letting the work speak for itself.

[swoop]

[Ray]

To sum up:

1. Read Everything from and about a long list of builders

2. Look at all available pictures of their work

3. From this, narrow it down to a few or several or a bunch who's work just works for you on levels you both understand and don't.

4. Talk to them.

5. Read about 'em and look at pictures again and again and again.

6. Cogitate.

7. Repeat steps 3-7 as necessary.

8. Decide


On the off chance you found this useful, paypal directly to Steve P

-Ray

[WadePatton]

or, in the alternative, put all the names of folks you think can do a good job and building the type of bike you desire* then put those names in a hat or on a dartboard and narrow it down.

the last things you want to focus on are lead times and price atmo.

if you're lucky enough to live in a builderriffic area, go see one or two after the initial contacts. there are shows all about too.

lots of "low profile" guys out there as well. around for ages and too busy or curmudgeonly to be active on the interweb.

i'd have a hard time making this decision as well. and some folks don't. they just buy one from everybody.

[Jonathan]

With all due respect to the other great frame builders here i'd just limit my frustration and choose between Zank, Hampco, Gaulzetti, or Dave Kirk depending on what you are looking for and who has done it in the past what you are looking for in a way that looks good. All of those guys are so professional in how they do business you'll feel comfortable with the whole process.

[Ray]

With all due respect to the other great frame builders here i'd just limit my frustration and choose between Zank, Hampco, Gaulzetti, or Dave Kirk depending on what you are looking for and who has done it in the past what you are looking for in a way that looks good. All of those guys are so professional in how they do business you'll feel comfortable with the whole process.

Why not just limit yourself to Spectrum? Or Goodrich or Vanilla? They're all damn fine. I went through the process several years ago when Richard and Tom seemed to be the cream of the crop. I ended up with a Spectrum because he was close by and I'd only have to wait a few months. And then I got another because the first one was so dead on. I'm sure I'd have been equally happy with a Sachs, but I can't imagine I'd have liked it MORE. Today there are more great choices than there were then.

So why limit yourself? Put in the time. Go through the process. Something will speak to you. It might be from one of those four, but it might not.

-Ray

[ridethecliche]

in case it's not buried by others in the posts above -

buy a frame from a professional framebulider who has some degree of
experience and a history in the trade, the sport, or both atmo. the
electronic era age has made it possible for many who have short term
work periods and outputs seem like career veterans. find a way to filter
through this.

E-Richie (and Co),

I've heard you say this before, and I agree with it.

That being said, say I found a 'new' builder whose personality jived with me. They seemed to know what they were doing, and their work spoke to me.

How would you objectively judge someone who's new to the scene?

Thanks for the info.