Why Custom?

“It’s not self-indulgence, it’s just common sense!” –Pro Cyclist Ryan Sabga on custom frames.

You didn’t think you were just going to see what I have to offer without listening to one of my rants did you?  Not a chance….

If you’re shopping around for a custom frame, chances are you’ve been cycling a while.  A lot of folks will tell you that a custom bike frame is self-indulgent; that you’re just paying a premium for something that will perform or fit no better than a production frame.   Nothing could be further from the truth.

You weren't mass-produced, why should your bike be? You are unique.  OK, OK, so Tyler Durden would say you’re not a beautiful or unique snowflake; that you’re the same decaying organic matter as everything else, but even then you are unique decaying organic matter, and damnit, that makes you special.  Anvil custom frames are built to complement that uniqueness.  I take the time to get to know you; to develop an understanding of your needs and wishes, and how the bike will be used. By using that knowledge, I can advise you on what may offer the best performance and value for your dollar.  I don't cut corners to meet a price point and I don't sacrifice performance or durability to meet fiscal goals. The fact is, for less than what you'd pay for a top quality frame from one of the big manufacturers, you can have a custom frame built to your specifications, to fit your body, using the best of materials with the options you want and in the colors of your choice.  Isn’t America great?!

While “fit” is the first thought that many people have when thinking of custom frames, fit is only part of a much bigger picture.  Proper bike fit is more than just a top tube or a seat tube being long enough.   It is also about balance and while you can adjust stem length, seat post setback, and bar reach to fit most any frame, you need to do so with an eye to balance: the balance of your weight over the bike to achieve a certain center of gravity. 

The funny thing about a bike frame is that it's all angles.  You change one thing like saddle setback to stretch or shorten your reach to the bars and you also affect your knee/pedal spindle relationship.  Raise or lower your saddle, same thing.  Raise your stem, shorten your reach, lower your stem, lengthen your reach.  Can you do all these things and still fit on a production bike that is close to your size?  Sure.  You may have to make some compromises, but as long as you approach fit with an understanding of what you're doing, adjust for fit, and then achieve that fit balanced on the bike, you’ll get there.  With a custom fit, you achieve the same thing without the compromises.  You can read more about my opinions on fit here.

So if fit’s not the only reason, what other reason is there?  There are lots of them.  Custom lets you have what you want whether it is perfect fit, geometry, responsiveness, handling, resilience, material, braze-ons, aesthetics, or simply getting to pick the color(s) of your choice.   That's what custom is all about.  People focus on fit, and justifiably so, but "custom" is more than that.  It's having something unique; something made to meet your requirements with no compromise made to the marketing department or the "one tube set for any size rider" mentality.