Ladies and Gentlemen,
pardon the lapse in any type of updates. I have been pretty ill, and just focusing on getting better,and now on to the goods....
Custom. You hear that word a lot these days in the bike world.Some, in fact very few desrve that title. Does making three thousand bikes with 4 different colors qualify as custom? When you get to chose what grips you put on your BRAND X bike, is that custom? If they are all the same, then, well everyone is unique.Now, this is not about one particular brand. Many brands out there follow this type of strategy.
When BRAND X has 500 bikes made with a "Custom Scandium Tubeset", if they are all a like is it custom? I dont think so.
Even some companies make a "limited run" of their same production bike, but with a new special color. ooohhh....how special.
Now I have trouble typing what I want to say, it is hard to type what I feel, and when you think about a thousand miles a minute it is hard to get it all in. Sometimes I come across with the message backwards.I don't want to be misunderstood, these bikes are pretty good bikes, they ride just fine. In fact, some of them ride excellent. But, I won't be caught on the trail with another guy or gal with the same limited edition black custom "BRAND X" BIKE....
So...what is custom? I think that it is just that. Is it made to be unique? Does it have lugs that are filed different than any other bike that was made in the factory? Does it have unique geometry? Aspeicial one off fork? What's the axle to crown? Is it properly made for the fork travel? How about a 29ner with a 400mm axle to crown length? That would be a ridged non suspension corrected ride.The frame and fork are made for each other, which both are made for you.
You are unique. Shoudn't your bike be too?
I have only ever made super custom bikes. For me there is no other way. I have to make every Peacock Groove different, because that is the only way for me to say, " custom bikes".
these guys make custom bikes. Look at their sites and you will know what custom is. Check the blogs too.
Long live custom, long live the Groove!
www.capricorncycles.com
www.curtgoodrichcycles.com
www.bobbrowncycles.com
www.clockworkbikes.com
www.dominguezcycles.com
These are just a few off the top of my head.
I may even have the address wrong. Google them.
Google custom.
and some pics! Of custom .
Done.
2 comments:
Darn-it, Noren, that is some nice work. I am all envy and admiration. Really like the sculpting of those dropouts and the double bridge with the "PG" plates. Now I (finally!) know what rated-PG means.
Let's see more polished stainless, OK? I know there's a lot of it lying around that you're not showing us. And take some pictures of your track frame already. It's awesome! Do I have to come over there with my camera and do it for you? Well, do I?
- V.
P.S. Stumpy says, "Hi!"
P.P.S. Oh, "The People" wanted me to let you know that you need to update your blog more often. However, "The People" fail to understand that you have other things to do. Like build bikes. I have told "The People" to appreciate what they have and STFU.
Oh, and thanks for the reference to my site in your post, too.
- V.
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