CUSTOM BIKE BUILDS

SAY NO DISPOSABLE EVERYTHING

In the era of planned obsolescence, a bicycle is still remarkable for its longevity. I personally own and still ride a 1990 Bridgestome MB3 mountain bike. That’s more than three decades of dependable service.

It’s the reality of the contemporary marketplace that in order to continue to generate sales, manufacturers come out with newest, lightest, most technologically advanced, smartest and fastest products. Unfortunately, those qualities are not necessarily synonymous with “the most durable”. The bike industry certainly has its share of such innovations, which proliferate every year, and as today’s cutting-edge technologies become tomorrow’s “yesterdays’ news”, they can and do wear out, in time get hard to replace and incompatible with constantly emerging new components, and eventually become obsolete.

GO FOR TIMELESS APPEAL INSTEAD

However, the bike industry has a long heritage of self-sufficiency, which fuels a counterculture of sorts. There is a small but well-established contingent of companies that continue to design and manufacture bicycles and frames based on durability, longevity, time-tested materials and technologies, and timeless aesthetics. Sometimes referred to as “retro-grouches”, adherents of this philosophy build bikes to be ridden not for years, but for decades, and put them in the hands of customers who enjoy them for a lifetime.

At Cosmic Bikes we have a strong affinity for this approach. Both the durability, and the ability to put your personal stamp on a timeless, beautiful personal transportation machine are appealing. There’s nothing we enjoy more that working closely with an engaged customer to bring their dream project to life.

IF YOU PLACE A VALUE ON QUALITY, IT’S A GREAT INVESTMENT

It is true that some bicycles in this category cost many thousands of dollars, and are beyond the reach of most people earning an average paycheck. It is also true that many of those bicycles are quite a bit less expensive than you might have thought. The Bridgestone I mentioned earlier carried a price tag of about $800, or a whopping $27 per year (yes, parts and maintenance add considerably to the annual cost, but I am not aware of a personal transportation option that doesn’t require regular maintenance).

Will your basic off-the-shelf hybrid bike offer a lifetime of value? Maybe. It’s not out of the question that with regular maintenance, and periodic parts replacement you could still be riding a $600 hybrid a few decades down the road.

If you want something priced not quite in the stratosphere, but that you can inject more personality into than your run-of-the-mill hybrid, there are literally hundreds of options for building a custom bike. Sure, it’s more expensive than buying a floor model, but may be cheaper than a year’s worth of gas, maintenance and insurance for your car (not that you have to give up your car, but just to put it in perspective).

WHAT’S INVOLVED

This is what you would get for somewhere in the neighborhood of $2500-$4000:

• A thorough preliminary one-on-one consultation focused on your needs and plans for using the bike, and discussion of potential options.

• Sizing and measurements to determine optimal frame type and size.

• A quality-built chromoly steel frame, from a range of manufacturers, including Kona, Surly, All-City, Soma, Velo-Orange and more, in a stock size appropriate to your physique.

• Want something completely different? Cosmic Bikes service department has a long history of building custom recumbent bikes and trikes (these bikes can be priced quite a bit higher than standard ones), and breathing new life into classic vintage frames.

• Unlike on a floor-model bike, where have to accept the parts the manufacturer selected, on a custom build you get a hand-picked selection of components to reflect your personal riding preferences and budget, not limited to big-name brands that typically supply original equipment on stock bikes.

• Similarly you can select component configurations to complement your physique and comfort, for example stem angle, handlebar style and width, crank length, and more.

• Hand-laced and hand-tensioned custom wheels, with complete control over your choice of rims and hubs, including the option to use internally-geared hubs, or generator hubs to power lights.

• The option to set up a tubeless tire system.

• Thorough, meticulous assembly by a highly experienced technician.

• Complete control over finishing touches and accessories, including tires, pedals, handlebar tape or grips, saddle, integrated lighting, cargo carrying accessories, and more.

Winter is a great time to learn more about your options and —if you’re ready— get the process started. Why? Because our service department isn’t busy, you can get a head start on the season by getting your build done early. If you’ve been thinking about building a special bike, we’d love to work with you. When you’re ready, we can set up a preliminary consultation!