Building the Perfect Bike
I created my forever machine and you can, too
Getting a custom bike is like going on a journey. What one rider learned on his trip and how it can help you once you decide it’s time to make a bike that is totally your own
Isat perched atop a strange frame. It was a Juteau-cantin Bike Tool 4, as Mike Yakubowicz, owner and fitter at Toronto’s Blacksmith Cycle, circled around me with a long spirit level. He crouched at my side to check the alignment of my knee to the pedal and the flex of my hip. Mike and his team, my favourite all-round bike nerds, were fitting me for my dream bike – an experience almost too good to believe. But how did I even get here and why?
From adolescence to adulthood, I have always been on bikes. From bmx to motorbikes, from road bikes to mountain bikes – always bikes. Truly n+1. In all those years, I’ve been fortunate to have ridden everything from the cheap and cheerful to the pricey and posh. In the end, however, something was still missing. While each machine has been my bike, not one has really been mybike. All of the frames were engineered to have a personality that would appeal to many. I came to realize that these “general geometries” put up barriers that prevent true connections between riders and rides.
I had dreamed about a custom bike before. Let’s be honest, we’ve all had these thoughts. On socialmedia channels, there is no end to the stream of tempting visuals. But, in 2016, I realized that making myself fit into some bike would never bear the same results as a bike built to work for me. So I gave up the fruitless chase for the single perfect stock frame. It was time to build my forever bike. Here’s the story of that bike, which I hope will help you when you make the leap to a custom rig.
I had the resolve to build a forever bike partly because my personal life was beginning to settle into a routine. I also really knew what kind of rider I was: how I liked to ride and what position I was most comfortable in. I could reliably predict my needs for a bike that would last a lifetime. I felt I knew what I wanted and could be confident with my decisions. Looking back, I think those factors were critical to the bike’s success. As the rider, you have to understand the real value and benefits of the end result versus taking the faster path off the shelf. You have to truly know what you want. For the fitter and the builder to really help you, they need your clear guidance.
Once I was in the right state of mind for building a custom bike, the fitting process was next. Things became very real. Getting a fitting for a custom build is quite different from a fit for a stock frame. Mike and I began with a setup that mimicked my current stock frame. Then, Mike took measurements for alignment. With a regular bike fit, the fitter swaps out parts, maybe a shorter stem or a seatpost with less setback, all to put you in the best or as-good-as-you-can-get-withyour-frame position. With a fit for a custom bike, the fitter strives for the ideal riding position by making changes in the frame geometry. For example, I knew I wanted a head-tube angle around 72 degrees and a stem length of 110 mm because that’s a combination that creates a front-end performance that I really like. With these elements locked in place, Mike was able to start working out the ideal geometry that would also include my requests for a shorter reach to keep me tucked in and a dropped bottom bracket for a lower centre of gravity. With each check and recheck of measurements and alignments, we really stepped our way into my perfect fit. The adjustable frame gave me an immediate tactile sense of how each change to the geometry would affect my frame. I was able to provide instant feedback, which led to incremental improvements. By the end, I had learned what really worked for me and dispelled a lot of preconceived beliefs I had about my ideal reach, stack and how I should feel on the drops.
With my geometry sorted, I shifted focus to materials. One of the most positive and negative things about custom building a bike are the choices: the options can be overwhelming, starting with frame materials. What custom builders are able to do with carbon fibre is stunning, which is why so many are attracted by composite frames. But I chose a different path for my forever bike. I knew
“We obsessed over every detail of the build, so the spec’ing took months.”
that while I wanted a frame with a modern lightweight spec that I could brag about, I also wanted the bike to have a personality I could really connect with. For this reason, I went with a titanium frame.
Compared with alloys such as steel or aluminum, titanium is hard to beat. In a pure form, titanium is 60 per cent more dense than aluminum and twice the strength. With butted tubing, the material’s strength-to-weight-ratio benefits are further improved and the ride characteristics can be tweaked for your personal preferences. Titanium was the clear choice for me. I picked Mosaic, the bespoke bike maker based in Boulder, Colo., to build the frame. Next, I had to start thinking about frame features.
The geometry of the frame sits at the heart of the custom build, but the specs play an important role, too. Some of the choices influence performance and dictate components in the final build. As an example, the diameter of the head tube can affect stiffness. New and larger head-tube diameters, such as the 44-mm spec, make for a more robust front end, which was important to me for adding rigidity back into a ti frame for some carbon-like responsiveness. The choice to use a 44-mm head tube also meant we would be able to route the electronic shifting cable internally through the top tube rather than the down tube. The larger head tube has space for the cable to make the turn from the top tube and back through the down tube on its way to the bottom bracket.
The bottom bracket was another frame spec that elicited debate. Recent trends have seen a drastic move to larger and press-in-style bottom brackets. While new bottom brackets have their advantages, they have their drawbacks, too. They require incredibly tight tolerances. Without a good fit, a press-in bottom bracket can emit frustrating creaks. There is also the myriad “standards” of bottom bracket to choose from. Maybe I’m a bit conservative, but since I was building my forever bike, something with proven reliability was key. So, Mike and I chose to build a bottom-bracket shell for a threaded bsa bottom bracket – a choice for which I have zero regrets.
The geometry, material, head tube and bottom bracket were only a few of the many decisions I laboured over. We obsessed over every detail of the build, so the spec’ing took months. Although we started in May, it wasn’t until about early September that Mike and I signed off on the final geometry and build specs. At times, it seemed like it would never end, but it was all time well spent. The hardest part, however, was yet to come – the waiting.
The six weeks between sign-off and final delivery felt like an eternity. There was ample time to review decisions, doubt choices, dispel fears and fantasize about the first ride. Thankfully, we still had the paint options to occupy ourselves. Before the designing process began, I knew that paint would be critical to making this bike truly my own. In all honesty, being able to choose colours, patterns, textures and finishes is what made the final product a true expression of my tastes and my personality.
If I had thought the choices for frame specs were overwhelming, they were nothing compared with to the almost-infinite options in paint. Trust me. There was no shortage of ideas floated – both good and bad. For each idea, I built swatches and art boards that helped me work through the concepts. I think I had made my “final decision” a dozen times before the real eureka moment. When
“When that first preview photo landed in my inbox, I think I jumped straight from my desk and into my car. It was here!”
that idea struck me, I knew it was the perfect one, the only one. For my paint scheme, I drew inspiration from my favourite aspects of cycling. My favourite race: the Giro d’italia. My favourite jersey: the maglianera. My favourite designer: Paul Smith. And my favourite colours: black and pink. I worked directly with Noah Rosen and Suzanne Carlsen from Vélocolour, who helped me apply my vision to the bicycle. What blew me away about their work was obviously the final product, but also, and more important, how masterfully they knew how to translate my inspirations onto the bike with incredible subtlety. It was perfect.
Then the frame arrived. If you ever really want to know
what pent-up excitement mixed with a whole lot of anxiety feels like, order a custom bike. When that first preview photo landed in my inbox, I think I jumped straight from my desk and into my car. It was here! And then I saw it. Oh, was it ever beautiful. All those hours, days, weeks and months had finally taken a physical form. I could now feel the fruits of our labour in my hands. It felt almost too good to be true. On the night before, I started to reflect on how much fun this whole process had been. And I got a bit sad. As much as I was excited to get the bike on the road, I didn’t want it all to end. I knew that once the bike came off the stand the next day, a big chapter in this adventure would be over. I wasn’t ready, and my reluctance to move on meant the bike sat beside me at my desk for nearly two weeks. But what I didn’t realize was the best chapter was about to begin.
On a dry but cold December day, we took our maiden voyage together. A friend and fellow photographer, Seetoh Lang, met up with me for a proper shakedown and photos. Even though I had tried to familiarize myself with the bike while riding the trainer, it had not prepared me for the what I experienced that day. The first few pedal strokes were almost unsettling. This bike rode like no bike I’d ever ridden before. It fit me like a dream. I can only describe it as akin to putting on a bespoke suit. This bike was tailored to me in so many ways. That first ride felt as free as the first time I rode as a child. Even in the sub-zero temperatures, I was wishing that ride and that day would never end.
It’s been more than a year now and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my custom bike. The past season was more like a new relationship with cycling. I’ve learned how the bike likes to ride and where it can really perform at its best. Because of this relationship-like connection to the bike, I’ve gained a new sense of confidence and enjoyment out of a sport I already loved. As a gear reviewer, I’m always swapping something in and out of the bike. But I always revert back to the original build, which reassures me that as a team, we made the right decisions. This bike lives up to, and exceeds, my expectations. Thanks to the designer and builder, some of my favourite memories and achievements in cycling have been because of this bike.
Would I have done anything differently? While I don’t regret or second-guess the decisions we made, there are some I may have considered differently if I was going through it all again. For example, disc brakes. The reason I chose rim brakes instead of disc is a common one: there is no doubt that disc brakes are superior in modulation and stopping performance, but at the time there was still a lot of uncertainty in standards. Any wrong choice could lead to component obsolescence and a dream bike with a serious flaw. Which axle size? What axle type? What rotor size? Flat-mount or post-mount? And not to mention that true electronic and hydraulic disc-brake groupsets weren’t really settled yet either. So many variables. Remember when I said that reliability was important to me? With that in mind, we chose rim brakes with top-of-the-line calipers. But if faced with the decision again today, I would give greater consider-ation to discs even though it would increase the budget and take away the ability to share wheels between bikes.
The groupset is another aspect of the final build that I think about a lot. We built out the bike with Shimano
“Because of this relationship-like connection to the bike, I’ve gained a new sense of confidence and enjoyment out of a sport I already loved.”
Ultegra Di2 because the performance differences between it and the top-tier Dura-ace do not outweigh the budget benefits in my opinion. Going with Ultegra allowed me to spend my time and money on the things that I can’t change later. I was able to reinvest those savings into frame upgrades and paint. I share this key lesson with anyone who is interested in a custom build and asks for insights. Yet, if contemplating this choice in 2018, I would have likely pushed for wireless.
If you are thinking about building a custom bike, don’t forget to have a little bit of money in the budget to treat yourself. It’s your dream after all. For me, this meant some particular choices in the component list. Almost all of my bikes have had a Chris King component or two, but never a complete set. So, one area in which I splurged was for a front-to-back Chris King component group. The performance, quality and lifetime serviceability of the company’s parts means that as long as I keep taking care of them, they’ll be forever – just like the frame. In my opinion, a well-made investment.
Finally, the best advice I can give is to choose real partners in your designer and your frame builder. Choose partners who really understand you. You’re going to be spending a lot of time together, and you need to trust them. Your designer and your builder have the experience and knowledge to guide you through the process and to help you make informed decisions. If you get the partnership right, the bike comes together right.
The experience of building a custom bike can be retold, but it really needs to be experienced. It’s so indescribably memorable. My own personal journey from dream to delivery is one that I’ll cherish for a lifetime. It has helped reinvigorate my passion for the sport, and it has built new friendships with all the people who helped make it happen. If you’re considering a custom-built bike, stop waiting and don’t let the fear of any unknowns stop you. Today is the perfect day to build your dream bike. Trust me.