Custom Frames

What is a custom frame? Do I need one? 
Does it cost more? 
All fair questions. We’ve seen the word "custom" thrown around pretty loosely when talking about bicycles. We are not going to use the term "custom" to describe a stock commercial bike that we changed the saddle and grips on. To us, a custom bike frame is one that is made specifically for the needs, desires, and body measurements of our customer. This is a specialty of Torelli and Mondonico and Vicious Cycles. It has become a specialty of SMART CYCLES as well. We conduct our end of a custom bike sale very skillfully. We have the equipment, experience, knowledge of the frames we sell, and endorsement of Vicious, Torelli and Mondonico to provide these services.

Do I need a custom frame? Isn’t standard geometry and sizing going to suit me fine?  
As far as sizing goes, standard geometry might suit you perfectly. The frame sizes that Vicious, Torelli, Mondonico and Guerciotti offer as stock sizes aren’t just arbitrary sizes that they guessed on and decided to manufacture. These stock sizes have been developed over many years and generally will cover just about 85% of the "population" near-perfectly. It sure is nice finding that your dream frame is hanging in a warehouse waiting to be painted to your specs. We can leave a lot of this discussion for in-person conversation. But, if you want your frame to be made SPECIFICALLY for you down to the millimeter, or if you TRULY NEED to get a frame made outside of stock geometry…we won’t talk you out of it. We certainly will encourage you to do so if we really think you need it.

All custom frame orders start with a complete sizing session using our SMARTFIT SYSTEM. 

There is more to a CUSTOM Services than meets the eye: 
A rider might fit a stock frame size perfectly. BUT, what if their weight, strength, riding style, and intended use for the bike call for a different gauge tubing for the seat stays, chainstays or downtube? What if they are clearly better off with horizontal rear dropouts instead of vertical dropouts? Which of 4 possible seat-stay styles are best or is one an absolute necessity for a particular rider?

Mondonico Seat Stay Configurations:

Diamond Stays		Fastback Stays
Monostay		Carbon Stay

Diamond Stays
Signor Mondonico brazes a small investment-cast tip into the top end of each seat stay. This tip has a concave shape at the top that fits the ear of the seat lug. Of the three attachments, the Mondonico Diamond System results in the longest seat stays. This allows the seat stays to bow more, resulting in more vertical compliance in the rear triangle. Mondonico especially likes to use this method when building small frames for very light people. Conversely, he does not use it on large frames for very big men. There the problem is not keeping the frame flexible. For these riders Mondonico prefers to use the fastback method to beef up the upper rear part of the frame.

Fastback Stays
Mondonico miters the seat stays so that they fit perfectly against the back of the seat lug. He then uses silver-solder to create a beautiful, smooth joint. For riders (especially big men on big frames) seeking a robust, stable frame, this is the way to go. The seat stays are a little shorter and the seat lug joint is stiffer. Foco frames must be built with Fastback seatstays. Foco seatstays are very special, thin-wall large-diameter tubes that cannot be attached any other way. If you want to use the diamond system or have a monostay on your Foco custom frame Modonico will use EL-OS seat stays.

Monostay
Long before monostays were the fashion Mondonico was crafting frames this way. To keep the frame's ride and feel up to the high Mondonico standards, Mondonico varies the tubing wall thickness of the parts. This way a small frame stays comfortable and a big frames stays robust. Again, for large men on large frames, fastback is the best.

Check out Torelli/Mondonico DECAL Options 
on the STAGE BIKE PAGE

Maybe a rider is fine with choosing a stock model in terms of size and materials…but they want a specific color, chrome, or artisan paint work done? 

OK..we promise this will be the last example…what if you want downtube shifter bosses…what if you want an extra set of bottle cage braze ons…what if you want to make sure your frame will accommodate the newly popular compact cranksets?  We think you get the point about custom frames now. Custom is more than just about the size of the frame and fit of the bike. The options are almost endless and at times overwhelming. It is our job as professionals to advise you and help you choose what is right for you. We do this without flaw or compromise. Ultimately, we find that our customers experience a level of fun and satisfaction like they could not expect when making all these choices with THEIR BEST riding interests in mind.

CUSTOM, CUSTOM, CUSTOM = COST, COST, COST?
You might think all the options sound great but that they must add up to double the frame price!? Well, things aren’t always what they seem! One of the finest things about Torelli or a Mondonico is that there is no extra fee for a custom build. The frame builders are not concerned with whether they are making a stock frame or a custom frame. The same amount of time and work goes into each. The only cost is that of time. Expect a 90 day turnaround.  

CUSTOM BIKE HEAVEN!
We really think it would be hard to find a store and staff that has more experience with REAL ITALIAN Stage Bikes than Smart Cycles.  Along with this experience comes un-compromised passion, knowledge, understanding of fit, un-equaled ability to  design and build the PERFECT bike for our client, and so much more that is priceless in value for the consumer! 

Below: 11 PURELY CUSTOM Mondonico masterpieces arrive at Smart Cycles! 

7 Custom Made Mondonico Frames arrive at Smart Cycles December 2006!  Your custom dream bike can be on its way to us soon.  Don't miss the Personalized custom bike fitting day in February '07!

Certain paint options, chrome and other customizations like eyelets, braze-ons, etc. add to the turnaround time and to the price. Talk to us about these options and their costs. There are less custom options available on Aluminum, Carbon and Ti frames than on Steel frames. Some of the builders we work with do charge a custom build fee.