anybody got a costom carbon frame?

natureboy
natureboy Posts: 155
edited May 2008 in Workshop
I want to go custom carbon for my next frame and was wondering if anyone has one, and if so, how it worked out?
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Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    It would be very expensive - and I'm not sure its worth it.

    I've had custom steel frames before and they were nice - but i doubt i could tell the difference.

    I like Mike Burrows approach - a few frame sizes and then dial the position in with the other components. It could well be that you are of average build anyway - so the standard frames would fit you well ?
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Stock sizes are out of the question, despite diffrent combinations of stems, posts etc. Long stems put me way too far over the front wheel.
    My current custom steel frame has a 620mm top tube and has a 73.5 degree seat tube, but flexes and weighs too much.custom carbon is the only way for me to get a better bike
    Why are all manufacturers like geometry sheep?
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Custom carbon available from the likes of Calfee, Serotta, DeRoas and Colnago amongst others - all with a high price and long wait to match. You may also be able to find others using the Deda DCS systems which enables a degree of customisation - perhaps Mario Bertoletti - www.mbbike.it is a good place to start - I don't think they have a current UK dealer since Skinnywheels folded, but have a great reputation.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • acorn_user
    acorn_user Posts: 1,137
    Custom aluminium could get you a better suited bike too. Steel can also be made stiffer, but at the expense of weight. You could also try titanium.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    I need a frame to be stiff, strong, comfortable and light. This list rules out ti, alu and steel !
    Only carbon has all these characteristics.
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    natureboy wrote:
    I need a frame to be stiff, strong, comfortable and light. This list rules out ti, alu and steel !
    Only carbon has all these characteristics.

    Just out of interest, what sort of weight target do you have in mind for the finished item?
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Small billato frames weigh about 1kg, so maybe 1.3kg
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    A couple of names to add to the frames list are Crumpton and Seven.

    http://www.crumptoncycles.com

    http://www.sevencycles.com/home.php
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    Meant to add, if you post on the Weight Weenies site there are a few custom carbon owners on there.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Monty Dog wrote:
    "
    perhaps Mario Bertoletti - www.mbbike.it is a good place to start - I don't think they have a current UK dealer since Skinnywheels folded, but have a great reputation.

    Thanks for the link Monty Dog.
    I've been on their site and one of their frames looks exactly like viners top end maxima, which got a great write up in Procycling
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Pirahna wrote:
    Meant to add, if you post on the Weight Weenies site there are a few custom carbon owners on there.

    Thanks for the pointer Pirahna.
    I couldn't find weight weenies though, any tips would be greatly received!
  • cydonian74
    cydonian74 Posts: 397
    Parlee are more than worth a look, but you may need to sell all that you hold dear to buy one. exquisite! :shock:
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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  • Steve928
    Steve928 Posts: 314
    Bianchi will also make the 928 T-Cube to custom geometry.
    Whether it's a practical option from the UK (presuming your in the UK) though I 've no idea.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    For a frame that looks EXACTLY like viners maxima, go to www.mbbike.it
    They probably make it for viner, and you might save a few €
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    Parlee do full custom (via Barry at Bespoke Cycliing in the UK) though the full custom option is expensive. All the Parlee reviews I've seen have been very good and friends who ride them have been very pleased.

    Even a 620mm top tube is fairly unusual so it's not that surprising you can't find a stock size you're happy with. If you're looking to ride a shorter stem and the seat tube is already 73.5 degrees the TT will obviously be even longer. This is probably too far out on the bell curve to warrant investment in the moulds to mass produce a carbon frame of this size.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,550
    natureboy wrote:
    For a frame that looks EXACTLY like viners maxima, go to www.mbbike.it
    They probably make it for viner, and you might save a few €
    It's more likely that Viner make it for a number of people and only badge a few of them as their own.

    You should speak to Bespoke Cycling about a Parlee.

    I've a Casati Marte that was made to measure, not sure if that's custom enough for you? I ordered it directly from Casati in Monza when I visited the factory. A lot of Italian manufacturers will do this.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    edited May 2008
    Weight Weenies

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/

    A Parlee would be my choice for custom carbon. Or a Crumpton. Very nice.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    James_London wrote:
    This is probably too far out on the bell curve to warrant investment in the moulds to mass produce a carbon frame of this size.

    I'd have to check with builders to make sure they're up for it before choosing one. But they are custom builders, isn't that their job?
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Full custom parlee frames cost £3700+, whereas a billato supercorsa costs £2k. I don't think there would be much, if any, performance diffrence.
    As long as a frame is strong and durable I'm not concerned with boutique finishing.
    The titanium hardwear of the parlee would lastlonger than billato's alu, though.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    I've a Casati Marte that was made to measure,

    Fantastic bike, but for '08 its got an integrated seattube, and I don't like them - does anybody
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    natureboy wrote:
    I've a Casati Marte that was made to measure,

    Fantastic bike, but for '08 its got an integrated seattube, and I don't like them - does anybody

    yes but it's not the prettiest carbon job out there is it. I like Casati especially their steel offerings but not their carbon ones.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,550
    natureboy wrote:
    Fantastic bike, but for '08 its got an integrated seattube, and I don't like them - does anybody
    But as it'll be custom Casati will happily build one without an integrated seat tube - a friend of mine got a Vola, which also has an integrated seat tube this year, and specified it with a seat post. It was no problem for Casati.
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    natureboy wrote:
    James_London wrote:
    This is probably too far out on the bell curve to warrant investment in the moulds to mass produce a carbon frame of this size.

    I'd have to check with builders to make sure they're up for it before choosing one. But they are custom builders, isn't that their job?

    Absolutely - should be no problem for the custom builders mentioned. I was meaning for a frame that large to be available as a stock size :-)
  • SeanT
    SeanT Posts: 51
    Have you checked out Terry Dolan. It looks like you can get a custom Dolan elio frameset for £1400, sounds like a bit of a bargain.
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    andyp wrote:
    natureboy wrote:
    For a frame that looks EXACTLY like viners maxima, go to www.mbbike.it
    They probably make it for viner, and you might save a few €
    It's more likely that Viner make it for a number of people and only badge a few of them as their own.


    Mbbike (bertoletti) also do a titanium lugged custom carbon frame that is the spitting image of viners top end frame from '05 ish, only viner doesn't make it any more..... Looks like mbbike makes some of viners'...
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I think you'll find that a number of Italian manufacturers collaborate to offer a range of bike types and materials. Viner are well known for making bikes for others and AFAIK Bertoletti is a bona-fide builder in his own right and not a marketing operation. The aforementioned Dolan appears to use Deda's DCS custom carbon solution - but I expect they're not made in Bootle.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    Monty Dog wrote:
    I think you'll find that a number of Italian manufacturers collaborate to offer a range of bike types and materials. Viner are well known for making bikes for others and AFAIK Bertoletti is a bona-fide builder in his own right and not a marketing operation. The aforementioned Dolan appears to use Deda's DCS custom carbon solution - but I expect they're not made in Bootle.


    I want to go to italy and talk with someone in the same factory where my frame will be made.
    I have a custom steel dolan and spoke to terry in person. I asked him if him if he gets his frames made in taiwan and he nearly bit my head off!. He said he gets them made in belgium and italy.
    Some of his carbon frames are well under a grand though, so they must be from the far east.it would be easier for him if he came clean and said that the cheaper carbon frames came from the far east and that his steel and high end carbon frames come from belgium and italy.
    My steel dolan is put together very well and by hand by the looks of it.
    I'd recommend dolan for custom steel
  • cyclingfury
    cyclingfury Posts: 676
    Natureboy,
    As MontyDog says Marco Bertoletti does make frames in his own right. His attention to detail is fabulous. I know you're not inthe market to buy Titanium but I had a custom made Ti frame from him and IMO the welds are the most perfect works of art I've ever seen on a bike (Click below for pics). I only mention this as if you do decide to buy a carbon frame from him, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. :lol:
    ___________________________________________
    Titanium Bertoletti
  • natureboy
    natureboy Posts: 155
    I had a custom made Ti frame from him and IMO the welds are the most perfect works of art I've ever seen on a bike (Click below for pics). I only mention this as if you do decide to buy a carbon frame from him, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. :lol:[/quote]

    Nice bike. What are the angles?
    I hadn't heard of bertoletti till monty dog told me. They're never in the mags.On the 'site, the carbon lugwork looks amazing. As soon as I can..........

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