UK Frame Builders

MTBDanno

Morning everyone,

As the title suggests, can anyone recommend / has had experience with, any UK frame builders? I recently read a review on the Starling Swoop 27.5 and fell in love with the idea of a custom build.

Pictures, comments, links welcome

cooldad

Bike looks nice - I like a well designed single pivot, but I think your options are going to be quite limited, especially a custon FS.

MTBDanno

I think you're right. I've scoured google all morning (don't tell the boss) and I've come across very few frame builders that actually specialise in MTB rather than road bikes. A lot of them seem a bit old school as well.. don't think you'd be able to get them to build a bike with aggressive AM geometry

rockmonkeysc

BTR Fabrications have a full suspension, UK made frame and I'm fairly sure they do custom geometry.
Might also be worth trying Curtis, they were working on a FS frame but not sure whether they ever finished it.

MTBDanno

BTR have the pinner frame.. but it is seriously pricey at £2.5k...

I checked Curtis, they don't have a full suss on their website, but their hardtail frames are BEAUTIFUL

mudsucker

Have never been on one but how about Cotic bikes based in Sheffield.

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/

MTBDanno

I'm a bit fan of Cotic, again never ridden one myself but they look lovely.

All I know is my next bike will be unique and it will be made of steel!

cooldad

Not custom built frames though.

MTBDanno

No I know they aren't custom, but still beautiful

turpinr

mudsucker wrote:

Have never been on one but how about Cotic bikes based in Sheffield.

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/

are they made in Britain?

Jonesinamilion

brian rouke in stoke on trent; maybe more road orientated but if theyre good enough for guy martin theyre good enough for us mortals!

Giraffoto

How about getting the made-in-Britain frame you like and having it custom painted?

The Rookie

Perhaps you could make it clear why you want a custom frame (other than 'just because'), geometry? no frame being on the market that suites?

An effective way to do it is to find a full suss frame with the rear suspension you like (that way ensuring you get an effective rear suspension system) and get a custom front triangle made to mount it to, then get it all resprayed to a single theme. Then you just need to get a machine shop to turn up the mounting points and get your chosen frame builder to attach them in the right place.

LimitedGarry

If you have the money, custom steel frames can be cool. But, they are almost exclusively beautiful hardtails or road bike frames. And on top of that, theit price usually reaches to the starting pricerange of full-sus frames with shock and everything, once you get everything you need done on the bike (dropouts, axle, headset, a couple of spare mech hangers, internal routing if you want it and a custom paintjob). A custom steel FS bike may as well cost you an arm and a leg.
If you don't see a full-sus frame on someone's website, it doesn't mean they wouldn't make one. Try asking them.
Also, should you actually go through with it and have a completely custom frame done, have it made to measure. There's hardly a worse way to spend your money than on a custom frame that isn't 100% fitting to you.

If you're concerned about money, try finding a manufacturer who builds whole bikes, does custom paintjobs and allows for custom build specs. They probably won't allow you to have custom geometry and sizing, but you will get the paintjob you want and above all, you'll be able to get some components considerably cheaper than you would get them off the shelf.

reformedfatty

Curtis had a full suss at bespoked that was wonderful looking. The only other custom full suss I can remember were from BTR and a yorkshire company, carbon wrap