2015 Buyer’s Guide: Custom road
If you need (or want) something special, these two custom bike builders might have just the right frame for you
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$8,200 (frameset), BaumCycles.com
Beautiful design, incredible paintwork, and tailored craftsmanship lie behind every Baum frame. As with other exclusive items, Baum is a choice for those wise enough to value true quality and service over marketing hype and short-term image. Each frame is designed and built to personal specifications. Material, tube diameter, and tube thickness are individually selected and tuned to provide the highest possible levels of comfort, performance, ride quality, steering precision, and satisfaction
Frame: Titanium (custom butted in-house); English-threaded bottom bracket; scalloped and bi-ovalized chainstays; custom selected and butted tubes; custom geometry
Fork: Enve or 3T Funda Team
Component Highlights: Chris King or Tune headset; Enve or 3T Team stem (painted to match)
Weight: 4.5 lbs (frameset)
$6,250 (frameset; stock sizes start at $5,500), AlchemyBicycles.com
Built in Denver, Colorado, the Alchemy Helios is just as comfortable climbing and descending the Rockies as it is on the open plains. The Helios uses partially aero-shaped tubing, which adds stiffness where you want it, giving it sharp steering and power transfer, while the tube-to-tube construction gives it the desired damping properties that many of it’s metal predecessors are known for. It’s this signature ride that Alchemy has built its reputation around.
Frame: Carbon; tube-to-tube construction; BB86 bottom bracket; carbon dropouts; 31.6 seat post
Fork: Enve 2.0
Component Highlights: Cane Creek headset; additional options include custom paint, disc brakes, and integrated seat mast
Weight: 1,100 grams (56cm)
