A custom built frame is the ultimate indulgence for any cycling enthusiast. A well fitted frame built from the right materials can remain with you for a lifetime. The custom build process is something which should be enjoyed and not stressed over. At Kinoko Cycles, we take you through the fitting process and the designing of your frame before submitting your plans to your chosen frame builder. We keep your sizing documents and build sheets in a shared file online so you can access them at any time. Whether you are building your custom frame with us or not our staff will advise on parts from the get go and if you are building the bike with us our staff will ensure the parts are waiting when your bike arrives from the frame builder.
Choosing your frame & frame builder
The frame builders we represent each have their own unique styles and specialities. Some builders offer custom models and like to design each frame from scratch every order. Each builder has different lead times and pricing.
If you are new to the world of frame building our staff can advise you on how the techniques and materials used by each builder will affect the functionality of your frame.
You can view pricing and other information on frame builders we represent here.
Fitting
Here at Kinoko Cycles, we believe that a properly fitted bike is essential to a rider’s comfort, performance and enjoyment. There is no point in spending hundreds or thousands of pounds on your dream bike and then being in pain every time you ride it.
We have gone to great lengths in training our fitters through Trek and CycleFit the UK’s leading FIT specialists. Our head fitter Nick Frendo comes with a wealth of experience in fitting and custom bikes, Nick is a qualified Specialized Body Geometry Fitter and even piloted their new DATA capture system in the UK for them at one of Londons premier road cycling shops. While new fitting technologies debut all the time, a proper fit always relies on the experience of the fitter. Nick has conducted thousands of fits and we ground our process on sound judgment backed by many, many years of practice.
Choosing colour and frame details
Options such as custom lugs or tubing are listed on the brand page for each frame builder.
Choosing a colour is often the hardest choice you will have to make when designing your dream frame. Most of the builders we represent offer a selection of decals, head badges and chroming options, but when it comes to the colour this totally up to you. We advise our customers to pick their colour from a pantone chart or find a photo of a car or frame finish you would like to match, some frame builders have colour charts you can select your colour from. Remember a custom made frame is for life so try not to choose something you will go off in the future.
Final stage
The last stage in the process after all frame details and a lead time has been agreed upon with the frame builder is to pay a deposit. We require a 50% deposit for all custom frame orders, your order will not be confirmed with the frame builder until the deposit is paid. All customers will have access to a shared file containing all final details of their order including lead time, frame design, colour and your build sheet. When your order is placed we will not give you any updates unless there is a change in the lead time, you will be informed when your frame has shipped.
You can view our frame builders section here.
