Top custom carbon frame builders?

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

fallzboater
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:26 am

by fallzboater

RedRacer wrote:


Yep, I did six days of riding on that exact model and it was the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden.

Having a really skewed inseam-to-torso/height ratio takes all the fun out of buying bikes.


It may not be expensive or blingy enough, but I love my Domane 5.9 DA 9000. I've got extremely long legs for my height, so although I'm lean and ride a fairly aggressive position, I need a large stack and relatively short reach (I have the seat mast maxed out on a size 62 and run a 120 stem with one spacer underneath). Long chainstays are also a plus, I feel that they're much too short on most large frames.

I tend to avoid mass manufacturers myself, but the Domane is by far the best riding frame I've ever used, one of the stiffest, and probably the best handling. I've had Parlee and Land Shark hand-built carbon, plus a variety of others.

RedRacer
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:13 pm

by RedRacer

I tend to avoid mass manufacturers myself, but the Domane is by far the best riding frame I've ever used, one of the stiffest, and probably the best handling. I've had Parlee and Land Shark hand-built carbon, plus a variety of others


Hear, hear! The truth is if the Domane was more bling/expensive/rare and slightly lighter weight it would be my first choice but I am hopelessly drawn to the smaller specialty brands. That said, I have owned four high-end, expensive road bikes and the Domane 5.9 rode better than any of them. I need to give my head a shake :oops:

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



highdraw

by highdraw

RedRacer wrote:
I tend to avoid mass manufacturers myself, but the Domane is by far the best riding frame I've ever used, one of the stiffest, and probably the best handling. I've had Parlee and Land Shark hand-built carbon, plus a variety of others


Hear, hear! The truth is if the Domane was more bling/expensive/rare and slightly lighter weight it would be my first choice but I am hopelessly drawn to the smaller specialty brands. That said, I have owned four high-end, expensive road bikes and the Domane 5.9 rode better than any of them. I need to give my head a shake :oops:

In bold above. A sad commentary on an average rider trying to compensate for something he isn't.

User avatar
ergott
Posts: 2870
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:03 am
Location: Islip, NY
Contact:

by ergott

highdraw wrote: A sad commentary on an average rider trying to compensate for something he isn't.


Or someone likes nice stuff. Is everyone that drives a nice car compensating for something too? I really don't subscribe to the opinion that you have to earn a nice bike with your legs. If the owner likes their bike and rides it a lot that's good enough for me.

RedRacer, perhaps start the conversation with any give builder with the fact that you have ridden the Domane and like it. It's a great starting point and the builder can have a good idea whether they can deliver a product along those lines or not.

RedRacer
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:13 pm

by RedRacer

ergott wrote:
highdraw wrote: A sad commentary on an average rider trying to compensate for something he isn't.


Or someone likes nice stuff. Is everyone that drives a nice car compensating for something too? I really don't subscribe to the opinion that you have to earn a nice bike with your legs. If the owner likes their bike and rides it a lot that's good enough for me.

RedRacer, perhaps start the conversation with any give builder with the fact that you have ridden the Domane and like it. It's a great starting point and the builder can have a good idea whether they can deliver a product along those lines or not.


Thanks ergott. Your advice to speak with a knowledgeable builder is no doubt the right place to start, this thread was just to help me understand who those builders are :)

I exchanged some helpful fit advice PMs with highdraw so I was disappointed to read his assumptions of my bike riding abilities and purchase motivations with the holier-than-thou comment.

If the only people granted permission to buy high-end cycling products had to prove their fitness credentials prior to the purchase 90% of the manufacturers would be out of business which would have a negative trickledown effect on the entire community, racers included! That said my history of 25+ years in the saddle, FTP number and the odd KOM mixed in shows than I am not the slowest guy out on the road ;)

nicrump
Posts: 745
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2003 5:18 pm
Location: Austin
Contact:

by nicrump

RedRacer wrote:If the only people granted permission to buy high-end cycling products had to prove their fitness credentials prior to the purchase 90% of the manufacturers would be out of business #snip#


amen to that!

Post Reply