Not counting the brake calipers, this bike is fully defined - saddle, handlebars and brake levers installed. Photo: Kevin Saunders
In expanding to Austin I have had the opportunity to meet many new people and talk about the value of a custom bicycle. Interestingly enough, I have been getting inquiries about the possibility of getting a new custom frame and transferring the parts from the existing bike. It must be a sign of the times as I really didn’t have this question posed until recently but the answer is a resounding yes.
The concept is simple, to get the most of a custom bike while maximizing current assets, particularly if the existing ill-fitting bicycle has good components. After the BalancePoint™ positional analysis we will know if the components on the current frame can be adjusted to the correct position. Getting close doesn’t cut it. What happens if you “just get close” is a nice placebo effect. The bike feels much better at first but typically the issues come back, particularly if you are over 40 or have had injuries.
Another factor is the dynamic nature of positioning. What is right for you now may not be optimal if you lose 20 lbs or get significantly fitter. A custom frame can be designed with this adjust-ability from the start and this is one area where KGS Bikes excels.
Almost all of the parts can be transferred over to the new frame and some people save even more by having me simply locate the saddle, handlebars and brake levers and cut the fork steerer tube. At this point, the bike is defined completely and adding components can be done easily by almost anyone. I add many extra steps when I build a complete bike but of course I charge for this and in today’s economy people want options.
Have you thought that the only way to buy a custom bike was to get an entire new bike? If you knew that we could not only sell you just the frame and components that are not useable from the old bike, but build up the new bike completely or partially and even help you sell your old parts on eBay, would that change your perspective of both custom bikes and KGS?
