This beauty is designed specifically for the Rocky Mountains. The owner has short arms and a short torso, so the bike "Is what it is", which is perfect for her. Photo: Kevin G Saunders
When people are introduced to KGS Custom Bicycles, they usually have a few things to say. One common thought is, “I had no idea that bikes like this were available!”. This is not surprising, as the combination of finding where you actually balance on the bike plus the very nice frames, wheels and components make a bicycle that has not been produced before.
Another comment that is heard a lot is, “These bikes look very different than production bikes.” This is quite true. Our bicycles look different because our geometries are unique to each individual. While no person looks exactly like another, none of our bikes are exactly the same either.
While the big companies put lots of style and flair in their bikes to make them show well in a bike shop, many of the things they do are not comfortable or efficient. Because of this, they have to market their sizzle, which is, “Big racing teams win on these bikes and you are a winner if you choose one.” This is like saying, “If you buy a tennis racquet like Roger Federer uses, you will win major tennis tournaments.” Any good tennis pro would tell you that if you used his racquet, designed to work with his strength and style of play, you would have injuries very quickly and it would be horrible. Our marketing is much simpler. We have the technology and the expertise to design a perfect high end bicycle for you.
Custom tennis racquets, custom golf clubs and custom bicycles have a lot in common. First they may look different. This is because they are designed for the end user, and many structural changes may have to occur for them to work “better than stock”. Second, they really are better. They are not a little bit better, but a whole lot better.
If you look at one of our custom bicycles that is designed for most people who can afford them, here is what you will see:
1) The saddle will be a lot further back than you might think. In fact, it will be back further than almost all stock bikes will allow. Eddy Merckx knew this and I believe that is why he did as well as he did back in the day.
2) The handlebars will be higher and further back. If the saddle goes back, so go the bars. They also have to go up because your hip angle can’t change. It’s technical, but know it is necessary.
3) The handlebar stem is usually turned up. The downward turning stem is a carryover from the old quill stems and while people may think it looks better, it doesn’t work better. We turn the stem up for a reason, and that is performance.
4) The stem may be very short. This is to accommodate the reach, or distance from saddle to handlebars, that people really need.
5) The head angle and fork may look different. We design the steering characteristics for each bike to match the rider. This actually ties in with the stem, and we use the stem, fork and head angle to make the bike steer predictably and comfortably.
At the end of the day, a custom bicycle that we design will look the way it needs to, as the function drives the form. We look forward to your questions, comments and thank you for referrals.
