I met Mark Hall of Mahall Bikeworks (
http://www.mahallbikeworks.com/index.htm) at the Oregon Handmade Bike Show last weekend, and his clean builds that were on display have really stuck with me...so much so that I'm considering plunking down a deposit with him to get in line for an "all-road" custom...which I put as something that fits 32s, has fender mounts, dynamo wiring, discs, stable and comfortable, but still efficient...a true "all-day" bike.
Mark works in steel, and while his road bikes may look relatively simple/ordinary from a distance, up close he puts in a lot of cool little touches that I really drew me in: the machined stainless brake bridge with the "H" logo on his disc frames, little machined cutouts in the head-tube, sensible yet intricate lugwork, etc. Plus, he's on the taller side, so the bikes he brought were big, yet balanced. I like what he wrote about his build and customer-centered process on his site: his ethos really lines up with mine. And I like his interest in steel forks.
We've connected now and it looks like I could be in line for an Q1-2018 build. His prices seem very reasonable for the level of interaction and custom touches...so honestly, there's little holding me back at this point. Lord knows I've tried enough bikes to have a good idea what I want to do geometry and size-wise...and since he's only a half-day drive away, getting together to talk options, sizing, etc. is doable.
So, anyone here familiar with Mark or his work?
And in general, anyone interested in sharing their experience working with "smaller" builders?
Here's a pic of his FB page of a complete 853 roadie that looks pretty close to what I'd ask for, save for some lug-sculpting differences..
