Seeking Alchemy Bikes opinion (preferably metal!)

[jcs7282]

Hi,

Due to some attractive full build offers, I am considering a custom Alchemy gravel frame from my LBS, either stainless or ti. Not being very familiar with the brand, I am looking for other's feedback.

On this and other forums, I have read mixed opinions, but most are quite old, 2-3+ years ago and some predate the company's relo to CO. To help in decision making, I'd like to hear any owner/rider experiences (ideally first hand, but second hand OK too) about the product and service experience.

As mentioned, I would be most interested in steel/ti feedback, but carbon is fine too. Beggars can't be choosers...

Thanks in advance!

[Lanternrouge]

James Huang did a review on CyclingTips: https://cyclingtips.com/2018/01/alchemy-eros-frameset-review/

[jcs7282]

Thank you!

[NYCfixie]

I would think you could get a great deal of info from your local bike shop if you asked them the following:

Why did they initially take on the brand?
How many metal frames have they sold in the past 12 months?
How many shop employees own one of the metal bikes?
How do they currently feel about the brand?


I visited them in-person about three years ago on a trip to visit family who live in Denver. I got the full tour. They were doing some cool things with carbon and had 1 person building the metal bikes. Apparently, he used to weld/work for Serotta. I think there is still the same 1 person building the metal bikes. That is not a bad or a good thing but what does it mean when you have 1 person building metal bikes for an otherwise all carbon company?

The company just signed an agreement with Competitive Cycles who will be selling stock versions of their bikes. Why does a custom company now want (or need) to sell stock bikes through a different and non-direct sales channel? Again, not bad or good but why?

One of my LBS' in Boston (multi-location) picked up Alchecmy for custom metal about 18 months ago. When I asked why, they said the same thing other local shops said. Since Ride Studio Cafe (local high end bike studio) is partially owned by the same person who owns Seven, they did not want to compete. Other local shops dropped Seven for Moots and Mosaic. So, the decision seemed to be about offering customers a custom metal option that was not Seven, Moots, or Mosaic rather any great love for the brand. This LBS does have a painted stainless road and a bare Ti cross built up as demos. I saw them and they are nice but I would not say there is anything exceptional about the frames that you could not get from any other custom builder. My LBS has sold about 3 in the past 12 months. Again, this is one data point in an overcrowded market (we have Seven local, FireFly local, and IF about 75 minutes away by car).

So, why buy a metal bike from a company that now mostly specializes in carbon?

To take that one step further....Why buy a custom carbon bike from a company who is now offering stock sizes and selling them though a mail order channel when if you really want custom domestic carbon you have so many options with one really nice one being crumpton? Heck, you can even do a Project One bike which is domestically built by Trek and has all of their research and design behind it.


Please do not read any of this as positive or negative. It is one non-owner's view of the company having only taken a tour three years ago and seen the bikes in-person a few weeks ago at my LBS.

[jcs7282]

Thanks, NYCFixie.

Interestingly, I am certain we are both talking about the same shop.

Frankly, I have some general reservations about the frames based on what little I have read/heard online...much of it being second hand. The points/questions you raise cover many of my concerns (but, I have never been to the Alchemy facility).

My potential interest in the brand is mainly driven by the highly attractive full build packages they are offering. The build pricing, when compared to retail (even discounted retail) is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, I want to feel at least "OK" about the frame, too.

Appreciate your insight and thoughtful comments.

[nmrt]

this is just my opinion on alchemy Ti bikes. please do not take it personally.

i would prefer to not buy a Ti frame from alchemy because i feel they are not priced competitively with other Ti builders for the type bike that i want. so, what do i want?

a butted bike that is custom geo for me. alchemy mostly sells stock sizes with straight gauge tubes. i'd save my money and go with Carl Strong, or even Seven for slightly more. i would get custom sizing and a butted bike.

why do i want a butted bike?
i have found it to be livelier than straight gauge. :banana:

[NYCfixie]

Thanks, NYCFixie.

Interestingly, I am certain we are both talking about the same shop.

Frankly, I have some general reservations about the frames based on what little I have read/heard online...much of it being second hand. The points/questions you raise cover many of my concerns (but, I have never been to the Alchemy facility).

My potential interest in the brand is mainly driven by the highly attractive full build packages they are offering. The build pricing, when compared to retail (even discounted retail) is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, I want to feel at least "OK" about the frame, too.

Appreciate your insight and thoughtful comments.

I would be concerned with your line of thinking. Build packages come and go but the frame can be a lifetime purchase. The frame "builder" should drive your decision IMHO.

PM me. Let's talk offline in the next few days. I have lots of ideas and if this is your first custom I can help as I went through the process myself about 2 years ago.

One option being Honey Bikes (same as Seven - built by the same people in the same factory) and they are now doing Ti. Only issues is stock sizes only but they sure do have a lot of them.

[RedRider]

We've sold a few carbon and a couple titanium Alchemy bikes.
They are professional (delivering on time, customer service, etc) and the quality is very good.
The welder for steel and ti is Jeff, an ex-Serotta guy.
We sold a road ti bike and the customer loved it so much he recently ordered the cross version.

[jcs7282]

Thank you, red rider

[velofinds]

I can't speak to your specific question but as more general feedback I, too, have been to Alchemy HQ and the sense I got was that the company was a tight-knit place for riders, run by riders. I find such color to be helpful if I'm unfamiliar with a brand and only have a website to go by.

[charliedid]

I worked at a shop that sold them and have met in person with a number of the folks running the show.

I'm a fan.

[summilux]

I have an Alchemy carbon frame (Xanthus) so I can't speak to steel specifically. But I will say that my Xanthus is a great riding bike so these guys know what they are doing. I will also echo the positive experiences that others here have had in their dealing with the company. I bought my Xanthus here from Sailorboy. Because the build was custom to him I had specific questions about the frame. So I emailed Alchemy and asked them. I got a rapid answer and they were very helpful. Good sign number one. My second dealing with them was getting a derailleur hanger after a spoke break took out my RD. I dealt with Cody and it was all quick and friendly. They are good guys there.

[sailorboy]

I have an Alchemy carbon frame (Xanthus) so I can't speak to steel specifically. But I will say that my Xanthus is a great riding bike so these guys know what they are doing. I will also echo the positive experiences that others here have had in their dealing with the company. I bought my Xanthus here from Sailorboy. Because the build was custom to him I had specific questions about the frame. So I emailed Alchemy and asked them. I got a rapid answer and they were very helpful. Good sign number one. My second dealing with them was getting a derailleur hanger after a spoke break took out my RD. I dealt with Cody and it was all quick and friendly. They are good guys there.

Great to hear you are still enjoying that bike! The ride was sublime to be sure but I think I had it fitted wrong for me.

As for the OP question, I too question the value of a straight gauge Ti frame in non-custom geo being sold for the same price as custom with butted tubes. Maybe the end product would be indistinguishable in terms of ride quality, but I would just err on the side of better value. Personally, I would never pay that much retail for a non-custom, straight tubed frame but there are often tempting deals on a used frame if you want to try it out, thus tipping the value question more in your favor.

[summilux]

Great to hear you are still enjoying that bike! The ride was sublime to be sure but I think I had it fitted wrong for me.

I still love it and the fit is perfect for me. We've got a few feet of snow here so no riding. I do check in on the bike every now and then :hello:

[jcs7282]

Great feedback, all. Thanks!

[John H.]

If you have reservations, why do it?

Don't let pricing be your driver if you end up getting a frame that is not 100%.

I say this form a point of knowing that there are builder who will coe through 100% on making you a really nice metal bike.

Pick your metal. Pick your construction method (if steel). Ask questions here. We know guys who will do it right.

Not to say that Alchemy is a terrible choice- But I don't see that they sweat the QC details like I would expect. I think James Huang said the seat tube on his bike was slightly ovalized- I have seen bikes that didn't come with the desired amount of rear tire clearance- I have also seen an Alchemy carbon fork where the steerer tube hole was totally crooked and offset.

[NYCfixie]

That was my thought as well. Frames are (usually) forever whereas parts come and go so do not make a decision based on a good price for the kit.

James also mentioned in his review that the seat tube bottle mount was too high and only fit smaller bottles; as-if they had one bottle fit template for all frame sizes which obviously did not work for smaller sizes.

I am also not sure I would go with a company that be all measures is mostly a carbon frame company. They have 1 person doing metal - who did work for Serotta - but still, just 1 person doing metal in a larger company that is otherwise all carbon.


If you have reservations, why do it?

Don't let pricing be your driver if you end up getting a frame that is not 100%.

I say this form a point of knowing that there are builder who will coe through 100% on making you a really nice metal bike.

Pick your metal. Pick your construction method (if steel). Ask questions here. We know guys who will do it right.

Not to say that Alchemy is a terrible choice- But I don't see that they sweat the QC details like I would expect. I think James Huang said the seat tube on his bike was slightly ovalized- I have seen bikes that didn't come with the desired amount of rear tire clearance- I have also seen an Alchemy carbon fork where the steerer tube hole was totally crooked and offset.

[kramnnim]

I have also seen an Alchemy carbon fork where the steerer tube hole was totally crooked and offset.

Don't they use Enve forks?

[John H.]

Not on all bikes- I think they have their own gravel bike fork-

The crooked hole made me suspicious- I wouldn't ride a fork like that. And when a compression plug was put in the cap was crooked on top of the top spacer. Ghetto-

Don't they use Enve forks?

[jcs7282]

Once again, thanks all for the thoughtful discussion. Your comments, along with more introspective thinking on this subject, have brought clarity to the decision.

[FlashUNC]

I'd go at it a bit differently: Find the builder in your budget range who builds the kind of bike you want, and then go from there.

Parts can always be figured out and sorted through later. Ye Gods, just look at the Classifieds here for crazy prices on lightly used stuff.

Personally, seen their stuff at a few NAHBS shows, and their bikes seem fine, I guess? There's nothing in particular that jumped out at me or gave me a wow moment or anything. I constantly confuse them for Mosaic, which is probably not a good sign from a brand standpoint.

[jcs7282]

Thanks, Flash. Good idea in terms of approach.