Custom Mountain Bikes

[Mr. Butterworth]

I am considering buying a high quality, custom hardtail mountain bike and am looking for some advice. I would like to go Ti, and possibly 29" wheels. Does anyone have any experience with a bike of this nature? What brands should I look at? I am told Serotta can still make mountain bikes upon request... is this true?

[IFRider]

and many others. I would recommend checking out the 29'er forum on www.MTBR.com. It is a religion over there and you will find a lot of feedback.

Warren

[zap]

Your search is done.

http://www.jonesbikes.com/

[christian]

29" Ti MTB?

Why, I'd call Matt Chester and be done with it. Just about the nicest guy you'll ever meet.

- Christian

[yeehawfactor]

i'm assuming you're tall enough for a 29er-Independant fabrications could make you one

[alembical]

Don't forget to consider a Vanilla....
http://www.vanillabicycles.com/bikes/mountain/bike_a/lrg/1.jpg
maybe with some disc brakes.....
http://www.vanillabicycles.com/bikes/mountain/bike_c/lrg/5.jpg

Is Serotta no longer making their mountain bikes, or are they just not listed on the website?

Alembical

Edited to add: oops, I just re-read your post alittle more carefully and noticed you are looking for Ti. I think Sacha is just a steel guy, but damn they are pretty enough that it would make me reconsider.

[pdonk]

I know I sound like a broken record on this, but try a dekerf. While they are not custom, they show some of the finest detail work and craftsmanship to grace a mountain bike. Rumour has it that if you have deep enough pockets, they will consider doing one off work. They build in both Ti and steel.

www.dekerf.com

Also check out the thread on dekerfs at mtbr.com for pics(mine is the "christmas tree" bike)

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=194

Other customs that have a following include

Dean
Sycip www.sycip.com
Seven
Epic Ti out of BC - http://www.epicti.com/custom.htm
if you don't mind chinese ti, habernero does a custom
Titus
Ticycles out of Seattle
Anvil
Strong
Steve Potts is building in Ti again, get in line rumour has it his wait is somewhat like e-richie's.

If I were to do a 29'er, I think I might ask Mr. Kirk really nicely if he'd be willing to do one as a terraplane.

[cdmc]

All the above are great suggestions, and you will get a top quality bike from any of the above. I will throw in another options, Titus. For the ultimate in excentric cool, the Jones and Chester bikes have to rule. The IF bikes are sweet looking. Vanilla takes 18 months. Titus just builds great bikes.

[DfCas]

i've been on 29's for 2 years now and have sold all 26 stuff.If you go to the 29 forum
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=61

and check the FAQ at the top,I believe a comprehensive list of builders are listed there.I think Matt Chester only builds singlespeeds now,but I may be wrong.There have been pictures of a Serotta 29 or 2,so do a search.Those pics may have been on the old forum,so they may not show up.

29 has been a rebirth of mtb'ing for me.I ride up and down stuff now that I never did on 26's.

[Ti Designs]

I am considering buying a high quality, custom hardtail mountain bike and am looking for some advice. I would like to go Ti, and possibly 29" wheels. Does anyone have any experience with a bike of this nature? What brands should I look at? I am told Serotta can still make mountain bikes upon request... is this true?


I own a custom steel IF, I've sold a few other customs as well. This is a tricky subject, mountain biking has a much wider range of ride types than road riding. Before I could even start I would want to get a feel for what kind or riding you plan on doing with this thing. If you were looking for the super technical bike or something to drop off 12' lips I would pass you along to Tim, because that's what he does. If you were looking to do adventure racing I would bring in an outside expert that I know. My point in this is that it's a very wide range, narrow it down and get the right advice.

If you happen to be in the Boston area, give me a yell. At very least I can try to point you in the right direction. And if you get this bike together before July 4th, you should try my 4th of July ride, it starts at 4:30AM and finishes at the fireworks...

[Sacha White]

That Vanilla that alembical posted a pic of (the silvery blue one) is my personal bike. The beauty of a 29er is that you can run a fully rigid bike, keeping the feel very tight and responsive, without getting beaten up. Only once in a while do I wish i had a susp. fork (like when I am on washboards for a long time) otherwise is is super smooth and nimble. Most everyone who I build a 29" hardtail for end up getting a suspension corrected rigid fork and a suspension fork aswell.

cdmc, the wait is actually only 12 mos :D

If I was going to buy someone elses frame it would be a Jones...they look like they're really something special!

[Steve Hampsten]

Kent Ericksen, ex-Moots, is getting ready to hang out his frame-building shingle. NOW might be a good time to get in line for one of his bikes.

Jus' sayin'...

[vandeda]

cdmc, the wait is actually only 12 mos :D

If I was going to buy someone elses frame it would be a Jones...they look like they're really something special!

Oh hey ... we've added Sacha to our list of builders here ... Hi Sacha :hello:

Dan V. - anxiously awaiting my Vanilla in October/November time frame

p.s. - I just ride my Schwinn Moab. I do XC, but love my rock ring ... and my frame has paid the penalty for my learning curve ... so I cannot justify a custom mtn bike since I'll slowly wreck the frame trying harder stuff as I progress. I have no fear laying a $400 frame on a rock if I make a mistake ...

[DfCas]

I've seen quite a few Moots custon 29er pics,both hard tail and YBB,and even a Merlin and a Litespeed.OX also has some out there.

dan

[alembical]

I just had to say that I love this forum. With the expertiese of the above posters, DWF, E-Richie and the other builders, plus the knowledge from all the bike lovers, riders, shop employees, and the like, this site is such a great resource.

Alembical

Now if I can just get Sacha to kick me down an old bike for all the publicity I give them and just how cool I would look on a Vanilla in general, I would be set. :banana: (unbeknownest to Sacha, I actually have a fork on my cross bike that he built, and I guess that is as close as I am going to get for awhile).

[Serotta_James]

We do in fact make mountain bikes. We currently do the CHT, which is essentially the Legend Ti tube set made burly, the way a mountain bike should be. We have done many incarnations of this frame - with or without disks, 29er, etc. We do fill orders for these bikes, although we don't really market them at all. When we moved into our current factory, we decided to put forth all our efforts into road production.
Incidentally, we also make sweet, sweet cross bikes in any of our model platforms.

Who would be interested in an Ottrott mountain bike? If we could make such a beast.

[zap]

James, whats this.

http://www.pro-bike-und-ski.de/MTB/Frames/Serotta/Prot2.jpg

Looks like one was made.

[Serotta_James]

Well, that appears to be an Ottrott CST... Great bike.

[KMA]

Hey Hamtech. Here's a pic of my custom Spicer ti cruiser mtn bike I had built up last year. (www.spicercycles.com). It's not a 29" but Spicer can definately make one for your. Though it has an eccentric bb for single speeding, I also spec'ed it with a derailer hanger and cable guides just in case I decide to add gears. Not bad for only about a $1K. Actually, check out www.mtbr.com forum for lots of pic's and feedback on these Spicer bikes. I've seen a 29" Spicer built up with a Rohloff hub.