Portland, OR  |  503-922-1934

Sizing

The greatest pleasure to be found in a touring bicycle is not in its visual appeal, its durability, or even in its fully loaded handling up and down the hills and around the bends. At the end of the day (especially at the end of the day) a touring bike’s best feature is a perfect fit. A bike that looks amazing and lasts a lifetime is still a big waste of time and material if it doesn’t see any use.

I strive to design my frames to precisely match both the body geometry and riding posture of their riders. Also, I realize that postures can change with mood, circumstances, and time. The goal isn’t just to find dead center frame geometry for a rider’s body dimensions and posture, but also to provide adjustability throughout the entire comfortable range. Stems, seats and seat posts should have plenty of adjustment in both directions from the center. For this reason, I normally use vertically adjustable, threaded headsets- as they offer quick access to a crucial comfort adjustment.

Because atypical body dimensions so often motivate the purchase of a custom bike, I pay close attention to the particular needs of riders on both ends of the sizing continuum. I’ll source appropriate crank lengths to ensure good pedaling efficiency for long legs or little ones. Wheel size and frame tubing selection are also determined with careful consideration of the rider dimensions and weights involved.

I go to these lengths for perfect form and fit because I want my bikes to be ridden. Because the only thing more wasteful than an incapable bike is a capable one sitting in somebody’s basement, unused and in perfect condition 30 years after it was built, because it was a pain in the ___ to ride.