From Curtlo.com:

From traditional steel mountain hardtails, to single speed, road, cyclo-cross, 29″, and whatever else you desire – we can build it! Our strength is the ability to build a frame exactly the way you want it. Disc tabs, full suspension, tandems, braze-ons, touring bikes, foldable bikes, you name it.

Each year we refine and tweak every element of our frames, from something as seemingly unimportant as drop-outs, to incorporating the newest brand of tubing. Most long-time riders who have ridden hand-made, custom steel frames know the truth. There is something that gets transferred from the builder, through the torch, right into each frame built. While it is probably easier to walk into your local shop and buy a “big brand name” bike off the showroom floor, what you are missing can mean the difference between pure enjoyment, and just a decent ride.

At Curtlo cycles, how a bike FEELS is everything, and the best way to get the ultimate feel is to have a bike that fits properly. Each frame we build is custom fit to the rider, plain and simple. And, you will be surprised when you see how much a custom hand made Curtlo frame costs compared to a bike that was probably made by a machine. When you figure in the unbelievable deal on a full bike parts kit, your total bike price can be actually CHEAPER than the alternative. Check out our site, and contact us to talk about how we can get you on your dream bike. You won’t get a sales person sitting in some fancy office, you will most likely get Doug Curtiss, the man with the torch.

You might have seen one of his creations on this site in previous readings. The “I Miss My Singlespeed” post featured a 26″ Curtlo 24hr SS with a Bushnell EBB that I rode for about a year. So far, it is the best 26″ hardtail that I have ever ridden. On my top five rides of all time list, one of them is a 30+ mile ride that Mudpie and I did at Tsali when I was on this bike. It was extremely responsive but also comfortable for the all day epics. At one point, I had it setup fully rigid at about 21 lbs. With the Reba up front, it weighed in at about 23 lbs.

Doug also has many custom options to choose from that you can find on his site. If you are looking for a full suspension steel frame, Doug builds his front triangles against Ventana’s laterally stiff rear ends.

The pictured below is my old 24hr SS. For more pictures of Doug’s custom creations, visit his gallery on Curtlo.com.

From Wolfhound.com

What makes a Wolfhound special?

There are many reasons, the most important being the quality of the ride. Because I spend so much time figuring out exactly what the customer wants, the bike becomes a tailor-made vessel- much like a fine suit that fits only one person perfectly. Another reason is the hand-built craftsmanship. A Wolfhound is about innovative design carried out with old-school craftsmanship. When you look at a Wolfhound, look close; examine the fine details, the smoothness of the joints, and the unique form of the many drop-out and gusset options available. I love the challenge of creating details that are totally unique. If you have an idea for a bike, please share it with me, and I will do everything I can to build your vision.

His ability to morph your ideas to life is part of the reason his frames are so special.  Fred takes real pleasure in creating the ride and look that each one of his customer has in mind.  His option list is like none other in the custom frame industry, and you aren’t even limited to those options.  Fred will create just about anything you dream up.

All of this design and craftsmanship is great, but how do they ride?  When it all comes down to it…that is what really matters.  Luckily, these creative designs deliver one of the best rides that money can buy.  In a day where designers and manufacturers are searching for the new miracle material that will create the perfect ride, Fred does it will steel and fabrication.  His frames are dialed.  Between his knowledge and fabrication and your desire to have the perfect frame for you…you end up with a bike that rides better than you could have ever dreamed.

Just be careful…these bikes stop traffic…literally.  And too much cruizing around his website or looking at the following pictures will make you want to stop every thing, pick up the phone and place an order.

A friend of mine, Jay Carpenter, sent me a link recently to Stoic Cycles.

From Jay at Stoic:

I only build with steel, but do all the build methods, (TIG, Fillet brazed, and Lugged) and will mix the methods up on a single frame if wanted. I’m more interested in building a strong frame than a really light weight frame, but can do somewhat light, depending on the size of the rider. Frames probably average in the 4.5-5lbs range. I’m willing to build most any type of frame, however MTB, and Cyclocross are the two I build most often.

You will see some true works of art on Jay’s site. He even went as far as building a 36er! But still…my favorite part of his entire library is the lug work. When you see a lugged frame, it is really amazing to look at the attention to detail and final touches that really bring together a frame of that caliber. Lugs, while not light, are a great way to add strength and artistic originality to custom made steel frames. If you have ever seen a lugged frame in person, you know exactly what I am talking about.

If you are ever in the market for a custom steel ride, check out Jay at Stoic Cycles. He does some incredible work and his wait time seems to be a lot less than a lot of custom steel makers these days.

Contact info:
info@stoiccycles.com | Pricing

She was quoted as saying the following:

If you are going to buy a bike, do it now.

Full audio interview found on BlueCollarMTB.com.

198′S THOUGHTS

Jill is right, and I am really surprised that we haven’t actually seen this sooner. My “real job” involves a lot of steel, aluminum and rubber purchasing domestically and from overseas. Prices are increasing at a rate that most manufacturers can’t keep up with the increases. Yesterday, oil prices hit a new record high, so these transportation increases also present a huge problem. 6 to 8 months ago we were able to purchase steel in the low 30 cent range (per lbs). Now, we are being told to be ready for the price to be in the low 50′s and 60′s in the next couple of weeks. So to mirror Jills comments…if you are looking at purchasing any steel related products in the next 6 months…you better do it now.

For those of you that don’t know the story, I sold the Curtlo for an engagement ring. Trust me…it was the right move, but since then, my bike big dreams have gotten the best of my head and now my only ride is a 36 lbs rocket that is blogged below. Even if I still had a singlespeed, it would still be the bike that I would ride most of the time. I just have too much fun on that bike to leave it at home.

Where I really miss the singlespeed is on days like today. I really only have time to get in a quick ride at Blankets Creek, and I would love to be able to throw on a simple, light hardtail and just blast around the local trail for a lap or two without having to worry about gears or suspension. There is something really great about the simplicity of a singlespeed. Your mind just kind of wonders off to another place. It is very similar to the way I feel on a great downhill run where all you are thinking about is the trail ahead of you and how to make the best run at it. You aren’t thinking about what gear to be in, where to set the suspension or even how to ride that section…you are just riding as pure as you know how.

It doesn’t have to be a 29er, 26er, rigid, hardtail, steel, aluminum, etc…just a singlespeed with the ability to go fast and carve the corners. Who knows…I just might have one the the near future, but in the meantime…I still really enjoy my heavy ride.