When I finally committed to buying a new bike, I had a lot of options. I’m not a particularly difficult body type to fit to a bicycle.  Since I don’t have any fit issues, I had the widest range of options imaginable. I am past the point where I might race or take advantage of higher speeds.  My joy in riding is found in different areas of the cycling experience.

Buying a bike from a manufacturer like Specialized or Trek or Giant would have worked fine without a wait. I would have had to choose a bike among a great number of brands and models.  While all are good choices in their own right, all are mass produced and therefore they are not truly unique. Each would come in a choice of one or two colors; and some are more customizable than others, but customization always comes at extra cost, and while the best technology can be purchased this way, the best technology won’t make me better. So rather than take the most common option, I looked elsewhere.

Getting a truly custom bike would be the ultimate in personalization.  That specialization always comes at a high price. One of those prices would be time.  Waiting a year for a full custom bike is often worth it, but with my fit metrics, I knew that while it might fit like a glove, such a bike is a wonderful thing that would be worth the cost, but would it be worth the wait? It was a difficult choice, but in the end, I chose a third option.

Buying a frame and choosing my own parts specification seemed to fit my desire for a unique, handmade bike that wasn’t common while giving me a good fit and the experience I wanted.  I’ve already described my decision in this forum, but After waiting four months, I finally have a delivery date!

The frame has arrived in the United States from Italy.  It will be shipped to the shop, where all the parts I’ve chosen will be added to it.  Since my friend Travis will be building it, I’ll see photos of the process, including building my wheels and building up the bike with all the parts that have been waiting for it. It will be used (with my enthusiastic consent) to market his skills and his customer service.

My wait has nearly ended. As I waited, I had no idea how long it would take to see the finished product. Now I know. I write this on a Sunday, and the bike will be delivered to the shop on Tuesday, and delivered to me on Thursday.  Watch this space to read more about the final steps of my passion project!