6 American Bike Builders You Should Know

“For the love of bikes and everything outdoors.” That statement says a lot and is the driving force behind Thomas Callahan and Horse Cycles. Based in Brooklyn, this 7-year-old workshop builds only about 20 steel frames a year entirely by hand and from materials found right here in the US. Made to order frames start around $1,000, and expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 on a completely custom bike.

If going fast and turning left (on the velodrome) is your thing, look no further than San Francisco’s Low Bicycles. Started in 2010 to produce world-class aluminum racing frames, they have since added a cyclocross frame to their lineup of exactly three track frames. Each is handbuilt in their tiny workshop and features some of the finest welds you’ll ever see. However, frames of this quality are not made overnight, so if you aren’t prepared to wait 4 to 6 months for cycling perfection, look elsewhere. Track frames start at $1,200 and cyclocross at $1,550.

There’s something fanatical about Vanilla’s Sacha White. He’s unswerving in his quest to build you a bike that’s balanced and fit just for you. In other words: the only bike you’ll ever need. However, this passion for bicycles comes at a cost; the wait for your Vanilla bike is likely several years! With beginnings back in 1999, Vanilla has fine-tuned their process to perfection and it shows in their hand cut lugs and stainless dropouts with signature V. Handmade from only the finest US and Italian steel tubing, Vanilla offers a full line of bikes from road to track to commuter.

Founded in 1997, Seven Cycles is definitely one of the larger makers of custom frames. Using titanium, carbon, or steel, Seven crafts a complete range of bikes including road, cross, commuter, and even tandem. We particularly liked the combination of carbon fiber tubing and titanium lugs on their 622 SLX. Steel frames start around $4,000 and titanium/carbon frames around $6,000 with a moderate two month lead time for unpainted frames.

While their site doesn’t say much, they don’t really need to. Joel Greenblatt’s extraordinarily clean handmade bikes do all the talking needed. Construction is steel with fillet brazing although lugs are an optional upgrade on their essentially five types of bikes. Pricing begins around $1,400 for a completely customized to your needs ride and size frame.

Argonaut Cycles adds an entirely new meaning to custom frames. For example, not only do they custom cut the carbon fiber laminate based on rider preference, but they built all their own tooling for frame construction. Designed to be a road-ready race frame, the Space Bike 2.0 takes about 12 weeks to build and features bladder mold construction along with high end components such as Chris King headset and Enve carbon fiber fork. Pricing begins at $6,500 for the frameset and $9,000 for a complete bike.