When I think of custom built, then I’m thinking a one off hand built frame that suits it’s owner’s riding preferences. It may or may not stand out in a herd of bikes but it should definitely be a handbuilt frame at the very minimum.

Swapping out parts or completely building up a bike from various store bought or scanvenged parts may be custom but not custom built. Some people refer to these as frankenbikes or freak bikes. Yes to frankenbikes, but no to the freak bike term.

Freak bikes or FreakBikes are full on custom built bicycles or owner accessorized/modified bicycles whose main purpose is to gather as many wow factors from all who cross their paths. A FreakBike is generally ridden at a slow leisurely cruise and is not intended for speed, although there have been a few exceptions.

I represent the FreakBike Community (yes, community, lol), I build the strange and sometimes quirky bikes known as FreakBikes. I’ve built slammed to the ground stretched cruisers, bicycle sidehacks for jousting, tallbikes, choppers and many other styles. All of the bikes are rideable and serve the purpose for which they are built, for fun and recreation.

Our group, and others like it, have discussed “custom” more times than I can remember. The debate “as to what is a custom” may never be completely defined and will always leave each of us thinking our definition is right. To make matters worse, FreakBikers also contend with the term “Kustom” and what it’s definition truely is.

Kustom to me, is a handbuilt bicycle or heavily moddified bike that no matter how hard you look, you’ll never see another one like it.

As a group of FreakBikers, we’ve come to realize that our bikes represent all three of these terms, “custom’, “custom built”, and “Kustom”.

I think most of us would agree that any bicycle is a good bicycle as long as it gets us off the couch and out in the great outdoors. I personally love all style of bikes and look forward to whatever any company or individual graces us with. The bicycle hobby/sport can only grow and develope if all bicyclists do their honor and respect each other.

I believe that everyone always tries to make their bike show a little of their personality. Whether it is in the form of different tires, a new seat or as I prefer …… something that puts a smile on someone’s face while I ride by enjoying the fact that I can get out and ride at my own pace.

Thanks to all,
“Chainsaw” Jim Jhonson

I have visited Villy Customs in person. If you saw these cool cruisers, I bet you wouldn’t judge on their use of “custom.” You would just want to take a cruise on one.

When I think “custom” i think bespoke, not customizable.

Oh well, tasteless beach cruisers that won’t get ridden are somehow less depressing than tasteless “fixies” that won’t be ridden.

I figure anyone that has the money and knowledge of bikes to order a custom spec’d frame from an independent fabricator will know what the difference is. Not to devalidate the point of stating that a frame builder deserves the title of custom much more. It’s just that the people buying a colorful cruiser for $500 aren’t the target market for a builder that would charge way more for the product. The one’s who want body specific geometry and all the bells and whistles know better.

custom is simply, not stock. so lots of people ‘customize’ their bicycles even building up from a stock frame. however, what you are calling custom is more a ‘handbuilt custom’ or a ‘sized custom’. i think the world has lots of room for all sorts of different ‘custom’ bikes. i agree with jorge that we mustn’t become elists just because what some refer to as custom isn’t what someone else refers to.

P.S. – I choose Dwell over Rivendell reader (but that’s probably because I just bought a house and don’t need a new bike).