Bike industry is booming, countless new bike models & components are presented each year. Naf visit one of the annual tradeshows like Interbike in the U.S. (Las Vegas) or Eurobike in Europe (Germany) to see that the verity is overwhelming. However, this does not necessarily mean there are revolutionary step-ups, rather evolutionary progress. Sure, if you take a snapshot back in time, let’s say 10 years ago, it sure is a leap.

Today’s bikes and parts, are stronger, lighter and sure are much more sexy, industrial designers are amongst the best in this industry. Taking a boring simple fork and throw in some radiating vivid color or art deco (the new 08′ Zokes line of the 66 & 888 forks family or the RS Totem), it may be a love/hate thing but this is the same feeling we take on every designer or fashionable item. Still, it seems that the most technical improvements (like stable platform or quality air based suspensions or very strong carbon applications) were presented 3-4 years ago and from there on it is moving fwd in little or no increments at all.

So what do we do? Most of us are neither bike manufacturers nor designers, how can we make that something revolutionary for ourselves like no one else? I’d say, get into building your own bike! By that I don’t mean you should cut Aluminum pipes and buy expensive CNC equipment, not at all. Just pick a frame you dream of and ‘dress’ it up with components to your liking. Sounds trivial? Ordinary? I promise you not.

You should put a serious time and thought for each & every part, you will discover that number of options & combinations are more then enough to get you puzzled at times. The pricier or lighter is not always best, it depends what is the application the final bike should take on. It is important to make an overall balanced package, if there are mainly strong parts with few sexy lightweight ’soft’ parts, there you have the weak link (that may cost you pay for over & over in the future).

Although the supply and verity of complete bike is huge and excellent, try to build your own bike, go on this journey, I encourage you. You will benefit one of the greatest experience during the process and if you will do a good planning & executing jobs, you will be rewarded with the greatest rides you’ve ever had. It will be best tailored to your needs, style and liking. It will truly be thrilling as privately inventing the wheel!

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