CUSTOM BIKE BUILDS

CUSTOM BIKE BUILDS

ORDERING PROCESS

Our Goal at RideFATbikes.ca :

• To build you a customized 4-season all-weather Adventure Bike that provides long-term ownership, proper geometry fitment, and elevates rider performance. Depending on your available budget, we will maximize the benefits of a lightweight bike build, combined with durable, quality, high-performing framesets and components.

Stock Build w/ upgrades vs. A true Custom Bike Build

There are two seemingly very different ways the cycling industry defines a “custom bike build” :

1. Order a stock bike with a predefined generic build kit. Swap out a few components like tires, grips and saddle. Job complete! Some bike shops apparently call this a “custom bike build”. (We call it a “stock build w/upgrades”)

   - OR -

2. Understand what type of riding environment the new owner intends to be in. Perform a bike fitment. Pay attention to all the details. Select an appropriate frameset for the rider’s needs. Order each and every component of the bike build, to meet the design and fitment goals of the rider. Focus on high-performance and quality parts. This is what RideFATbikes.ca calls a true “custom bike build”. It takes a lot more time, effort, and energy to go this route, but we know it’s worth it!

Our definition of a successful custom bike build :

• PERFORMANCE - The new bike must perform at the highest levels possible, for the available budget.

• QUALITY - is of upmost importance, and cannot be stressed enough. The components and framesets going into the custom build must be durable, lightweight, and last through the length of their warranty lifespan. If a warranty claim is required, we only work with reputable brands that are well known for their customer and product support. We drop brands that fight all valid warranty claims, or refuse to honour legitimate frame warranty issues. By default, every RideFATbikes.ca custom build is designed for 4-season use and rated ATSM CAT 3/4/5 (Trail/AM/DH). We do not cut corners and only build to ASTM CAT 2 levels, which is only rated for sand, snow, and non-suspension use. Why? Because parts tend to break at CAT2, and no one wants to deal with avoidable warranty claims or parts replacements, with all the shortages and wait times that the cycling industry has been dealing with recently. Build it right the first time!

• BIKE FITMENT - If a bike does not fit well, then the owner will seldom ride it. Each and every custom bike that we build, evolves out of our analysis of selecting the most appropriate frame, and then selecting each and every part that creates a “best-fit” scenario for the rider. Sometimes this may involve stock manufactured parts (in particular sizes or component levels), and sometimes it may mean we need to get parts custom built or fabricated for the new owner.

• LONG-TERM OWNERSHIP - A successful custom bike build is one where the owner keeps their bike long-term, and is very happy with the way the bike performs, and how well it fits the rider.

Benefits of RideFATbikes.ca building your next bike :

• We test all the bike components that we sell and include our custom builds. This includes (but is not limited to) framesets, suspension, tires, wheelsets, saddles, dropper posts, brakesets, drivetrains, and carbon components (including rims, handlebars, seatposts, cranksets). After testing all the gear we then stock the most durable, highest quality, and best-performing components and framesets available.

• We are rider owned and operated. Every member of the RideFATbikes.ca team is an avid cyclist, and passionate about the sport of cycling. We ride year-round and will build your bike according to your design goals, whether it might be a versatile 4-season adventure bike or a winter-specific race-spec 21 lb Fat bike.

Our leadership team’s background experience includes :

• Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

• Project Management / Supply Chain Logistics

• Health Sciences / Physiotherapy

This diverse knowledge offers many benefits during the custom build process including :

• Understanding the Strength of Materials, and manufacturing processes unique to carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum fabrication. This allows a solid understanding of which components to select in any particular bike build. (We can look past the advertising and understand which products may perform better than others - based on their manufacturing techniques, quality control tolerances, and ASTM CAT strength rating)

• Streamlining the sourcing of all build components (which may require ordering from up to 14 different manufacturers for every bike build), and organizing the importation and transportation logistics of all sourced parts.

• Obtaining proper rider fitment and optimizing that design goal through the selection of specific build components.

How To Place a Custom Build Order :

1. Order Request Form :

   • We begin the build process by having our customers fill out an Order Request form, found on our CONTACT page.

2. Budget Assessment :

   • One of the RideFATbikes.ca staff will promptly contact you directly within 1-2 business days, to discuss budget, general availability of frames and components, and potential manufacturing or logistics delays. If all parties agree to move forward, the next step is to schedule a custom build meeting.

3. Custom Build Meeting :

   • Mandatory step in the custom build process :

     • The Fat Bike Consultation Service must first be purchased from our Online Store, in order for our team to move forward and start the dedicated design/fitment/order/build process.

   • The consultation fee is refundable with every bike order purchased. The custom build meeting will either be in-person and onsite in Burlington, or scheduled remotely via video conference, or by phone, and may last several hours.

4. Component and Price Verification :

   • Once the Custom Build process has started, every client will receive a detailed and thorough build order containing all parts and components to be included in the new bike build project. The customer can then request changes be made, and/or agree to the custom build sheet.

5. Payment :

   • Once payment for the custom bike has been received, the build begins.

6. Bike Fitment :

   • During the custom build process, we perform a bike fitment assessment, and will work with our clients to fine-tune their new bikes to best-fit parameters.

   • We will order all parts with these geometry calculations in mind, and customize the components to maximize the performance and fitment requirements of each order.

   • Note : RideFATbikes.ca has a proprietary internal geometry database, which aids our company in bike fitment for our customers. This database contains the full geometry stats for over 650 frames, and has been collecting data on Fat Bike frame geometries since 2015 from all the leading Fat Bike manufacturers.

7. Bike Delivery :

   • Once the custom bike has been built, RideFATbikes.ca will schedule a delivery time with our clients.

   • GTA customers can pick up their bikes in person.

   • Customers located across Canada will have their bikes shipped overnight via CargoJet, in a top-quality EVOC Bike Pro XL travel case, to any major airport located in Canada. This includes all Provinces and Territories - destination airport details can be found at this <Link>.

8. Final Bike Fitment and Tuning :

   • Customers local to the GTA area can schedule a test ride with one of the RideFATbikes.ca staff on the day they pick up their new bike. We will assist in the fine-tuning of your drivetrain, and Saddle/Stem/Bar setup - to “best-fit” and “best-performance” parameters.

9. Post-Sales Support :

   • RideFATbikes.ca is always available to assist our clients after they have purchased their new custom build, whether it is a Fat, MTB, Gravel/CX, or Road bike.

   • We provide direct phone and email support for clients located throughout Canada.

   • RideFATbikes.ca can schedule a conference call with new customers, to go over everything about their new bike, once it arrives at its destination. Minimal reassembly will be needed (such as install wheels, pedals, reconnect handlebar, inflate front/rear suspension to desired setting, inflate tires to desired setting (wheelset/tires will already be converted to tubeless and sealant already added). You will be ready for adventure in under 30 minutes!

10. Warranty Support :

    • In the event a warranty claim is needed, RideFATbikes.ca will work with the customer to facilitate communication with the manufacturer, who has final say in approving (or denying) the claim request.