Frames: Custom, Stock, or Budget?

I have seen a lot of opinions on why one should or shouldn't buy a custom 29"er frame and fork lately. Some of the perceptions and viewpoints are so bizarre that I am prompted to write a few posts this week on the subject. I hope to be able to impart some clarity regarding what makes a custom frame "worth it", why a stock frame may be all right in some cases, and finally, what is going on with all of these "budget" frames and why they might not be what they are cracked up to be.

A little back round here is appropriate, just so you all know where I'm coming from. First of all, I have been mountain biking since 1989, (on a purpose built mountain bike. I've been off roading longer than that) and I have ridden many, many mountain bikes. Some were custom, some were stock production frames of varying qualities. I have been riding 29"ers since 2003 and I have ridden several different 29"ers extensively.

I have had these views on this subject for quite some time, but it was the dust up about the Twin Six Custom Stock on mtbr.com that prompted me to write this up.

The first "myth" I want to tackle is the perception that a great frame can be had for a little bit of money. The notion that you can buy a $250.00- $350.00 foreign made aluminum frame that is "as good as any race frame out there" is just misguided. Several things are at work here. There is the perception that workers get paid zilch, or next to it, in foreign countries to produce these frames. The thinking goes that because of this, the frames can be of a high quality without costing more. This couldn't be farther from the truth. In reality, their economic structure allows them to live quite well. I won't get into an economic based dissertation here, but these frames are just not made by "starving artists".

Then there is the misguided notion that the frames are somehow as good as the higher end frames that are production pieces, or as good as custom made frames. This is simply off the charts wrong! Think about it. If this were the case, then every race team trying to scratch out the most value for every sponsorship dollar would have their teams riding these pedestrian frame sets. Why wouldn't they? The reality is that the tubing spec, the geometry, the lack of weight, and the ride performance just isn't there. There is no comparison between what you can buy on e-bay for a frame set, and what someone like Salsa is doing with production frames and definitely no where near what folks like Siren Bicycles is doing. And this is just the aluminum side of things.

Interestingly, I noted that a certain well known American based bicycle company just recently has had a couple entry level mountain bikes produced in the Far East. That company said there was no way it would have it's higher end tubing spec welded in the Far East because the factories they talked to can't weld such thin walled aluminum tubing. Hmm.....if this company can not get it's high end aluminum frames made overseas, what do you suppose those $250.00-$350.00 aluminum frames are like from overseas? I'm guessing they are no where near as nice, especially in terms of weight, or lack there of. Of course, there are companies that can and do make super high quality frames in the Far East, but they are not cheap either.

Then there is the geometry, the ride quality, alignment, and other "invisible" features of a frame that you don't notice by just looking at a frame. I'll cover these things in tomorrows post.