Does anyone here customize their bike

[peetee]

… and allowance should be made for direct speaking Yorkshiremen too, it’s cultural .

From experience I have found a pure-bred Lancastrian is far better at that job.

I’ll get me t’ hat.

[drossall]

Speaking as a proud Yorkshireman, with a wife from the other side of the Pennines, I can tell you that the reason that both sides claim the crown is years of blunt speaking at each other across the border.

[warey4life]

Here are two I've customised, or should I say rebuilt. The MTB has a frame from an old Pace MTB and the Gravel bike has a frame from a cheapo early 2000s Saracen Rufftrax. I've recently bought a tired old Penine hand built road bike which I plan to strip down, get shot blasted and powder coated and then rebuild.

[gregoryoftours]

Last poster your fork is on back to front - oh wait

[gregoryoftours]

Sorry

[warey4life]

Ha ha, Manitou forks are all backward
These are Manitou Marvel

[Pinhead]

Here are two I've customised, or should I say rebuilt. The MTB has a frame from an old Pace MTB and the Gravel bike has a frame from a cheapo early 2000s Saracen Rufftrax. I've recently bought a tired old Penine hand built road bike which I plan to strip down, get shot blasted and powder coated and then rebuild.

[CJ]

Does anyone NOT?

[Pinhead]

Does anyone NOT?

Yes many just buy a bike and leave it as off the shelf

[rareposter]

Yes many just buy a bike and leave it as off the shelf

Why is there anything wrong with that?!

My most recent road bike purchase, I rode in "as supplied" condition for months - there was no need to upgrade or customise anything. I upgraded the wheels after a while, more because I got an excellent deal on some carbon wheels than because it "needed" them but I've still got the original wheels and could pop them back on and return the bike to factory spec in minutes.

I'd argue that's not really "customisation" anyway, it's simply an upgrade.

To me, customisation implies an aesthetic change such as coloured valve caps or bar tape - little tweaks that make the bike stand out a bit but don't actually alter the performance. Otherwise it's better described as an upgrade; you've changed one or more components for better (stronger / stiffer / lighter / more aero / better fitting) parts.

And some stuff such as fitting racks or mudguards or a bell is none of the above, it's just "fitting racks and mudguards". No-one says they've "upgraded" their bike with mudguards, similarly no-one claims it's a custom bike just because it's got a rack fitted. The equivalent of fitting a towbar to a car; that's not an upgrade, it's just a functional accessory.

[cycle tramp]

To me, customisation implies an aesthetic change such as coloured valve caps or bar tape - little tweaks that make the bike stand out a bit but don't actually alter the performance. Otherwise it's better described as an upgrade; you've changed one or more components for better (stronger / stiffer / lighter / more aero / better fitting) parts.

At this stage, I think customisation will mean different things to different people... for me, growing up surrounded by magazine like Hot Rod UK, Back Street Heroes and Chrome & Flames, customisation to me means the creation of a single vision, outside of that the manufacturer has envisaged..

..this weekend my better half dragged me to the local motor show... amongst the usual vintage and classic cars, steam engines and tractors was a 1940's Renault light van... the owner had bought its remains on ebay (whilst drunk apparently) and having got the shell of the van home, proceeded to fit it out with suspension, running gear and engine from a Mazda mx5.... it was a true product of customisation, involving the builders technical skill, as well as his artistic skill...

[cycle tramp]

No-one says they've "upgraded" their bike with mudguards, similarly no-one claims it's a custom bike just because it's got a rack fitted. The equivalent of fitting a towbar to a car; that's not an upgrade, it's just a functional accessory.

..that would have been great in a magazine write up...

"Yeah, so I upped the bhp with a 'blower and straight thru exhaust, chromed the wheels, split and filled the rear wheel rims to fit wider tyres, dropped the front end by 3 inches.. and.. fitted a tow bar...
Man, can't explain how much more useful a hot rod is with a tow bar, you can fit a trailer and take stuff to the tip or maybe even tow a caravan...
. .my next project is definitely going to have a tow bar on it as well...."

[Pinhead]

Yes many just buy a bike and leave it as off the shelf

Why is there anything wrong with that?!

My most recent road bike purchase, I rode in "as supplied" condition for months - there was no need to upgrade or customise anything. I upgraded the wheels after a while, more because I got an excellent deal on some carbon wheels than because it "needed" them but I've still got the original wheels and could pop them back on and return the bike to factory spec in minutes.

I'd argue that's not really "customisation" anyway, it's simply an upgrade.

To me, customisation implies an aesthetic change such as coloured valve caps or bar tape - little tweaks that make the bike stand out a bit but don't actually alter the performance. Otherwise it's better described as an upgrade; you've changed one or more components for better (stronger / stiffer / lighter / more aero / better fitting) parts.

And some stuff such as fitting racks or mudguards or a bell is none of the above, it's just "fitting racks and mudguards". No-one says they've "upgraded" their bike with mudguards, similarly no-one claims it's a custom bike just because it's got a rack fitted. The equivalent of fitting a towbar to a car; that's not an upgrade, it's just a functional accessory.

Did I say (where did say it) that there was anything wrong with that I was sim ply answering a poster here !

[Pinhead]

Yes many just buy a bike and leave it as off the shelf

W

To me, customisation implies an aesthetic change such as coloured valve caps or bar tape - little tweaks that make the bike stand out a bit but don't actually alter the performance. Otherwise it's better described as an upgrade; you've changed one or more components for better (stronger / stiffer / lighter / more aero / better fitting) parts.

I didn't ask about upgrades I said Customisation

People customise cars without upgrading so they look better to them

Why do some people always have to turn a simple question/post into an argument, boredom, I suppose.

[rareposter]

I didn't ask about upgrades I said Customisation

People customise cars without upgrading so they look better to them

Why do some people always have to turn a simple question/post into an argument, boredom, I suppose.

Not bored at all, was just trying to clarify what was already a very broad topic and has, over the previous 7 pages, included (depending on your exact definition of the words) upgrades and customisation. As well as a fair degree of confusion over why you were taking pictures of your bikes with the forks the wrong way around...