The Bikes
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The unique look, deep level of customization, and amazing ride is what makes an Appleman an Appleman. I take great pride in crafting frames for you as an individual. To me, custom isn't just choosing between two stock tubes and adding 5mm of head tube length. A custom bike is a complete analysis of how you ride your bike and how it reacts to you. Through ply by ply customization of each tube, fit expertise, and complete component selection, I make sure every parameter of your bike is optimized for you.
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Each type of frame I build has the same DNA (Design, No-nonsense, Aesthetic). From a fat bike to a classic road bike, every Appleman shares the same core design features found on this page.
.: Model Specifications :.
.: Appleman Design Features :.
.: custom geometry :.
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Custom geometry is included with every Appleman because everyone can benefit from a more comfortable, efficient position.
.: smooth, strong carbon fiber joints :.
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All joints are meticulously carbon wrapped with proprietary tube-to-tube layups for incredible strength and durability. No joint is solely bonded.
.: no-nonsense internal routing :.
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Many cringe when working with internal cables. With an Appleman, internal cable routing is easy. The no-nonsense design integrates fully guided routing into the frame with no tools, straws, or floss required to work on your bike. Aside from practicality, internal cable routing is visually tidy and easy to clean around.
.: carbon fiber dropouts, flat mount disc
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Appleman was the first small, custom builder to offer full carbon fiber dropouts standard on all frames. These carbon dropouts are bonded *and* carbon wrapped for the lightest, strongest, and most durable design. All dropouts have replaceable derailleur hangers for when getting rad doesn't end as planned.
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Every Appleman is built by me, Matt Appleman, right here in the USA. All of the tubing is made in America as well.
.: customer unique tubesets :.
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Custom tubes for you are at the heart of Appleman ride quality. Taking into account your height, weight, and power, each tube is designed to provide a splendid ride. Never noodly, never too stiff. By manipulating the tensile, compression, shear, and torsional stiffness' (to name a few) each tube provides optimum stiffness for you. Further customization is accomplished through diameter, modulus, and layup of the carbon.
.: oval tubing :.
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There are a lot of ugly tube shapes out there and many don't provide a balanced level of stiffness and comfort. Each Appleman top and down tube is slightly ovalized and tapered resulting in not only a classic-modern aesthetic, but the amazing balance of stiffness and comfort that Appleman is known for.
.: incomparable logos :.
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Even our logos are engineered! Resin logos are standard and come in any color, matte or gloss. Titanium, wood, carbon fiber, and other materials are available for an upcharge.
.: large, smooth fillets :.
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Large fillets and tapered carbon layup maximize strength and minimize stress risers. Appleman tacks the tubing with micro-fillets and then adds strength with macro-fillets prior to the carbon fiber lamination. Many builders bypass the macro-fillet process, but I take no shortcuts when building a frame.
.: Model Specifications :.
.: Tech Talk :.
What kind of carbon fiber do you use?
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Unidirectional (UD) carbon fiber is used. This means that all fibers in one layer run in the same direction. Each tube has unique stresses that require a unique layup. UD carbon is twice as strong and twice as stiff as a woven carbon.
What modulus carbon fiber do you use?
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Modulus is often marketed to help a brand differentiate themselves from another. At the end of the day, modulus doesn’t build a better bike. Much more important than modulus of the fiber, is how it is used. The angle of the fiber and tube diameter play a much larger role than modulus. High Mod fibers are brittle. Appleman frames are built of high strength, high toughness carbon fibers. Tubing diameter and layup is used to modify stiffness.
Are your frames built using Tube-to-Tube or Bladder Molding?
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Frames are built using tube-to-tube construction. Tube-to-tube is the ultimate technique for building custom frames. This technique allows for maximum flexibility in designing geometry and stiffness of a frame. Bladder molding is great for high volume manufacturing but severely lacks the customizations required for a true custom frame. Custom-bladder molded frames are molded in parts and then bonded together. The only thing holding them together is an unreinforced epoxy bond and doesn't have a carbon wrap over top.
How do you customize a frame?
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1-Custom Geometry: custom geometry puts the rider in a comfortable, powerful, efficient position on the bike.
2-Custom Tubing Stiffness: Appleman frames ride amazing and feel good with every pedal stroke because the tubing stiffness matches the rider's style. Every tube on an Appleman is custom designed. I take into account the riders weight, desired ride characteristics, and tube length to develop a tube set designed to match the rider. Are you 120 pounds? 250 pounds? No problem, I can build a deliciously riding bike for any rider.
3-Component Selection: when a bike is as highly customized as an Appleman, nuances in components make a difference. I holistically design your bike as a whole and make components suggestions for a better bike.
Do you make your own tubes?
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I leave the actual fabrication of the tubing to expert tube makers. However, I design each tube myself (diameter, # of layers, material, layup, angle of fibers, etc...), This allows me to focus on design and fabrication of frames instead of spending time building the tubing. All frames, tubing and materials are made in the USA. In fact nearly all of the tubing is made in Minnesota!
What bottom bracket standard do you use?
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All Appleman frames are built with Press fit 30 (PF30) bottom bracket shells. My BB shells are made of carbon fiber that provide a stiff platform with no metal inserts that loosen or creak. PF30 shells are the most versatile shell available fitting nearly every crank available. T47 is also available for those who want a thread fit, but it does add a bit of weight.
What head tube standard do you use?
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All Appleman frames are built with 44mm head tubes. This versatile size allows for straight or tapered forks. One simply needs to switch out the head set to change to a different sized fork. The head tubes are also 100% carbon fiber composite. The headset cups press in to the head tube instead of integrated cups. Having a separate cup means your bearing won't damage the frame and headset replacement is a breeze.
