Ordering a Custom Appleman
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Ordering a frame is a fun and unique experience. Since Appleman Bicycles is a one-man shop you have one point of contact: me. I answer your emails, your phone calls, and also do the design, engineering and fabrication! Whether you have a list of questions, or aren’t sure where to start, contact me and let me know what kind of bike you're looking for.
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Appleman Custom Frame Pricing
.:. Road, CX, or Gravel frame + fork + headset = $6000
.:. Mountain or Fat frame + headset = $6500
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Let's ride through the ordering process below...
.: Bike CAD drawing :.
Questions
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You've got questions. I've got answers! We can chat about lead time, technical details, and big-picture questions to see if Appleman will be a good match for you. I like to get to know you,your riding style, and how you want to use your bike. Once you're thirst for info is quenched, it's on the next step.
The vast majority of Appleman customers are national and international (very few local). I've developed great skill in communicating and designing custom geometry from afar. No matter where in the world you're from or how well you speak English, I'm happy to work with you.
Deposit
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A $1000 deposit is required to officially start the process! The deposit solidifies your build time in the queue and shifts gears into the design process for geometry, tubing layup, and component selection.
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To place a deposit, a check in the mail is preferred, but I also accept PayPal for those in need of instant gratification. You can send payment to the address or email on the contact page.
.: custom tubing :.
Appleman Fit Forms
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The comprehensive fit forms provide me with much of the info I need to design your frame! Very few of my customers are local so the fit forms give me insight into your expectations, frame fit, and riding style.
Fit Form Part 1: Riding Style
Fit Form Part 2: Body Measurements
Fit Form Part 3: Bike Measurements
Fit Form Part 4: Options for your Appleman!
Design
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You've placed your deposit, you've filled out the fit forms, now you can sit back and let me work my magic. I take a great deal of time to optimize your riding position on the bike. Once the fit is in place, I use a swath of engineering calculations, programs, and good ol' experience to design a custom tubeset for you. Last but not least, we'll finalize the components for a complete or partial bike build.
.: mitered :.
Approval
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Uffda! Now that the design phase is complete, I'll send you the Appleman Approval Form. This is a document that contains every piece of information about the frame: frame geometry, CAD drawing, finish notes, components build, and an invoice. You get all of this in advance so there are no surprises when you unpack your bike. Once you approve, I get your tubing made and components ordered! Upon approval, a 50% deposit is required for any components.
Build Process
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Now the hard part: waiting for the build. Once you're at the top of the build queue I'll notify you that the framebuilding process has started. We'll finalize any outstanding payments while I build the frame. I'll take your custom tubing and fabricate it into something special using my unique joining process. Once complete, I photograph the bike, pack it, and ship it out to you!
.: front triangle, Anvil frame fixture, micro fillets :.
