# Wanta Custom Steel



## scrooge (Jan 16, 2005)

Anyone have a Wanta frame or know anything about them?
While I'm at it, what should one look for in a custom builder? I know this topic has been touched on before here, but a little extra info wouldn't hurt. 
Thanks!


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## fredstaple (Jun 2, 2003)

*Talk to them*

Talk with as many as you can on the phone. Get someone you are comfortable with. You are going to paying someone 1.5 to 2K and up to build you a bike. Make sure that you two are in lock sync. If you have a builder that you can visit in person and get fitted by the guy who is actually going to build the bike is a big plus in my book (I didn't have this option and still got the best ride I have ever had). 

Price drives a lot of the decision, can you afford a Sachs, do you want to spend that much. Do you want to go with a guy that has less name recognition and maybe does not charge as much. 

Some guys specialize in certain materials, do you want steel, Ti, carbon or Alum. May want to select someone who specializes in the material you want the frame made of. 

How fancy do you want the bike, very involved lugs (Sachs, Rivendale, Vanilla) or do you want a more pedestrian ride (no lugs). Do you want a fancy paint job? Do they paint in house or send out.

I went with Carl Strong and got one hell of a bike, I love it. I would at least look at his web site and send him an email. I also seriously considered a Waterford. 

Since buying my custom, I have also been impressed with the Vanilla Bikes and there is another custom builder out of Bosman Montana that really makes a nice bike. I have forgotten his name but maybe someone will chime in.


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## DaveT (Feb 12, 2004)

fredstaple said:


> Since buying my custom, I have also been impressed with the Vanilla Bikes and there is another custom builder out of Bosman Montana that really makes a nice bike. I have forgotten his name but maybe someone will chime in.


Dave Kirk www.kirkframeworks.com is the other builder in Bozeman. Before hanging out his own shingle, he worked for 10 years or so at Serotta, where he personally built the 7/11 Team bikes for the Tour d'France.I had him build a custom for me and the end result was spot-on and exactly what I asked for.

Like the other poster said, phone calls are a very good thing. Dave Kirk was the most open and approachable builder that I talked to. And I interviewed a ton.

A good builder will ask many questions. Be honest with them about what you want, what you need, what you expect and what your capabilities are. My opinion, which I practiced with Dave Kirk, is to tell all about me, my wants, my needs, my desires, my expectations and let the builder build. I won't tell them how or what to build it out of, other than the material I want; steel, Ti. Alu or Carbon. My thinking that he knows a hell of a lot more than I regarding such details as angles, etc, I just want the bike to do what I want it to do.


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## 271828 (Jan 22, 2004)

DaveT - I think you''ve asked a similar question at bikefanclub.com a while ago and got a great reply from Dave Kirk. It helped me when I was going through the process of choosing a custom builder, and I think the original poster might find it helpful, too.


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## DaveT (Feb 12, 2004)

271828: Thanks for jogging my memory. The answer Dave responded with is a good example of why I chose him to build my first custom frame.

Aside from being a damn good frame builder, he's a hell of a nice guy and likes to think out of the box. While he has built a lot of traditional lugged steel bikes (like mine) he came up with the curved seat stay innovation he calls "Terraplane", which I had retrofitted a year later on my Kirk, that really does make the rear end work for the rider.

A true testament to the high regard he is held, is, he's built a second Kirk for some of his customers, and some very bikes from customers with unusual requests. He's a rider, thinker and a doer.

You can see pics of some of his customers bikes here: http://www.bikefanclub.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=518&password= including mine.


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## the Inbred (Feb 28, 2004)

i got to meet Sacha (Vanilla) over the summer and hang at his shop for an hour or 2. 

http://www.pbase.com/inbred/image/32910464/original

definitely one of the better experiences i had this summer. i had been a fan of his work for a couple years, but to finally meet him was awesome. such an awesome guy to talk to. so comfortable being there. he knew that i wasn't going to drop the deposit for a frame right then and there, but had no problems letting me in and talking with me and frame building and such. the crazy thing was him saying he recalled my name from another board and a friend of mine who has a couple Vanilla forks. i think i blushed. 

his work is so clean, and classic. he's so easy to talk to. i can't wait till i have the money for a frame of his. 

http://www.pbase.com/inbred/image/32910471/original


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## wayneanneli (Jul 8, 2004)

the Inbred said:


> i got to meet Sacha (Vanilla) over the summer and hang at his shop for an hour or 2.
> 
> http://www.pbase.com/inbred/image/32910464/original
> 
> ...


Hey Inbred,
Cool that you like Vanilla, but I hope you have patience... currently a 13-month waiting period for his bicycles (Yikes!!)  
Cheers, Wayne


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## Indyfan (Mar 30, 2004)

*Communications and patience.*

I'll agree with what many have said; let the builder do what he does best. 

First, find a builder who thinks like you do about the ride of the bike. If they don't post a basic geometry table that they start from, talk to them about it. Don't ask a builder that is really into the current "racing" fit to build a bike for centuries and club rides (there is a big diffference). Stay involved with the design process as much as you can. Try to get them to send/show you a drawing of what they're going to build (for sign off) before the first tube is mitered. 

Once the design is agreed upon, then be VERY patient. We're not talking about a computer controlled welding machine in China turbning out a cookie cutter frame. This will be a small handfull of highly skilled people, or maybe even just one guy. If that's the case be even more patient. Either way, they'll be working to provide you with probably one of the best bikes you'll ever own. He or she may be working a regular job to pay the bills and doing this on the side. Don't be afraid to work with someone that small, frame building is typically not very lucrative. Just like if you ever need surgery, let them do a great job not a quick job. And if you get custom paint, it'll be that much longer. But it'll all be worth it. Don't get discouraged be a long lead time, that just means there are other people out there who agree that this is a bike they will really love to ride too. 

When you get your work of cycling art, make sure it's what was on the design. Once that matches, be happy about what you've done. Don't let someone else make you second guess your decisions for buying or designing it the way you did. There will always be people who will ask why you wanted to go custom, or why you wanted a slack/steep/middle of the road seat tube angle, or a long head tube, or whatever. Let them have their say, then go ride the bike that fits YOU like your favorite riding shorts, and rides exactly the way YOU want it too.

By the way, I'll suggest Independant Fabrications (that the Indy in my screen name), or Waterford, or Steelman. All good steel builders. IF also does TI, and Steelman also does carbon.

I have an IF steel Deluxe (hardtail MTB), and I wouldn't trade it for the suspension design of the month no matter how nice it rides. It fits me perfectly, and feels like I'm riding a softail, but without the flex associated with ANY suspension design.

Bob


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## ashwinearl (Feb 22, 2004)

scrooge said:


> Anyone have a Wanta frame or know anything about them?
> While I'm at it, what should one look for in a custom builder? I know this topic has been touched on before here, but a little extra info wouldn't hurt.
> Thanks!


I have a custom wanta cross frame.

His prices are some of the BEST I came across. for a Zona frame and tange fork he quoted me $450 and for Foco $550. this was more than 2 years ago so prices have gone up I'm sure.

There were some problems with the brake studs which he fixed no charge and with a repaint.

If you are looking for a straightforward frame with custom geometry or other custom specs at an affordable price, I highly suggest him. He used to work for Paramount so has built for many years. The paint quality and build quality isn't up there with Vanilla, Kirk, etc. But you can get custom geom for less than a Gunnar and other steel brands.


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