by Paul Clarke
Most casual bicyclists don’t spend much time thinking about the shape of the tube on their bike frame, or the type of metal used in its construction. But then, most casual riders aren’t like Mary McConneloug, a professional off-road cyclist and member of the 2002 national U.S. cycling team. For competitive riders such as McConneloug, the frame is of paramount importance, playing a vital role in the bike’s speed, control and overall performance.
When this level of quality is needed, many riders turn to Seven Cycles (617-923-7774; www.sevencycles.com), a Watertown, Massachusetts-based company that is among the largest custom bicycle-frame manufacturers in the world. Seven Cycles, which sponsors McConneloug in her competitions, has achieved this level of success by pursuing a single goal: to create the best possible bike frame for each of its customers.
To accomplish this goal, the company pays close attention to the rider’s needs when crafting a custom frame. Customers provide answers to more than 100 questions about their body measurements, riding styles and preferences, and Seven Cycles supplements these details with information gleaned from interviews.
With this data in hand, a frame is designed and built in the company’s 12,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, where machinists and welders select and custom fit titanium tubes (or steel tubes, for about 20 percent of the frames) to meet the precise specifications for each rider. Each team of machinists, welder~ and finishers works exclusively on one frame from start to finish before moving on to the next.
Seven Cycles’ frames start at around $1,500 and range up to $6,000. To build a complete bike, additional parts—such as the seat and handlebars—must be purchased independently, from other dealers. The typical cost of a bike using a Seven Cycles frame is between $2,800 and $7,400.
The frames have inspired plaudit from avid cyclists, and the company has grown rapidly. Founded in 1997 by renowned bicycle designer Rob Vandermark, Seven Cycles now employs 32 people, and markets its bikes through more than 180 authorized dealers in the United States and 14 distributors worldwide. Seven Cycles has built 8,000 frames to date, and has posted profits every year since its second year of operation.
Not surprisingly; the company has won wide acclaim for its bikes. In 2001, Outside magazine named Seven Cycles’ Odonata model the best road bike in the world, and in 1999 Mountain Bike magazine announced it had found the perfect bike at Seven Cycles.
The Company currently manufactures 22 models of frames, ranging from the Axiom, a steel road-bike frame priced at $1,495, to the Sola 007 Tandem, a titanium mountain-bike frame priced at $6,000. The price is not modest, but as many passionate cyclist can attest, the perfect ride is worth every penny.