One of the natural and best outcomes of building bikes the way we do is the relationships we have with our customers. We get to know them, both through the design interview and through ongoing correspondence. We are fortunate to receive a lot of photos and a lot of thank you notes. Most Sevens are on the road more than a decade, so we have occasion to work with our riders on refinishes, upgrades, and general service questions. Many of them come back for more than one bike. We design around their evolving bodies and their evolving interests, and we get to know them in that way, too.
It is not often that a customer calls and their name doesn’t ring a bell with someone here.
Because each Seven is different, certain paint jobs stick in our minds, so that when we see them, months or years later, we remember the person who rides the bike. Often they are friends or family of other Seven riders, and that is another way to make connections.
We can’t say enough how gratifying it is to make bikes for people, instead of for “markets,” to know our riders and see how our bikes fit in their lives. In some ways it’s like working on more than a bike with them. It’s like working on their cycling, and that’s part of what makes what we do so worthwhile.