Joe Lindsey
What You Get
This frame is a superlight marriage of buttery-smooth titanium and stiff carbon-fiber tubes tailored and built to your precise height and weight. Watertown, Massachusetts-based Seven can tune the ride characteristics as well, manipulating tubes and angles-stiffer for high-octane racing or more supple for long hauls down country lanes.
The Process
Seven’s 12-page workbook asks for 11 body measurements, covering everything from inseam to shoulder width. It also asks for a detailed record of your current riding position and any associated ills, descriptions of your cycling style, and the kind of terrain you roll through. Seven ships you the frame, and you have your local bike shop build the bike up, using the parts of your choice. This 16-pounder came with Tour de France-tested Shimano Dura-Ace components and Mavic Ksyrium wheels.
The Payoff
The Elium may be the most comfortable high-performance bike on the planet. Everything-the handlebar drops, the brake hoods, even the reach to the water-bottle cages-feels like an extension of my body; there’s never a sense of strain or overextension. I’ve put almost 4,000 miles on this bike, and my finicky lower back has barely noticed a single one.
Learn more about the Elium SG.