small bike companies

If you're looking for a custom frame, you might consider a Bowen:
Bowen Bicycles

Also...you may want to look into Soma framests.

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I noticed Republic Bikes got mentioned here but with no responses. I see quite a bit of hate for this company in other venues, but I was wondering what the thoughts were here on CF about Republic.

The list that I know that are good ones in the United States and they are Zen Bicycle Fabrication and Sapa Extrusions Inc. in Portland. Co-Motion Cycles can be located in Eugene. The company does not matter and it is the quality and price that attract buyers. Have to check this out, the prices?www.howtowindows.com

I purchased a single speed from state bicycle and so far I love it, I'd consider giving them a look. Fast shipping and great customer service made them great to purchase from too.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by jerrytown

When I started shopping for a single speed/fixed gear bike I began with the usual suspects (Trek, Bianchi, Schwinn, etc.). Then I stumbled across Wabi and other small companies with some very interesting bikes. Below are the companies I've found so far. Are there companies? Opinions on small vs. big companies? Mail order vs. LBS?

Wabi (Wabi Cycles)
Swobo (Swobo)
Mission (Mission Bicycle Company)
Osobike (OSOBIKE.com)
Republic (Republic Bike)

Pretending for a moment that this isn't an old thread (because the issue is recurrent) ...

How much did you actually want to spend?

There are several "small" bike companies ... and, the price range is pretty extreme ...

I have an EighthInch "Scrambler" (steel) frame which I got a few years ago (the MSRP at the time was only $139 & included a porky steel fork + headset + seatpost + seatpost clamp! The current price is higher.) ...

I opted to use my own components & I built my EighthInch frame with a Campagnolo seat post, Chorus crank/BB, & brake calipers ... Miche rear hub, Hügi 240 front hub, Tektro brake levers, etc. ...

The final build was around 17 lbs. ...

Even with the "better" (?) components, THAT isn't a particularly light weight bike & a "real" Track bike would have weighed less 40+ years ago; but, a "real" Track bike's frame would not be as robust.

I suspect that if built with the supplied components, the EighthInch bike's weight might exceed 20 lbs.

I classify my EighthInch bike as a faux-Track bike because of its geometry, but it also has water bottle bosses & some dubious rear brake cable braze-ons on the underside of the top tube (if you look at the underside of the top tube, you can see that the rear brake cable's housing is simply lashed in place with zip ties where the braze-ons are located AND in the "middle"😉 ...

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If you want to build up a utilitarian Single Speed bike then the EighthInch frameset may be a good place to start.

BTW. Unless you live in Wisconsin, the EighthInch framset is a mail order purchase (free shipping). As with ALL bikes, the frame's size is (can be) critical ... so, THAT is the disadvantage of mail order.