Today seems like another great day for a custom steel builder write up. Doug Curtis of Curtlo Cycles has been custom fabricating his amazing frames for over 20 years. His reputation for having one of the best riding steel frames on the market has been earned through years of perfecting is craft. Each frame is hand made exactly to each customers needs.
From Curtlo.com:
From traditional steel mountain hardtails, to single speed, road, cyclo-cross, 29″, and whatever else you desire – we can build it! Our strength is the ability to build a frame exactly the way you want it. Disc tabs, full suspension, tandems, braze-ons, touring bikes, foldable bikes, you name it.
Each year we refine and tweak every element of our frames, from something as seemingly unimportant as drop-outs, to incorporating the newest brand of tubing. Most long-time riders who have ridden hand-made, custom steel frames know the truth. There is something that gets transferred from the builder, through the torch, right into each frame built. While it is probably easier to walk into your local shop and buy a “big brand name” bike off the showroom floor, what you are missing can mean the difference between pure enjoyment, and just a decent ride.
At Curtlo cycles, how a bike FEELS is everything, and the best way to get the ultimate feel is to have a bike that fits properly. Each frame we build is custom fit to the rider, plain and simple. And, you will be surprised when you see how much a custom hand made Curtlo frame costs compared to a bike that was probably made by a machine. When you figure in the unbelievable deal on a full bike parts kit, your total bike price can be actually CHEAPER than the alternative. Check out our site, and contact us to talk about how we can get you on your dream bike. You won’t get a sales person sitting in some fancy office, you will most likely get Doug Curtiss, the man with the torch.
You might have seen one of his creations on this site in previous readings. The “I Miss My Singlespeed” post featured a 26″ Curtlo 24hr SS with a Bushnell EBB that I rode for about a year. So far, it is the best 26″ hardtail that I have ever ridden. On my top five rides of all time list, one of them is a 30+ mile ride that Mudpie and I did at Tsali when I was on this bike. It was extremely responsive but also comfortable for the all day epics. At one point, I had it setup fully rigid at about 21 lbs. With the Reba up front, it weighed in at about 23 lbs.
Doug also has many custom options to choose from that you can find on his site. If you are looking for a full suspension steel frame, Doug builds his front triangles against Ventana’s laterally stiff rear ends.
The pictured below is my old 24hr SS. For more pictures of Doug’s custom creations, visit his gallery on Curtlo.com.
