There is no doubt that technical aspects such as suspension performance, weight and durability determine the utility value of a mountain bike. However, more and more bikers are not only focussing on function, but also on fascination, individuality and style. The big BIKE tuning special shows that passion and utility don't have to stand in the way of each other.
The market offers bikers ample opportunity to combine high-quality technology with individuality: Components and parts are available in a plethora of colours and shapes, online configurators provide individual specifications and frame designs, and cult welders supply customised frames. We have summarised the most important ways of turning a bike into a stylish one-off. No specific instructions, just a little inspiration. After all, individuality begins where consensus ends.
Configuration - your dream bike ex works without any wrenching skills
What do you do if you dream of a unique, one-off piece but lack the craftsmanship? Answer: Extraordinary items are also available ex works - as a modular system.
The desire for customised builds is attracting more and more affluent customers. The complete bike manufacturers do not want to leave this entirely to the end consumer, parts manufacturers and dealers, but want to get a slice of the cake themselves. This is demonstrated by the increasing number of manufacturers who, despite complex logistics, offer bikes on a modular basis. Sometimes these are purely functional equipment options, sometimes just visual ones. Some manufacturers also offer the whole bundle of possibilities: from the choice of components and add-on parts, to individual colour schemes, to personal, unique designs.
BIKE took a look around the market and scrutinised the individual providers and their configuration philosophies. The result: individuality comes in many guises - including in terms of cost. It can, but does not have to be expensive.
Customised frames - living individualism in steel, titanium, aluminium and carbon
Nicolai, Wiesmann, Moots ... names like these make the hearts of bike enthusiasts beat faster. This is where individualism, cult status and first-class craftsmanship meet.
Almost every biker has dreamt of having a customised bike ... and many have quickly buried the dream. The reason: A customised frame from one of the well-known forges can quickly reach the price of a high-quality complete series bike. But although the benefits of a customised frame are certainly debatable, the cult forges are awakening an intense desire in more and more bikers.
The creations of small but fine mountain bike manufacturers defy trends and fads and are crafted to perfection by their creators - not just to be swapped for a successor after two or three seasons. Customised bikes are a statement against the fleeting transience of many mass-produced bikes, which are defined solely by the technical status quo. And that is only of limited duration.
Customised bodywork - custom bike bodywork from the frame to the saddle
A man has to do three things in life, they say. Father a son, plant a tree and - that's right - build a bike. Let us inspire you.
Milling down the trails on a bike you've built yourself, experiencing how the effort put into assembly and adjustment pays off - there is hardly a better feeling for passionate mechanics. If you assemble your bike yourself, you forge an intimate relationship with your new trail companion long before the first trail kilometres are on the cards.
Building your own bike from the ground up is considered the fine art of tuning, but it also has a few pitfalls in store: above all, you need to familiarise yourself with standards and formats when looking for frames and parts. Headsets, bearings, axles, cranks, drivetrains, wheels - the market offers a wide selection, but also causes a lot of confusion. We provide clarity and also show you heaps of tuning parts to dream about.
Correction: Tune Kill Hill with incorrect price information
Unfortunately, a mistake has crept into the tuning special. The Tune Kill Hill is one of the lightest and perhaps the most expensive brakes in the world. Unfortunately, a complete set (front + rear) costs at least 920 euros. The price of 530.80 euros stated in the special only refers to one set.
You can read the BIKE Tuning Special in XXL format in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK-Shop reorder:
