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How is fitting a custom bike different?

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Fitting a custom bike is a personalized process more akin to fitting a road bike, but with the difference that the mountain biker has more say over just how his custom bike is fitted. Customized bikes tend to come with smooth handling features such as a full suspension. But depending on the rider’s purposes and preferences, the bike may be customized in different ways over time. A bike customized and fitted for cross-country riding will look very different from one customized for highly technical trail riding. Also, a custom bike may be a patchwork of parts from many different bike manufacturers. For instance, a custom mountain bike may replace the original stem (handlebars) with one from another company, and further modify it for his purposes. Because fitting a custom bike depends for its outcome on years of experience during which the cyclist develops his own informed opinions, no further general rules exist. The custom bike is the result of a long-term relationship between man and machine, and to some extent expresses the personality of the rider.

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