Cycling dreams come true: Emma's Custom Big Bro build with Velo Domestique
We spoke to Emma, a cycling inspiration, always focused on the fun and adventure of cycling, and constantly planning her next escapade with her son Marlon. For Emma, cycling is not just a mode of transportation; it's a way of life filled with excitement and exploration.
Among her cycling endeavours, Emma embarked on a journey with Velo Domestique to build her dream bike—a custom Brother Cycles Big Bro. Through this process, she found not just a means of transportation but a companion for her life-long adventures.
Dan, the founder of Velo Domestique, emphasises the unique satisfaction that comes with crafting a custom bike tailored to a rider's desires. For him and his team, it's not just about assembling a bicycle; it's about understanding the rider's needs and witnessing the bike come to life as it's used for its intended purposes.
"In our perspective, seeing someone ride away on a custom bike of their dreams brings a different level of satisfaction. It's not just another bike; it becomes an extension of the rider's personality and aspirations. Mike, our head mechanic, particularly enjoys the adaptability of custom builds. Knowing he can easily tweak the bike to suit different riding styles or adventures adds to the joy of the process. Mike loves to know how the bike is being used, it gives it purpose and makes it more than just a collection of parts."
For those unfamiliar with the concept of custom bikes, the process involves tailoring every aspect of the bicycle to the rider's preferences and needs. Unlike off-the-shelf models, custom bikes offer a personalised experience, ensuring that the bike is not only a joy to ride but also aligns to the rider's way of life.
What inspired you to buy a custom bike?
One of my main reasons was not having a good idea of what bike I could buy off the shelf or online. Velo Domestique has built some beautiful custom builds for our community, so I knew I could turn to them for guidance on having all my needs met and meshed into one bicycle.
I am not a bike expert, so I was worried about getting something off the shelf again or getting something second-hand, which I knew hadn't met my needs or expectations in the past - my past bicycles did not meet my requirements.
What did you want from your new bike?
Many things.
I've always had awful bikes that I've bought cheap from people or just passed on to me. I wanted a bike that I deserved. I wanted a bike that was better than any like I'd ever had, and I wanted a bicycle that would last me forever and could do everything always. I only have a little space to store bikes because I live in a flat, so I can really only have two bikes. So I need to meet all my needs with two bikes, one of them needs to be a cheap bike that I cruise along the beach on, and the other needs to be a reasonably expensive, well specced bike to carry me off on my incredible adventures.
Was there a particular bike or brand we stocked that interested you?
I had been looking at several gravel/rigid mountain bike options, particularly ones with chilled swept-back bars. However, I went to Brother in the Wild in Dorset and was really drawn to Brother Cycles Big Bro, and I was excited at the prospect of being able to build a bike around the frame.
Can you please describe the process of selecting a bike from us?
I knew vaguely what style of gravel bike I wanted, but I didn't have an exact idea of what components I would need and what options there were. Dan and the Velo Domestique team were very helpful in guiding me through selecting parts, often over a coffee but also gave me time to research them myself and ask more questions if needed. I knew I wanted to get this once in a lifetime bike right.
I had never really looked into the details of building a bike before, so the information Velo Domestique provided gave me a chance to research what parts I wanted based on guidelines of what would fit the frame and what components would be best for my use.
I knew getting the right wheels and tyres was really important, but there are so many variations and sizes, so it was great to have their support. Dan let me know at the time that they had a sale on SRAM Eagle groupsets, which would be perfect for my adventures at a great price point. Having durable components like Hope was important to me, and Dan made it really clear when it was worth spending a little more money for considerably more quality.
How would you rate the overall experience?
The experience was great! I made no decisions quickly, and Velo Domestique was incredibly patient. They did not make me feel stupid; they informed me, but they did not tell me or force me to make a decision. I also felt like I could talk to anyone at Velo Domestique about my new bicycle, especially Mike, who I spoke to a lot about bikes.
Mike is Velo Domestique's Head Mechanic, and he is fantastic. He offered to let me watch him build my bike and was so supportive throughout.
I want this bike for the rest of my life but I didn't necessarily know what I am going to use it for in the distant future - I might cycle round the world, and have to change some stuff. Velo reassured me that you've got that flexibility with a custom build. You can take anything from it, and put it back on or off and keep it for something else you might need it for.
Do you know the whole story about Mike telling me he had a dream? He came up to me and asked, "Can I tell you something weird?" I said, "Yeah." He said, "I had a dream that I built you your perfect bike, and I was riding it on a test ride, and I was really happy." That's an amazing technique for selling a bike. But he was genuine. He had never said that to anyone before because he really did have a dream about building a custom bike for me.
Were there any challenges or issues you experienced, and how were they resolved?
The starting challenge we had to overcome was that I didn't know enough about bikes, so I needed Velo's support in making the right choices.
Being able to purchase the bike with a Green Commute Initiative cycle-to-work voucher has not only made the bike cheaper but also allowed me to pay it off over two years. This was massively important for me as I'd never spent this much on a bike before.
The final curveball to overcome was that I decided to participate in the Thighs of Steel cycle to Paris. Some of the parts were arriving with less than three days before I had to leave, but Mike managed to coordinate getting everything built in time. I'm really pleased we took the time to decide on the parts that we did because the gear ratio on my bike meant I didn't have to get off my bike and push it up any hills on the ride to Paris. I love the gearing. It's like sitting on a sofa and spinning your legs around. Not to mention it makes it much easier to tow my kid on his bike, which is really important.
Find out more about the new bikes and custom builds we sell
Where have you taken your new bike on rides so far?
The first ride I took it on was the Thighs of Steel ride to Paris, which was 99.5% on road, I didn't get a puncture the whole way! Before my last minute decision to sneak in the Paris trip, I had already planned a cycle in North Wales so I travelled through Saturday night to make it back to Wales on Sunday. Cycling the Big Bro was amazing in North Wales.
I also managed to finish the South Downs Way (SDW) on this bike, which was incredible. I actually got my first puncture on the SDW, which I had never experienced with a tubeless tyre set-up. I remember looking down and thinking, 'Why am I covered in this white paint?' Then I realised it was the sealant. I used a plug, and it was so easy to seal. I was really grateful because it was pouring with rain.
Since then I've been riding a lot with Marlon (my kid) and the New Forest Off Road Club all over Dorset.
Every bike is different. I've loved all the bikes I've owned for different reasons, like the really old Trek I have in Chile. It's extremely heavy but has taken me all the way along the Austral route. I also have an old Dawes Road bike, which is loads of fun to ride, but the Brother Cycles Big Bro is by far the nicest bike I have to ride.
Do you have any exciting adventures planned on your new bike in the future?
Marlon and I are going to do the Isle of Wight Randonee, and I'm also going to do the Downs Link with Martine and Tom. Last year, we joined them to do the Devon Coast to Coast on our old bikes, which was hard! It will be so much easier to tow Marlon with the Big Bro, and I won't have to have such a heavy set-up with panniers, woop!
There are two other possible cycling trips I have planned; the Trans Snowdonia Way and a route along the Yorkshire Coast, I will decide closer to the time based on where the weather looks best.
And then, one day, I am going to cycle around the world on my custom Brother Cycles Big Bro.
Did the assembly process meet your expectations?
It exceeded my expectations, but I was genuinely worried my slower decision-making meant we wouldn't be able to finish the build in time. Somehow, everything came together, and Mike assembled the whole bike in less than a week. If it wasn't ready, I would've had to cycle to Paris on the Dawes, which would have been challenging as it has suicide lever gears.
What would you say to someone considering building the bike of their dreams?
You won't regret it, and you deserve it. New bicycles built especially for YOU are AMAZING.
Once, I bought a second-hand bike from a dodgy place in Paris; even though the brakes didn't work and I didn't know how to fix it, I was too scared not to buy it. I couldn't afford to repair the brakes, so I just wore out the soles of my shoes and used them to brake.
And the first bikepacking trip I went on was a bike my Dad bought me from Macro when I was 13, I had it for eight years, never serviced it and then decided to cycle the coast to coast on it, North Shields to Whitehaven - it was a struggle.
I've had subpar second-hand bikes my whole life, often rusty and lots wrong with them. Having a bike I love and understand that is personalised to me, and I have made loads of important decisions about my life when I am riding it, is a dream come true.
Conclusion
Building a dream bike isn’t just about choosing parts; it is about understanding the rider’s needs and creating something uniquely theirs.
Emma's story reminds us of the joy and freedom cycling brings. Custom builds are about the memories made and the adventures yet to come.
We’re excited to hear about Emma’s next trips, from cycling the Isle of Wight Randonee to dreaming of global exploration on her custom Big Bro.
Photography by Ben Ramshaw @ben_ramshaw
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