Custom Bicycles — Ahearne Cycles

Ahearne Cycles

Pricing and Options

As of spring 2025 I am accepting new frame orders. The current lead time is about 12 months.


Please send an email and let me know what kind of bike you have in mind, and I will answer any questions you have and fill you in on the timeline and other details.

All prices are based on material costs and labor involved. The array of options for your new bike is wide — contact me with questions.

None of the prices listed here are set in stone, but you can get a good idea of what is involved for a frame, fork, and racks. Once I know what direction we are heading I can give you a better idea about what it will cost. Here below (in no particular order of importance) are a few of the options

Light-weight and stainless steel tubing is available.

Pinion compatible frames are available for those who want a low-maintenance bicycle.

Paint or powder coat is separate, usually starting at about $500 and going from there.

Frame couplers are available. Z-couplers by Santana Cycles; couplers by S & S Machine; breakaway frames (a la “Ritchey” style) are available for those who want a frame that packs down for travel. Travel cases also available. Retrofitting your old bike with couplers is an option as well. Costs vary depending on the project and the style of coupler.

If you want the ultimate travel bike, check out the Page Street “Viajero.”

You can receive your new bike as a frame set only, a partial build (usually racks, fenders, and wired lighting system), or complete bikes with all parts. My preference is for the full assembly, because I know everything is going to be put together and from the beginning will function the way it was intended, and the way it should.

For complete assemblies the costs vary widely depending on component choices, but for a complete parts package it’s common to spend anywhere from $3000 - 6000 for everything, including wheels, drive train, lights, handlebar & saddle, brakes, etc. The cost depends on the style of bike, quality of the parts, and country of origin. My history with cycling is in commuting and touring, so I generally go for parts that are made to work well and last a long time. I love light weight parts, but often the best are NOT the lightest, nor the most expensive parts. Whenever possible and appropriate I choose components made in the USA — parts made here are great quality, and usually from smaller, family-owned businesses that fully back their products. These are people who love cycling as much as you and I do, they are smart people, they know bikes. They are cyclists making parts for cyclists.

If you don’t know what parts to choose, don’t worry. We’ll go over the options based on who you are and what you want to do with the bike. We’ll work together to decide what will best suit your needs, based on function, longevity, and cost. 

Fillet Brazed Frames
$3750

Base price. Steel tubing, options available.
Fork and paint not included.

Lugged Frames
$4050

Base price. Steel tubing, options available. 
Fork and paint not included.


Custom Racks: Starting at about $500 (price varies based on intricacy, time and materials)

 

Custom Forks
$650 & up

 

Frame Finish

The cost of each frame finish is unique, and is determined bike by bike. We’ll get into more detail about the cost to finish your bicycle as we know more about what you’d like. Liquid paint and powder coating options are both available, depending on what your color preferences are.

We are big proponents of powder coating bicycles for several reasons. Mainly, because it’s more durable than liquid paint, and it’s environmentally sound -- there are no toxic fumes involved, and there’s no waste to dispose of; whatever doesn’t attach itself to the bicycle frame can be swept up.

The main thing in favor of a liquid paint job is that it looks wet even when dry, it can be applied very thin, and the color options are nearly infinite. We live in Portland, Oregon where the rain is prevalent enough to keep our bikes looking wet most of the year, even with a powder finish. Thin paint can be less durable, unless you get into the more toxic automotive paints. And besides, choosing between an infinite color selection with liquid paint, and the environmentally friendly powder coat, we choose to be responsible. These are, after all, bicycles.

For more detailed information about powder coating, including the process and the pros vs. cons, please check out the Wikipedia entry on Powder Coating.

Components Groups

We offer partial and complete build kits for bicycles. Pricing and quality varies widely. If you’re not sure what parts will work best for you, we’d be happy to help. If you have any questions feel free to contact us.

Process

When you're ready to move forward and get on the list for a custom bicycle, we'll have a conversation about what, generally, you'd like. We will discuss the time line, the target date of completion, and a rough estimate of costs. We'll take a deposit of $750 to make it official. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. Once you're on the list, all you have to do is wait. You'll get an e-mail, usually within about three months of the finish date, and we'll start dialing in specifics for fit, frame design, components and color. If you're near Portland at the time of the build, you are more than welcome to stop by the shop to see the progress. When the frame is built, powder coated and assembled with parts, you'll receive the final bill. Full payment is required before the bike leaves the shop. If we're shipping the bike to you, we'll discuss the best options for this. For international orders, there's always the possibility for personal delivery of your bike.  

Frame Options

If you have any questions or ideas, let’s discuss them.