Chapter2 captures the enchantment of custom builds

Ben Williams calls Prosper, Texas, home. But he had travelled extensively to ride and race bikes worldwide. 

As the owner of Swiftfoot Cycles, Ben is an obsessive bike enthusiast who thought he had seen it all – until his first Chapter2 encounter.

One of Ben’s global ride adventures was the Tour of Southland, where he saw that first Chapter2. “The race leader and yellow jersey wearer was riding aboard a beautiful new bike. Unfamiliar to me. It was a C2.”

As a store owner, Ben is taken into confidence by customers, as they consider that dream bike. He is also acutely aware of how riders evolve to a point on their cycling journey, where that custom build becomes inevitable. And Chapter2 frames have helped him create a ledger of dream bikes for riders.

“Considering the long list of clientele I work with weekly and daily, the cachet of a frame-only bike company is a big deal. There is a powerful story to tell behind every bike we build – and C2 creates a great foundation for those custom projects that go through my shop.”

For Ben, the Maori heritage in frame names and graphic design creates a deeper value offering when creating those custom builds. “C2 pays homage to New Zealand’s Maori culture. I love the subtlety behind the Maori frame names and the respect paid to New Zealand’s rich heritage.”

With the recent introduction of Chapter2's TOA and KOKO, Ben is excited by brand's ability to incorporate the latest aerodynamic trends and integration. “C2’s pursuit of optimizing the performance within each category of bike we find ourselves with some fantastic options.”

Customized sustainability  

As the cycling industry deals with the issue of scaling, conformity and climate change, there are custom solutions. For many riders, the idea of a frame only purchase seems fanciful. An indulgence.

But in fact, it could be a more sustainable way for you to remain deeply engaged with riding. In a world of artificial product cycle schedules, the frame and build option makes more sense.

Most large cycling brands are beholden to offering complete bikes, hoping to capture component revenues as part of their profit opportunity. But Chapter2 focuses on the frame. And the individual. When people ask you what you ride, the answer is always a frame name – not a groupset.

Handbuilt wheels have a unique quality to them. So does the trust in a proven groupset. Instead of bidding them farewell when selling your existing bike, why not take those components with you to fund an upgrade?

It's all about the upcycle

Chapter2's frames offer riders control over their bike destiny. Whether it is a new custom build or the migration of favourite parts, from a donor bike.

It is a model the brand's North American representative understands. In his teens, Brett Lindstrom's journey with bikes started as a necessity – after discovering the incidental cost of car ownership.

"I started riding road bikes (BMX style neighbourhood cruising) in 1988. Then I started driving and had achieved a traffic ticket and a bent fender within the first month. The option was to keep driving and pay for expensive insurance or stop, until I was 18. I rode my bicycle everywhere."

For Brett, commuting evolved to competition. "My high school principal invited me to the local cycling club ride. I received my first cycling kit and thought I was Pro. I started racing at the SIR (Seattle International Raceway). I would continue racing somewhat competitively until 2017, now I race myself only."

The time has arrived for more frame-only choices

"What I like most about C2 is how Michael is offering new colours every couple of months, producing limited quantities and selling through instead of closing out at the end of the year. This model seems much more sustainable and amenable to the North American market."

"But C2 is building a bike brand, not unlike a high-end fashion brand. They are not afraid to use certain colours and designs that most conservative bike brands wouldn't touch."

For Brett, the Chapter2 concept resonated during his time in Japan. "I interviewed with Michael and Neil (Chapter2's founders) in Tokyo, during my first time to Japan. The country left an imprint on me, regarding the style and consumerism that has been successful for Chapter2."

"Japanese riders invest a certain amount of pride and inclusiveness in their bikes. I find the same type of customers can be found here in the US. Chapter2 is not a Me Too brand."

Bold colourways, daring graphic design and a Maori brand influence are all elements that distinguish the Chapter2 frame offering. But for Brett, there is something fundamental about the business. That transcends its fashionability. And it is something the entire cycling industry is struggling to navigate with truth: sustainability.

"Offering frame only to customers creates opportunities for both the customer and shop (builder) to make a bike the way they want it, either affordably or a dream bike using only the best components. Nothing says recycle, like reusing parts."

In a world where component lead times are still measured in years, instead of months, Chapter2 promises an attainable new bike experience – without the expectation drag of component delays.

"It’s great seeing customers who have an idea of wanting to retain their current components and wheels, and having us evolve those cycling assets, into a whole new bike, with the Chapter2 frame options.”

Making that unique bike happen

For Brett, great satisfaction sources from helping customers achieve those dream builds. And each Chapter2 purchase becomes a dream build – because it is custom. An individual tailoring of components, existing or new, unlike another.

And the frames are fundamentally good too, there is no anchoring a dream build with an average frame.

“I like the colours and designs of the bikes, at the end of the day, it's all about the ride. The Tere was the first one I rode, and for a good amount of miles.”

Chapter2’s versatile frameset is Brett’s go to ride. “I tell people the Tere is the Swiss Army Knife of bikes it does everything and everything well.”

For most riders, an application-specific frame isn’t the ideal choice, unless you are a retired road pro.

“I have traditionally loved climbing long hills and felt that I needed a specific bike for that discipline; however, I have found that with C2, a bike needs to be able to do everything well enough that I feel confident in all terrain and in the end, I become a better cyclist.”

From reading geometry charts to reality

Another rider who has come into the Chaper2 fold is Garnett "Crit Whit" Whitmire III. His riding journey started in late 2009, paging through a bicycle magazine, while on deployment with the US Navy.

To many new riders, geometry charts can be intimidating, but Garnett was immediately taken by the technical side of frame design. “As one that desired to be an architect, I lived the geometry and design of every bike upon each page.”

Individualism and self-expression are core cycling values to Garnett, and he found the fulfilment of those values, in Chapter2’s TERE. “The bike looked good, the story behind Chapter2 was impressive and the brand’s rarity appealed to me. I enjoy being different and the TERE offered me this opportunity as my first carbon-fibre bike.”

A good time of great bikes

Among the Southern Californian cycling community, Garnett is known as The Good Steward of cycling, or by his ‘Crit Whit’ social media moniker.

“It’s nice, and full of new experiences being one of a few riders of colour being seen with majority Philippino and Hispanics - they’re totally welcoming and knowledgeable riders, which makes for a wonderful time on two wheels.”

As a progressive rider and agent of transformation in cycling, Garnett values the customisation that is core to Chapter2’s frame-only product portfolio. “I fully enjoy the bike company allowing me to custom build my bike. The option for the migration is freeing for each client if they have spare parts to reuse.”