Custom Bike Builders Show Off Latest Gravel & Titanium Creations

At the annual Enve Builder Round-Up, innovative bike builders unveiled their latest creations. From titanium gravel bikes to stainless steel builds, the focus was on craftsmanship and performance. One standout was a gravel bike featuring a custom seat post design by Brad Bingham.

Bingham Built Gravel Bike

The show also featured a titanium build, hand-fabricated using traditional methods. Another highlight was a stainless steel bike, showcasing new technology. The event included builds designed with practicality in mind.

Brad Bingham‘s gravel bike stood out with its custom features. It included Enve’s Gravel In-Route fork, bar/stem, and a unique Sweetpost. This design reflects a long-standing interest in seat post construction, showcasing the evolution of secure rail attachment.

Brad Bingham and others have collaborated on seat post designs. In 2007, Brad worked on redesigning the Moots seatpost. Later, he redesigned the Sweetpost in 2022, with a carbon rail option to improve holding force.

Sweetpost Details

The Sweetpost features concentric bolts that independently clamp the rails and allow angle adjustment. The seatposts are built to order. The modular tooling allows for quick turnaround times. According to recent data, custom bike sales are up 15% year over year, as consumers increasingly seek personalized cycling experiences.

Bingham Built focuses on all-road and gravel bikes. Many riders find that tires in the 42–45 mm range work best for mixed-surface riding. Brad and John produce around 70 bikes annually, with a lead time of about four months. The tubing is primarily sourced from Alleima (formerly Sandvik) in Washington. They also source chainstay tubing from Japan.

The headset bearing cups are machined by Paragon Machine Works from 6Al-4V titanium. This material is stronger than the more common 3Al-2.5V. Bingham machines the center tube and uses a rotary welding setup for the head tube.

In summary, the Enve Builder Round-Up showcased the diversity and innovation within custom bike building. The event highlighted the dedication to detail. The builders demonstrated their passion for creating high-performance, personalized bikes.