The Holy Trinity: Cyclist – Studio Velo – Guru
Any cyclist can walk into any bike shop and be sold a bike that fits them okay. They may ride this bike for years and think that it’s pretty good, but it will always fit “just okay”. Stems, saddles, bars, bar tape, forks, wheels, seatposts can all be swapped out to arrive at a more comfortable riding position, but with Guru, we achieve your perfect position from the outset. This is why selling custom bicycles requires a different retail perspective. When the exact size and color of a frame isn’t on the sales floor, it takes a unique bunch of passionate cyclists to present all the benefits and fine details of each frame to a potential buyer. Studio Velo understands that just okay is never good enough and for this reason Studio Velo has made Guru a key part of their product mix. A factor that has made the Studio Velo/Guru relationship so successful this year is… me. Just kidding, it’s Bicycling Magazine’s pick for Dream bike of the Year, the Guru Photon.
The mandate when designing this bike was simple. Build the world’s lightest production frame. Not only did we succeed in this, but we have also built a frame that sacrifices no ride quality in doing so. Often super light frames can feel like a noodle and do not inspire confidence when descending or throwing the bike into a fast corner. When you combine light weight, custom geometry and a stiff chassis (aided by the Edge 1.0 stock fork) you get a bike that does everything and sacrifices nothing. An achievement in and of itself for Guru was hearing that with the pick of any brand they carry, three key members of the Studio Velo staff purchased Guru Photons for themselves!
I had the chance to speak with a SV customer a week ago as he had some questions on the Photon he was buying. “I need Guru to build me a frame that will take me from an extreme enthusiast to a threat in the local race scene.” Studio Velo and I spoke at length about this customer and his bike geometry; the final result will prove to be exactly what he asked for. What is important for all Studio Velo customers to know is that this back and forth between Studio Velo and Guru is the case for every Guru they sell. I speak with Chris, Colin, Ian, or Scott at least once a day and more often it’s several times a day and I am constantly amazed with the commitment they have to perfection for each and every customer. From start to finish, each frameset that they help deliver has been scrutinized, discussed, troubleshot, double checked and babied as they are passionate about delivering the perfect frame each time. As such, I thought I would shed some light on the process at Guru that goes into creating your frame.
Once the initial consultation and fitting has been conducted, Studio Velo sends us a synopsis of the customer’s body measurements, current bicycle information, likes and dislikes for their current ride, and what their cycling goals may be, or other unique information regarding flexibility, riding ability, terrain most commonly ridden, and anything else that could affect the proposed geometry.
From here, we generate an initial drawing that reflects the parameters that have been provided. Guru takes into consideration the unique riding characteristics, rider ability levels, rider flexibility, any injuries, the general terrain and intended uses of the bike. We then send two drawings to Studio Velo; one that indicates the frame’s geometry (seat angle, head angle, top tube length, seat tube length, slope, head tube height, bb drop, the front center measurement, and wheelbase.) and a second that represents the rider’s position on the frame. This is followed up by a conversation with Studio Velo to identify any areas that need to be changed prior to the customer returning to the shop to confirm the position.
Once Guru and Studio Velo are on the same page with how to proceed with the frame, the customer returns to Studio Velo and the proposed bicycle is replicated on the fit bike. The customer then mounts the fit bike to confirm the fit. At this time some minor changes may be made, paint selection is confirmed and the order is submitted and Guru builds a custom world-class frameset in 4-6 weeks.
I feel honored that Studio Velo allows me to get as invested as they do in each and every Guru frameset that they deliver. I look forward to all the other fits, stories, challenges, and frames to come.
Best Regards,
Josh Novis
Guru Cycles
The mandate when designing this bike was simple. Build the world’s lightest production frame. Not only did we succeed in this, but we have also built a frame that sacrifices no ride quality in doing so. Often super light frames can feel like a noodle and do not inspire confidence when descending or throwing the bike into a fast corner. When you combine light weight, custom geometry and a stiff chassis (aided by the Edge 1.0 stock fork) you get a bike that does everything and sacrifices nothing. An achievement in and of itself for Guru was hearing that with the pick of any brand they carry, three key members of the Studio Velo staff purchased Guru Photons for themselves!
I had the chance to speak with a SV customer a week ago as he had some questions on the Photon he was buying. “I need Guru to build me a frame that will take me from an extreme enthusiast to a threat in the local race scene.” Studio Velo and I spoke at length about this customer and his bike geometry; the final result will prove to be exactly what he asked for. What is important for all Studio Velo customers to know is that this back and forth between Studio Velo and Guru is the case for every Guru they sell. I speak with Chris, Colin, Ian, or Scott at least once a day and more often it’s several times a day and I am constantly amazed with the commitment they have to perfection for each and every customer. From start to finish, each frameset that they help deliver has been scrutinized, discussed, troubleshot, double checked and babied as they are passionate about delivering the perfect frame each time. As such, I thought I would shed some light on the process at Guru that goes into creating your frame.
Once the initial consultation and fitting has been conducted, Studio Velo sends us a synopsis of the customer’s body measurements, current bicycle information, likes and dislikes for their current ride, and what their cycling goals may be, or other unique information regarding flexibility, riding ability, terrain most commonly ridden, and anything else that could affect the proposed geometry.
From here, we generate an initial drawing that reflects the parameters that have been provided. Guru takes into consideration the unique riding characteristics, rider ability levels, rider flexibility, any injuries, the general terrain and intended uses of the bike. We then send two drawings to Studio Velo; one that indicates the frame’s geometry (seat angle, head angle, top tube length, seat tube length, slope, head tube height, bb drop, the front center measurement, and wheelbase.) and a second that represents the rider’s position on the frame. This is followed up by a conversation with Studio Velo to identify any areas that need to be changed prior to the customer returning to the shop to confirm the position.
Once Guru and Studio Velo are on the same page with how to proceed with the frame, the customer returns to Studio Velo and the proposed bicycle is replicated on the fit bike. The customer then mounts the fit bike to confirm the fit. At this time some minor changes may be made, paint selection is confirmed and the order is submitted and Guru builds a custom world-class frameset in 4-6 weeks.
I feel honored that Studio Velo allows me to get as invested as they do in each and every Guru frameset that they deliver. I look forward to all the other fits, stories, challenges, and frames to come.
Best Regards,
Josh Novis
Guru Cycles
posted by KOM Challenge at
4:30 PM
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