But a bike? While you’re unlikely to need one on your wedding day, a bicycle is also a high-value investment item that you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of. So why make do with what you can get on the Bike2Work scheme at a generic bike shop when you can have one hand built to your own size and specifications?
The growth of cycling has seen a rejuvenation in the small-scale manufacture of bicycles in cities such as London. A frame hand-built by a good local craftsperson will likely cost you upwards of £1,600 – and that’s before you add components such as wheels. But it can be worth it. With a bespoke bike, rather than having to sift through a rack of standardised models, the rider is the first consideration. “You start by putting the person in the right place and design everything else around that,” says framebuilder Stephen Winchcombe (stefanocycles.com).
You also get a ride that is unlike anything else on the road. Here, then, is what you need to know about getting a bike built just for you.
“With custom builds, it’s about trying to have the perfect bike, If you spend that long on it, you want something that looks exactly right and handles exactly right – if you’ve got the money, there’s no reason not to.”