Frame-fork-headset: $2,000. Includes powder-coat paint. Wet paint is $200 more.

The BOMBADIL is a stout-tubed mountain bike for rough riding and heavy loads. It's not Dutch-heavy, but by contemporary standards of expensive, fine bicycles, it's out there on the edge. The frame of the 52cm weighs 5.3 pounds. 5.5 pounds max.

The tubes are extra strong, reinforced, and there's a second top tube to create a small strong triangle even on bigger frames (all but the 48 has the second top tube, and the 48 doesn't need it). It's a MOUNTAIN bike, and not a frilly-techy one for gram counters who race in their minds but not in the world. It's not for racing, period. It is a modern mountain bike in the spirit of a 1983 model. Maybe '84.

The Bombadil will come in 5 sizes. Here they are, with my best guess of the corresponding Pubic Bone Height and Saddle Height:

48cm (for 650B wheels) For PBH of about 77 to 83cm; Saddle height 67 to 73.
52cm (for 650B wheels) For PBH of about 81 to 87cm; Saddle height 71 to 77.
56cm (for 650B wheels) For PBH of about 84 to 91cm; Saddle height 74 to 81.
60cm (for 700c wheels) For PBH of about 87 to 95cm; Saddle height 77 to 86..
64cm (for 700c wheels) For PBH of about 93 to 102cm; Saddle height 85 to 92.

I/Grant have a PBH of 85 and ride a 58 Saluki, a 59 A. Homer Hilsen, a 56 Atlantis with Albatross bars, and I'm getting a 52 Bombadil as a mountain bike. But the 56cm also fits as a high-bar tourer. That's the beauty of the expanded frame. The top tube slopes up 6-degrees.

How much for a complete bike?
Depends on parts picked, of course.  We're happy to help you figure it out if you feel overwhelmed by all the parts decisions you have to make. Here's a typical build.

If you want to upscale it here or there, we've done it before and offer great advice. Want top of the bar shifters, a second set of brake levers, STI? We've done it all. We won't let you wreck the bike with a fantasy part that doesn't work, but we're quite flexible if you have a notion you'd like to explore, or just want our opinion about some idea you might have.

Color: You-pick-powdercoat.  "What if I want fancy two-color wet paint?" You can probably get it, but it'll take an extra two months and cost you $200 more. That's what it costs us.

Maximum tire size in actual millimeters, accounting for a minimal acceptable clearance: 52mm.

If you live nearby or are in the area, stop by and see it and ride it.

Geometry PDF here.


Our No Warranty Frame Warranty

It may seem odd for a company that makes such reliable frames to not have a standard instant freebie replacement - warranty, but hold on. Just  because something that's defective is likely to break, doesn't mean  anything that breaks is defective. Even superbly designed, artfully made steel bikes ridden according to design intent can break. We know that, and go to great lengths to prevent it. 

We're skilled, experienced non-defective designers. We use top-notch, proven, non-defective materials. Within the few but real constraints pricing imposes, we're selective about who builds our frames. When it comes to caring about weight and shooting for lightness, we're super conservative. It's not far off the mark to say we don't care about weight, and it's absolutely true that we never compromise a frame to make it lighter. A good frame weighs what it ought to weigh.

After all that, our frames are tested and meet strict EN (European Nation) standards, which are tougher than the German DIN standards, and considerably tougher than the American CPSC standards. But sometimes a frame breaks, and that's no more proof of a defect than a broken window is proof of defective glass. It is impossible to tell the history of the frame. It may be impossible for even its owner to know it. Sometimes even good things break, and anybody, or any company who doesn't acknowledge that is not being honest.

All that said, broken frames are rare. Crash damage, and running into garages with bikes on the roof rack are way, way more common. Tell us your frame's story. We may fix it for nothing, but you pay the freight. Or we may charge a fee for the fix. It is at our discretion, but we're not your enemy, and you are our friend. We keep that in mind, always.

The great thing about steel frames is they can be fixed. In many cases, the fixed frame can be reinforced so that it's stronger than the original. You want a fresh start, but a fresh start with a beefed up frame can be even better. A thicker tube. An extra tube. Whatever it takes, we can do it. In almost all cases, a fixed frame needs new paint. We'll work with our local painter and get it to you at no profit. A repair may cost nothing or nine hundred dollars. It all depends.

In any case, we feel beholden to original owners only. No other warranty (or non-warranty) is implied, so don't go inferring any. But no matter how you came upon your frame, we are happy to advise you on how to get your frame repaired at a reasonable cost. We want your bike back in action, too. Fair enough?