FAQ
CURRENT LEAD TIME: 7 MONTHS [LAST UPDATED: JAN 07, 2013]
Design/Fit
Each and every Soulcraft frame is designed for the individual customer based on their fit needs and riding style. We start with a model (Holy Roller, Dirt Bomb, etc) and basically design it to fit you. We do not allow the customer to choose the geometry of the bike because we want each bike we build to handle like a Soulcraft. The ?custom? aspect revolves mainly around the critical factors pertaining to fit such as pedaling position and bar placement, which are determined by considering your body measurements, bike set up preferences, and riding style.
Wed, Mar 24, 2010
Yes. It will give us a good idea of your preferences which is always a help.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Yes. But keep in mind you are buying a custom frame here. If you haven't taken any time to dial in the fit of your current bike then you may want to consider waiting to purchase a frame from us. Simply asking us to make a perfectly fitting frame based only on body measurements is not ideal. We recommend you put some effort into making your current bike fit as well as it can (obviously without spending a bunch of money). Simple things like saddle height and bar position can be changed without too much effort so play around with your set up to see if it can be made better before you take measurements.
Wed, Mar 24, 2010
Find somebody who is good with measurements. It's very important that the measurements be accurate because I will be using them to design your frame.
Wed, Mar 24, 2010
Yes. Often times the bikes will measure out slightly different from one another so it?s good to have both sets of measurements. That way, we (you and us) can decide which measurements (or a combination) to use. If you need a second fit sheet for the frame measurements, let us know and we can e-mail one to you.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
As long as it makes sense to us and you are willing to pay, we?re happy to help. As we said above, the goal is to make the bike fit, so we don?t charge you extra for having odd body measurements. But if you want something odd in terms of the design, say a 68? head angle on your mountain frame, we would probably pass. Like we said, it?s got to make sense to us.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Butted cromoly steel from various sources. No titanium, no carbon fiber, no aluminum.
Mon, Mar 22, 2010
General
Only if you own a Soulcraft or are getting fit for one. We are usually too busy to hang out and shoot the breeze. We are happy to give paying customers a tour but just don?t have the time to extend the offer to \"potential\" customers or the curious. Sorry!
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Absolutely, as long as you?ve either given us a deposit, or plan to when you get fit. We don?t do fittings unless they are part of a frame order. We encourage our customers to come out to get fit if possible. Just call or e-mail me to make an appointment.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No. Not ever. No.
Wed, Mar 24, 2010
Yes. There is a link at the end of the description for each frame model which opens up the parts list and pricing. They can also be accessed using the ?Build Kits? link to the left when looking at a given frame model.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No, except on the Alma Pura and Dirt Bomb models.
Wed, Mar 17, 2010
Not to sound too harsh, but no. We actually don?t have any bikes at the shop to see, and thankfully we\'re in a position where we\'re at full capacity without having to \"sell\" our bikes. Our customers make their decision to buy based on word of mouth, which is way more flattering than anything you?ll get from us.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Check out the \"Options & Pricing\" tab next to the description of each model.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Good question. Since we never promise when a frame will be delivered, it's impossible for us to be late on delivery. Pretty smart huh? But don't let this scare you. We don't use this loophole to take advantage of our customers. That would only lead to a bad reputation at some point, which we?re pretty sure we don't have. We like to deliver bikes as close to our estimate as possible, but being a one man operation and working with 3 to 6 month lead times, it's very hard to be exact when estimating a delivery date. The reason we don't make promises is that it adds all kinds of stress and possible disappointment to a process and experience that should be fun for both parties.
Wed, Mar 24, 2010
See the CURRENT LEAD TIME at the top of this page. We try to update the clock every couple weeks, but keep in mind that the lead time can change between when you call to check the website and when you place your order
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Ordering
No, unless your local bike shop is Absolute Bikes in Flagstaff/Sedona, Arizona or Pacific Coast Cycles in Oceanside, California. Otherwise, you can only buy directly from us.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Yes. But I will not ship the bike until the check for the balance has cleared. No exceptions.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No. We are tapped out on production and only work with 2 dealers. We simply can?t afford to sell any more at less than full retail.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Check out the "ORDERING INFO" section on any of the frames, like
this one for the Holy Roller.
Mon, Dec 17, 2012
We require a $500 deposit (frame only or complete bike), and it is not refundable. So make sure you are fully committed before you give us money. If you cancel the order, your $500 goes into a \"lost weekend in Vegas\" fund (you will receive a picture of us spending your $500). You can do frame deposits using the
online payment option, by check, or over the phone. Do not e-mail your credit card information. That?s not smart.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Yes. That?s the only way to get a Soulcraft if you live outside the U.S.A.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Sorry. Too late. I have enough dealers right now to keep me busy. I really appreciate the interest but I don\'t have the capacity to make any more frames.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Paint/Decals
No problem. Call or e-mail. They are $20 a set with shipping. Tax not included.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No. In fact, touch up paint is not available for powder coat. Your best bet is to visit the touch up paint section of your local auto parts store which has a great selection of colors.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No. We use a local company that does excellent work.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Yes. We can do that. Keep in mind that these paint jobs are expensive and it takes Spectrum time to quote them. We ask that you be serious about this and not waste our time quoting if you\'re not ready to pay for the upgrade. Custom paint is expensive and usually adds a minimum $200 to the cost of a frame and sometimes $800 when they get crazy. Just be ready to pay.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Powder coating is a paint process that involves an electrostatically applied dry paint which is then baked in a high temperature oven to \"cure\" it. It?s tougher than solvent based \"wet\" paint and doesn?t use toxic solvents so it?s much more environmentally friendly.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Shipping
We use UPS for all bike and frame shipments within the U.S. For overseas shipments, we use either U.S. Postal or UPS, whichever is cheaper.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
For bikes picked up in person, there will be a $150 build up charge if you want us to build it. For bikes being shipped, the frame, fork, and some parts will be shipped in one box, and the wheels and remaining parts shipped in another box. The reason we don\'t ship them built up is that when everything is crammed into one box, the odds that it will get damaged go way up, and nothing will harsh your new bike stoke more than opening a box and finding even a small scratch on you brand new baby. Plus you\'re not having to pay the $150 build charge and then have to do a bunch of re-assembly anyway. We recommend taking the frame and parts to your favorite local shop for the build. Prices do not include bike assembly, shipping, or tax (9% for Ca residents).
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
We do not do \"quotes\" for shipping anymore. Things change so quickly these days with shipping rates that we\'ve run into problems with customers when we try to quote shipping six months ahead of time. We can\'t say what it will cost until we book the shipping. That said, we use whichever is more affordable; UPS or U.S. Postal.
UPS and U.S. Postal ship big boxes (like frames and bikes) based on the size of the box. Most frames will fit in our standard frame box (41\"L x 25\"H x 8\"W) which fits within the 107 inch limit (combined length and girth) and a boxed frame and fork weighs about 15 lbs. To get an idea of what it might cost you feel free to go to the USPS site or the UPS site and use our box dimensions and weight to generate a quote. Be advised we insure the shipments for the full retail value which adds to the cost. We also add $12 for the box. If the frame has to be shipped in a bigger box because it\'s a big frame (21\" or 60cm) then it will cost more.
Shipping a complete bike costs a lot. Inside the U.S. it can be $100 to $200. Outside the U.S. it can be $350 to $500. We don\'t do quotes on this. Just be prepared to be reamed. Not by us, by the shipping companies.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
No. We just get the package to your country. We don?t deal with any customs related items. Please check your local customs rates and be prepared. Waiting until the frame ships to start looking into this is a bad idea.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Tech
Yes, as long as you request the ?Rohloff cable routing? option which has special cable stops on the downtube and chainstay for the shifter and brake cables. You will also need to purchase a
Monkeybone adapter for the hub. See
Options and Pricing for more info.
Wed, Mar 17, 2010
Go to the page of the bike you are getting and check under ?specs?. Everything you need to know for parts is there.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
We build all our Holy Roller frames to have clearance for the Panaracer Rampage 2.35?s. It?s hard to keep track of all the new tires coming out but we feel that?s plenty big for most people. We can?t ?guarantee? that the tire you want to run will fit unless you measure the width of the mounted tire at its widest part (We don?t want the manufacturer?s specs) and then I can tell you.
We also build all Holy Roller frames to have fork crown clearance for the Fox F29, Rock Shox Reba (with Poploc remote), and White Brothers Magic forks. This means that the fork will spin 360? without the crown touching the down tube.
All Holy Rollers can use any 31.8mm top swing derailleur available such as a Shimano XT 770, Sram X9, or XTR 970. 2008 and older frames must use either a Shimano XT 750 top swing/bottom pull or LX 570 top swing/bottom pull front derailleur (31.8mm clamp). The new ?dual pull? units don?t work with older Holy Roller frames.
And last, all Holy Rollers must use cranks with a 94mm BCD or 104mm BCD. Usually the ratios on these cranks are 22/32/44. 110mm BCD cranks (usually older cranks) have ratios of 24/34/46, which can have clearance issues on our Holy Roller frames. If you?re sticking with new cranks, they will be fine.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
It can never be said too many times: Steel rusts. Soulcraft frames and forks are steel. Soulcraft frames and forks can rust (see transitive property of equivalency). We?ve spent a lot of time figuring out ways to make our frames more rust/corrosion resistant: sealed tubes, forward-facing seat tube slots, stainless braze-ons, blind water bottle bosses, double-coat powder paint with phosphate pre-treatment, rust inhibitor inside the seat tubes, and o-rings seals for your seat post, to name a few. Alas, there needs to be a certain amount of responsibility on your part to help make your frame last.
The single worst thing we see is corrosion inside the seat tube. Yes, water will get inside there and if you ride in the rain or there is significant moisture being flung off your rear tire and onto your seatpost, then here?s what you need to do: After wet rides, remove your seat post and turn your bike upside down to drain and dry. Pay attention and watch how much water runs out. Let it dry for at least a few hours before you grease and re-install your seatpost. After every 2 or 3 times you do this you should re-apply some sort of rust inhibitor like LPS #3 or Weigle?s Frame Saver. Spray the stuff liberally into the seat tube, then wrap a rag around the antenna you broke off your neighbor?s Impala. Spray the rag with rust inhibitor, then insert the antenna with the rag on it into the seat tube and push up and down to coat the walls of the tube. Use a flashlight to see if you?ve got everything covered and to periodically check things out. For dry conditions re-apply once every 4-6 months. We use the LPS stuff here and every frame has a bunch of this sprayed into the seat tube when it leaves the shop. This will keep you safe for a while but after that you?re on your own.
To help you even further, every Soulcraft frame comes with a little black o-ring which looks like a rubber band. It goes around your seat post and should be slid down against the top of the seat post clamp. We?ve seen these o-rings sitting a bit above the seat clamp on some customer?s bikes and if there is any gap between the o-ring and seat clamp, you may as well not have the o-ring on there. The purpose of the o-ring is to create a seal around your seatpost to help keep water from seeping into your seat tube. Make sure there is a little grease on the o-ring so it creates a better seal and keeps the o-ring pliable. A hot tip is to spin the o-ring as you push it down against the seat clamp. This will help it ?seat? better. When you?re finished there should be a little grease barrier built up on the seam, much like you would see with the caulk around the edges of your bath tub or shower. Also, wipe a little grease into the seat tube slot after your post height is set; that will help keep water from working its way into the seat tube. If you don?t have an o-ring or lost it or whatever, just go to your local hardware store or auto supply and ask for a #20 O-ring. That should do it. You can actually do this for any bike you own. Also, if you are using a 27.2 seat post shim (supplied with most Soulcraft frames), make sure the shim slot is positioned slightly offset with the frame slot (put shim slot at 11o?clock). This will prevent water from seeping into the seat tube.
Sweat is another thing to watch out for. Obviously you?re going to sweat on your frame, hopefully while riding it. Some people have what we call ?toxic sweat? which can eat its way right through even the most durable paint. If you ride your bike on a stationary trainer you are asking for trouble. The sweat just drops straight down and sits on, and more specifically under, the tubes of your frame. Take whatever precautions you must to keep sweat off your frame on a stationary trainer (we are currently out of stock of the Flash Dance headbands). Make sure you wipe the frame down afterwards with some type of cleaner like Simple Green and make sure it?s dry! Same goes for general riding. You?ll get way more life out of your frame if you wipe it down after a ride and get all the sweat off. Problem areas are any sharp edges like the top and bottom of the head tube, braze-ons, and anywhere you see bare metal. Rubbing cables can wreak havoc on paint and actually wear away metal, so put pieces of chopped up clear chainstay protector on those areas to protect them. The most common problem areas are the sides of the head tube where your derailleur cables sit.
On forks the biggest problem area is the steerer because it?s unpainted. When assembling your bike, a light coating of grease should be applied to the full length of the steerer, even where the stem clamps. It?s a good idea to periodically remove the fork and re-grease the steerer. Sweat can work its way under the stem and underneath the bearing cap and if left to sit for long periods will damage the steerer. Any rust should be removed with Scotchbrite or fine sandpaper and re-coated with grease. If rust has caused severe pitting the steerer may be damaged to the point of becoming unsafe to use.
Keep in mind that if you ever call us saying your frame or fork has rusted to the point of needing tubes replaced, we will not warranty it. Sometimes things rust despite your best efforts but you need to take care of it right away or call us for the best way to deal with it. A tip for scratches that go down to bare metal is to visit the touch-up paint section at your local auto parts store or model/hobby supply. They have a wide selection of colors and it?s your best bet to match the powder paint on your Soulcraft (powder paint is baked on at 400 degrees so there isn?t any touch-up paint available).
For all you folks with Soulcraft frames that have the Paragon Slider or Soulcraft Rocker singlespeed dropouts, throw a little ?blue? LocTite 242 on the threads of the mounting bolts. This will help keep them tight. Never use anything bigger than a 160mm rotor on any frame or fork we make. They are not designed to deal with the bigger torque loads and brake geometry of the bigger rotors.
Check your equipment for cracks on a regular basis. We have a great track record for durability, but sometimes things break. One of the great things about steel is that it cracks well before it completely fails, so with regular attention you can prevent a catastrophic failure of your frame or fork. Check around the welds of your frame and fork every week if you ride more than 4 times a week and every 2 or 3 weeks if you ride less.
Places to pay special attention to:
- Around the head tube area on the top and down tube.
- At chain suck marks on the right chainstay.
- Around disc mounts on frame or fork.
- Fork legs near the bend or top of the crown.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
If you\'re running a mountain crank with an \"integrated\" spindle and crank (where the spindle is bonded/welded/pressed into one of the crank arms), then you don\'t have a choice on spindle length. Most of these types of cranks (Shimano, 15G, Race Face, etc.) are designed with a 49.5mm to 51.5mm chainline which will work fine on all of our frames with a 32T or 34T ring. If you\'re running a square taper crank/BB then it depends on the brand of crank and size of chainring. We recommend the White Industries ENO crank with either a White Industries or Phil Wood BB. Keep in mind all Soulcraft BB shells are 68mm wide.
White Industries designs their rear hubs around a 47.5mm chainline (centerline of frame to center of freewheel teeth). To match this they recommend a 113mm spindle on their ENO cranks to get the chainline to match. Keep in mind that most other singlespeed hubs are designed around a 51.5mm chainline, so if you\'re running a White Industries crank with a Paul or Phil hub, you will want to run a 121mm spindle to get the chainline to match. If you\'re running a cassette type rear hub with a single cog and spacers then you have free reign on chainline as you can adjust the cog side to side with the spacers.
The other consideration is chainring size. With a 113mm BB, you can only run a 32T on our frames. Any bigger (34T or 36T), and you will need to use a longer spindle such as a 116mm or 121mm, which would give you a chainline of 49mm or 51.5mm respectively with a White Industries ENO crank. So what happens when you want to run a 34T ring on your ENO crank along with a White Industries ENO rear hub? This would mean a 49mm or 51.5mm chainline on the crank (with a 116mm or 121mm spindle) but a 47.5mm chainline for the hub. That?s a misalignment of 1.5mm or 4mm, which, depending on who you talk to, is either the end of the world or no big deal. Since you?re talking to us right now, we?ll say that we don?t think it?s a huge deal. If you run a 3/32? 8 spd chain (as all singlespeeders should), the chain will have no problem dealing with the difference. If you try to run a ?singlespeed? chain, which is not designed to shift, you will have noise and possibly derailment problems because those chains are not designed to flex from side to side.
When using any other square taper crank than a White Industries, we can\'t really help you. We\'re just not familiar with all the brands, chainlines, offsets, etc, although most are designed around either a 47.5mm or 51.5mm chainline. Your best bet is to see what their specs are for chainline and choose the appropriate length spindle to achieve your target chainline.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
We ream all our frames to accept a 28.6mm post. There is really only one good model out there in this size (Thompson Elite set back or over-center). To ensure compatibility with most major brands, I also install a removable shim in the seat tube to allow use with 27.2mm posts which are much more common. Why the shim? Well, we wanted those who like to run a lot of post showing or, for whatever reason, bend seat posts, the option of running a bigger diameter post.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Warranty/Repair
Not by us.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Yes. Check the ?Options & Pricing? tab on the frame details page.
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Only on Soulcraft frames. Check the ?
Options and Pricing? page or call us for a quote.
Wed, Mar 17, 2010
We like to judge each case as it comes, but basically if we made a mistake or flubbed something, we will cover it. If you caused the problem, we don?t cover it. Here are some things we absolutely will not cover:
- Rust damage
- Crash damage
- Chain suck damage (jamming of the chain between crank and frame)
- Abuse, such as riding your hardtail like a full suspension bike, or reliving your BMX days by jumping or doing big drops.
- Using rotors larger than 160mm on our frames or forks.
Bottom line is that Soulcraft frames and forks are built to be ridden hard, but not with reckless abandon. Use common sense and treat your equipment with care and respect!
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
