Custom Bike Builds in North Vancouver | Essential Cycles
Custom Bike Builds — Done Right, Built for Here
From stock builds to fully custom dream machines, we’ve got you covered.
We've been building bikes for North Shore riders since 2015. That means we know what actually holds up on Fromme, what geometry makes sense for Seymour, and which component choices are going to let you down at the worst possible moment.
A custom build isn't just a bike with your name on it — it's the right bike for how you ride, where you ride, and what you're actually trying to get out of it. Whether you're starting from a frame, upgrading a stock build, or bringing in your own parts and just need someone to put it all together properly, we can help.
We work with a curated list of brands we genuinely believe in: Ibis, Marin, Commencal, Salsa, and RAAW. If you've got something else in mind, reach out — we're happy to talk it through.
Ibis Cycles | Performance Without Compromise
Ibis makes some of the most dialed trail and enduro bikes on the market, and their DW-Link suspension platform is genuinely one of the best-riding designs out there. We're a full Ibis dealer, which means we can get you into any frame or complete bike in their lineup — and we know these bikes well enough to build them the way they should be built.
Popular starting points: the HD6 for enduro, the Ripmo V3 for aggressive all-mountain, the Ripley V5 for XC-leaning trail riding, and the Hakka MX if you're going gravel. We also carry Ibis frames if you want to spec it out from scratch.
Marin Bikes | Made For Fun
Marin has been building bikes worth riding since 1986, and their current lineup is genuinely impressive — especially the Alpine Trail and Rift Zone platforms. As a full Marin dealer, we have access to their complete catalog, including models and colorways that aren't sitting on our floor.
If you're looking for a specific Marin frame or build, we can order it. If you want to take a stock build and swap out the wheels, dropper, or cockpit to get it dialed for your riding, we can handle that too.
Commencal Bikes | Built for Gravity
Commencal builds bikes for riders who don't back off. Their aluminum construction is bomber, their geometry is progressive, and their frames are genuinely good value for what you get. We carry the Meta SX V5, Supreme DH V5, and 365 in store, with access to the full Commencal frame lineup on order.
If you want to take a Commencal frame and build it out with upgraded components — better brakes, a different wheelset, a higher-spec drivetrain — we're set up to do exactly that.
Salsa Cycles | Adventure By Bike
Go by bike. That's the Salsa philosophy, and it's one we agree with. Salsa makes bikes built for adventure — gravel, bikepacking, and trail riding — and they do it with a seriousness of purpose that shows up in the details.
Whether you're chasing gravel roads out of North Van, planning a multi-day bikepacking trip, or looking for a bike that does everything reasonably well, there's a Salsa that fits. We can spec and build any Salsa model to order.
RAAW Mountain Bikes | No-Nonsense Performance
RAAW is a German brand that doesn't cut corners. Their bikes — the Madonna V3 and Jibb LT V2 in particular — are built around high-pivot suspension geometry and excellent small-bump sensitivity, and they've built a loyal following among riders who care about how a bike actually performs rather than how it looks in a spec sheet.
We're a RAAW On-Demand Partner, which means we can source any RAAW frame or build kit to order. Lead times apply, but if you know what you want, we can make it happen.
BYO Build — Got Parts? We'll Put It Together
Already sourced your frame? Upgrading components from a previous build? Have a box of parts that need to become a bike? We do that.
Bring us what you've got and we'll assess the build, flag anything that won't work together, source whatever's missing, and put it together properly. No judgment on where you bought the parts — we just care that the finished bike is dialed.
Get in touch to describe what you're working with and we'll go from there.
Start Your Build
Tell us what you're after and we'll be back in touch within 1–2 business days. Prefer to talk it through in person? Come find us at 305 Mansfield Place, North Vancouver.
Build inquiry sent.
We'll be in touch within 1–2 business days. See you on the trails.