Independent Fabrication
 Builder Profile

About Independent

In order to build the best bikes in the world, we started by building the best company in the world. A company in which every employee's knowledge, ideas, and energies are recognized and utilized. Before we even built the first frame, we decided that all employees would be owners. Why employee ownership? Well frankly, building bikes is a labor of love and often frame builders don't get paid what their worth. By giving each of our employees a share of the company, we give them more then just a weekly paycheck. In turn they give the company, and our customers, so much more.
     Over the past five years, we have attracted some of the most dedicated and talented builders in the industry. They have come to us, simply because they want to be counted. They want to know that their collective talents and ideas are acted upon and not pushed aside, because they are just a welder or just a painter. We don't believe in the philosophy of a company figurehead, a leader whose knowledge overrules all others. At IF we believe in helping to bring to the surface the best in every person who builds our frames. That desire, that focus, enables IF to consistently achieve a high level of craftsmanship that is hard to find today.

Why buy an IF?

 Let's face facts. You really aren't buying an IF, so much as investing in one. This is a big step. For a lot of you, an IF might be your first handcrafted bike. For others, it might be your last and final handcrafted bike. And for the rest of you? You just love bikes, and buying this one will be just as much fun as the last one or the next one. Regardless of your reasons for buying, we want to make sure that you get something for every cent you spend.

Let's start with the basics. We offer a huge selection of stock sizes: 11 mountain, 15 road, 8 cyclocross, and 13 touring sizes. And that’s just stock! All these stock sizes mean you’re more apt to find a frame that fits you perfectly, without the added cost of custom geometry. Each of these frames gets its very own size specific tubing: a perfect match of diameters and butting to give all our frames the same smooth, refined ride. Speaking of tubing, we use Reynolds 853 for the main frame and a custom mix of Reynolds and True temper for the rest. Why? Reynolds 853 was designed for TIG welding. It gets stronger (not weaker like most steel) after welding. This keeps our frames super light and super strong. For added strength, we reinforce the seat tube slot and gusset the downtube.

We want your IF to last forever. That’s why we seal up the tubes so moisture can't get in to cause rust. The only tube we can't seal is the seat tube, so we treat it with J.P. Weigle's Frame Saver. We use threaded brake mounts with replaceable posts, which can get you back on the road or trail fast no matter where you are. Our dropouts are machined and heat treated, making them light and strong. Even our bottom bracket shells are machined and relieved on the inside, keeping the strength high and the weight low.

Of course, all these things added up can't really make a bike feel like it’s yours. So we offer all our customers a huge variety of ways to personalize their bikes. Choose top tube or downtube cable routing on mountain bikes, and cantilever or V-brake setups on the mountain, cross, and touring bikes. Brake cable routing on road bikes? It’s your choice and there’s no extra charge. Want more? Well, we offer three stock fades and two single colors (all pictured on the featured bikes in the catalogue). You can also pick any single color from our fades or change the direction of a fade from front to back or top to bottom – again, at no charge. Want even more? Well you might have to pay a bit, but you can add fender eyelets, rack mounts, extra water bottle cage mounts, custom paint, hydraulic brake cable routing, and the list goes on.

So, as you can see, investing in an IF is more like investing in yourself. Go ahead. You deserve it, and its okay to let everyone know.


Independent Fabrication Single Speed Planet X

S&S Couplings
A frequent flyer's dream come true. Beautifully machined Stainless steel couplings, created by S&S Machine are installed by us during the manufacturing of a frame. These couplings allow the frame to be separated into two halves which can then be packed in a 26x26x10" case (available at an extra charge). No more extra charges at the airport and no more wrestling with cumbersome hard cases. S&S couplings add only a few ounces to the finished frame.


Products and services available utilizing BTCs.

We sell frames only.

Standard frames

Custom frames

Retrofitting services

Construction methods

Frame materials

Purchase from

Phone: 617-666-3609 Fax: 617-666-1655 e-mail Contact Information:
Independent Fabrication
P.O. Box 98
Somerville, Massachusetts 02143

Phone: 617-666-3609
Fax: 617-666-1655
e-mail: ifinc@aol.com



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