NAHBS | North American Handmade Bicycle Show | Gängl Custom Cycles

Gängl Custom Cycles

Gängl Style

New to this year’s NAHBS, though not new to the framebuilding world, is Rich Gangl of Gangl Custom Cycles. Stepping into his booth is akin to stepping into a candy store. Regardless of material, each frame pops with sparkly colors bright enough to make even the most hardened hardman smile. No paint job can cover up poor workmanship, though, and it’s clear upon close inspection that a Gangl frame would sparkle just as brightly even with no paint at all.

Photo: Matt Shields

Gangl first started building frames when his bike building hero, Mario Confente, passed away at the early age of 39. Inspired, Gangl decided to take up the mantle and build his own frame, on which he won ten races in the first season. Friends noticed, asked if he could also build them frames, and thus Gangl Cycle Works was born.

“I’m a one man operation,” says Gangl when asked about his process. “I do all of my own jigs, fixtures, paint jobs, and of course all construction. I don’t do mountain frames, I like to stick to what I know, and after racing for over 40 years, I’m pretty confident that I know road and track.” In addition to building his own titanium and steel bikes, he also specialized in restoring older, vintage bicycles, both structurally and paint wise.

A basic steel lugged frame starts at $3800, and Titanium clocks in at $4500. Steel forks start at $400, with carbon ranging from $400 – $570. And the paint? A basic one color costs $600, and a three-color fade comes in at $700.

Being the sole person behind all aspects of building, Gangl usually produces 15 to 25 bikes a year, and currently has an eight month to one year wait list for one of his frames. Most of his customers come to him with a pretty good idea of what they want, both performance and color wise, and his lickable paint jobs are definitely part of his appeal.