Custom Built Bicycles Gallery

For years, Topanga Creek Outpost was the go-to place for riders who dreamed of a bike as unique as they were. From our little shop in Los Angeles, we built custom bicycles for people from all over the world — each one shaped by their needs, their style, and our dedication to craftsmanship.

Every frame told a story, every detail carried a personal touch, and every customer left not just with a bicycle, but with a piece of our heart and history of the bike shop.

Types of Customization

Full custom build from the frame up

We worked with many highly regarded frame manufacturers from North America. For comfort, function and durability, most touring bikes are made out of steel for plush long distance rides. For those who desired the ultimate in strength, weight saving and stiffness, we also offered titanium frames to meet those needs as well.

Over the years we have customized every Surly model to meet customers' expectations. Whether it was the legendary Surly Disc Trucker for pannier road touring or the do-it-all Surly Ogre for some serious backpacking, we designed lots fun bikes for those who came to us.

Small modifications on a complete bike

Sometimes a small modification or component upgrade of an existing complete bike can make a big difference in ride quality, handling, and comfort. Depending on the individual's specific riding style and purpose, we helped transform a bike into something truly unique and special to fit the needs of the rider.

For those who wanted the ultimate experience for cycling expedition and not lose the modern convenience of a charged cell phone and lighting system, we offered the best of the best upgrade — Rohloff internal hub paired with SON dynamo hub and Sinewave USB charger. With years of experience installing this "dream combo", we turned many bikes into incredible riding machines.

SON hub with Sinewave Reactor USB charger

Component Highlight - Rohloff SPEEDHUB

Rohloff Speedhub is a German-made internally geared hub that's crafted with the highest precision, quality, and workmanship to provide cyclists with years of trouble-free service. Rohloff is one of our favorite components to recommend because they are extremely low maintenance, the gears shift easily and smoothly while pedaling or stationary, and linear gear ratios that cover a wide range make riding the bike a truly joyful experience.

Engineered with a advanced planetary gear system, Rohloff hubs are designed to be extremely efficient and strong. Watch this Rohloff Production Video to geek out on how Rohloff hub is made.

Invest in a pair of light-weight and strong hand-laced wheels

Wheels are often overlooked because people tend to pay most attention on frames and gruppos. Shaving a few grams off the wheels versus component such as the derailleur has far more performance gain due to reduced rotational weight of the wheels and lesser inertia required for each wheel rotation.

Here at Topanga Creek Outpost we own the very advanced Phil Wood Spoke Cutting & Threading Machine that enables us to cut and thread any spoke to any lengh, and allows us to hand lace various wheel sizes with precision and efficiency.