Independent Bike Builder
In Kirk's 20+ years (2001 - present) of racing triathlons (pro level 2006-2013), he built, maintained, and fitted nearly all of the 20+ bikes he owned, including TT/Tri, road, gravel, CX, and mountain bikes. In 2011, Kirk began working on and fitting bikes for coaching clients. Kirk started out as the "Independent Bike Builder" (IBB) in April 2012, building and fitting custom spec'd triathlon and road bikes out of his kitchen for triathletes. He sourced parts and frames "independently" - without any vendor or brand affiliations. What began as a local word-of-mouth side-hustle to help make financial ends meet, the Independent Bike Builder Project quickly earned a reputation outside local Southern Utah to include national and even international clients.
In October 2013, Kirk opened up shop in Ivins Utah (still in same location) as IBB Cyclery & Multisport. Over the years he has enjoyed serving customers and clients utilizing the IBB FIT-->SPEC-->BUILD 3-step process. As of Late 2022, Kirk has performed ~800 Fits and ~450 Frame-up Custom Builds for clients and customers in ~37 states and ~10 countries.
FIT: In late 2014 Kirk became F.I.S.T. (under Dan Empfield of SlowTwitch) Bike Fit Certified and has since developed his own power-based Dynamic Fitting approach to optimize a rider's comfort, biomechanics, ergonomics, and power output / efficiency based on real-time rider feedback and power output. Every detail of fit is covered during this session including the pedal/cleat/shoe interface, Pedaling Stance width, handlebar stack / reach, a Saddle "session" where one saddle is selected out of a large pool, Saddle size / nose tilt / height / fore / aft finalized, crank length, bar width/shape, grips size/shape, just to name a few......
SPEC: Based on the Fit coordinates (Rider's position), bike frame size, geometry, saddle, stem, bar, seatpost, crank length, and pedals are pinned down. During the Spec'ing phase of the process, the bike frame and components are selected to suit the rider's budget and position.
BUILD: The bike is then meticulously built up with careful attention paid to the rider's final position - thus final cuts to brake lines, fork/steerer tube, flat/riser bars, seatpost length, aerobar extensions are made with precision. Brakes and derailleurs are finely tuned / adjusted / updated (electronic shifters). Lastly, the rider's position is carefully measured and set to match their fit coordinates. To say the bike "fits like a glove", while accurate, would be better stated: "fits like a custom tailored suit".
Even if you've been relatively satisifed riding "stock" bikes and components over the years, we are confident in our ability to deliver an IBB Full Custom Build experience that doesn't simply meet, but even exceeds your expectations.
Interested in learning more? Call, text, or email us to discuss an IBB Custom Build project.
phone: 435-319-0011
website: www.ibbcyclery.com
email: [email protected]