Frame Paint and Finishing
Here at True North Cycles, we are proud that we control production from beginning to end. That means each True North frame leaves the shop with a high quality, extremely durable finish.
Paint
What sets us apart from other custom manufacturers that use powder-coating is that we don’t limit your color options, and often can match any colour you choose. In addition to basic colour selection, we often mix customize and mix finishes such as Gloss, Matte, Metallic, Semi-Transparent (Candy) to bring out the best in your frame.
Click on a colour to get inspired:
Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Orange, Black, White, Yellow
Titanium
With finishing and masking on your titanium frame, the possibilities are nearly endless. We can bead-blast, sand-blast or brush your frame, and offer custom anodized graphics and text as well. Titanium is happily powder coated, so you can even mix and match colour with raw titanium to really make your ride stand out.
Decals
We use the high-quality vinyl decals on many of our bikes. In addition to being flexible in their design and very durable, they can be replaced or updated as your kit, sponsors, components or tastes change over time.
Frame Options
- Head Badge
- S&S Couplers
- Split Stays for Gates Belt Drives
- Pinion Drive
- Dropouts
- Di2 Routing
- Eccentric Bottom Bracket
Head Badge
Choose from Brass, Sterling Silver or weight-conscious vinyl head badges to show your true north pride.
S&S Couplers
We specialize in building S&S coupler-equipped bikes that pack neatly into checked-luggage, (non-oversized) bags and cases. This gives you the flexibility to bring your bike wherever your travels take you while minimizing fees, logistical headaches and potential for damage.
Split Stays for Gates Belt Drives
In order to accommodate a belt drive system, we design a split in the frame’s rear stays since a belt cannot be broken at a pin like chains can. We use Gates Carbon belt drives which are renowned for being a low-maintenance, quiet and clean alternative to chain-based drivetrains. True North riders have circumnavigated the globe on belt drives, so our experiences have mirrored those of so many others who extol the virtues of this system for it’s worry-free operation. We construct our belt drives with Rohloff internal gear hubs or Pinion Drive transmissions, both of which offer outstanding gear range, durability, shifting reliability and performance.
Pinion Drive
Pinion Drive transmissions require a special frame design to incorporate the gearbox at the intersection of the front and rear triangles. We can incorporate pinion drives into virtually any frame design.
Dropouts
Many of our dropouts hail from Paragon Machine Works, so we can build with a variety of styles that will suit your application. For bikes that require chain or belt tensioning, we most often use sliders or toggle-drops.
Di2 Routing
If you are considering building with Internal Shimano Di2 components or want the potential to go that way in the future, our frames can be built with internal battery and cable routing in mind.
Eccentric Bottom Bracket
The tried and true eccentric bottom bracket is still common on frames today. This is often the choice for single-speed mountain bikes because of the increased stiffness around the bottom bracket.
An Eccentric Bottom Bracket keeps the chain tight.
Components
Components are a very personal part of a bike build. You may wish to be completely hands-off and let us spec a bike for a give price point. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have a specific component build in mind, chances are we can do it. We have built relationships with component suppliers and manufacturers which share our philosophies of quality, durability, functionality, warranty and value.
Brands
In addition to the core component manufacturers (Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM), some of our component partner brands include:
Accessories
At True North we want to make sure that you have the best riding experience on your new bike. This means offering accessories that know to perform and stand up to the most demanding conditions. True North, along with our retail location The Bicycle Tailor offer a curated selection of quality accessories covering a wide variety of riding conditions and styles. Visit our online shop at www.thebicycletailor.ca/shop-online/ to explore to see some options, or check out www.thebicycletailor.ca/brands/ for even more ideas.
Racks
Tubus and Arkel are primary supplier of touring racks, with superbly designed products, massive warranties and a dedication to the discipline. These racks have been field tested by True North riders and countless other world travelers and have proven to be the best on the market.
Lights
We offer dynamo generator hubs from Son (Schmidt Original Nabendynamo) which are the most efficient and reliable generator hubs on the market. Not only can the hub power a light, but it can also power and charge your USB device (phone, GPS, etc) while you’re riding, reducing your dependency on batteries and accessible charge stations.
When the Son generator hub is paired with Busch and Muller front and rear lights, the combo provides a bright and robust lighting system that let you see and be seen.
GPS
When it comes to navigation, there is no denying the utility of market leader Garmin. We offer the full line of Garmin parts, accessories and mounts to help you navigate, compete with your friends on Strava or just track your metrics.
Tools
We have hand-picked the best multi-tools on the market for their utility, size, weight and construction. Fix-it-Stix offers simple, accessible, powerful, lightweight and economical tools that are there when you need them, and out of the way when you don’t. They’re a great add-on to any bike, and come in the tool combinations specific to your bike. We also highly recommend the Topeak Hexus II for it’s fully-functional toolset in a compact, economical package.
On-bike Panniers and Storage
We work closely with Quebec based Arkel Panniers who provide the highest quality panniers and on-bike storage solutions. Arkel products are built to last, and the company stands behind their products with unwavering support. From basic commuter bags to high-volume long-distance gear haulers, Arkel shows a dedication to innovative design and quality control that is unparalleled in the industry.
Bottle Cages
Our bikes are most often supplied with Stainless Steel or Titanium King Cages, selected for their bomb-proof reliability, quality finish and excellent bottle retention. The materials match well with our steel and Ti frames. We also have a great selection of cage styles at The Bicycle Tailor.
Bells and Whistles
OK so we don’t have any whistles. Those of you who know us know that True North remains dedicated to function over fashion, but we happen to love it when the two philosophies intersect. Spurcycle bells are our go-to bells for True North Cycles. They are made entirely of brass and stainless steel (no plastic here), and with black and stainless finishes they complement most every bike we’ve put them on. They’re lightweight, beautiful, loud and don’t ring when you hit rough pavement or technical trails.
For a more classic look and sound, look no further than Crane bells. We love these because of their flexible mounting setup and even LOUDER call than the Spurcycle.