But for experienced and advanced cyclists, who regularly and constantly cycle as a hobby or for health benefits, finding one from a bike shop is not the only option. An alternative is to have it assembled at a bike workshop or assemble it themselves. Why?

Irwan (not his real name), an executive of a Jakarta-based IT company, has been commuting to work by bike for 10 years. He says, “Initially I purchased a bike from a bike shop because I wanted to ride it soon, but after having gained extensive cycling experience and frequently hanging out with my friends from a bike community that I joined, I prefer a ‘custom bicycle’ that suits my needs.”

“When I buy one from a bike shop, I have no choice of components, material and color, for example,” the 38-year-old told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The bike touring enthusiast who lives in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, and cycles to his office on Jl. Sudirman, Jakarta, disclosed that he once had a bad riding experience as his bike frame was broken when climbing a steep road on his way to Purwokerto, Central Java.

“Actually, my friend, an experienced and knowledgeable cyclist, had advised me to replace the frame with another one whose material is strong to carry loads for long-distance touring in all road conditions,” he said.

“He told me that not all road bikes were capable of carrying heavy loads during long distance touring. If I followed his advice, I would not have had the incident,” he recalled. 

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