Q. Do you offer stock bikes?
A. Yes. We have a Baum standard geometry. If you have ridden a contemporary size and know it fits you perfectly we have a Baum stock geometry that is going to fit the same.
Q. Are there differences in geometry between models?
A. Yes, depending on the split between on and off-road riding. Tyre size. And other variables of the rider.
Q. What is “butting” and how does it affect the bike?
A. Butting is the process of making tubes thinner in the middle than they are at the ends. A butted tube is lighter than a comparable tube with consistent wall thickness (known as a straight-gauge tube). Butting can be used to make a frame lighter or to aid frame compliance if done selectively. We buy all our titanium tubing in straight gauge and do our own butting. This lets us butt more aggressively for very light riders and more conservatively for heavier or more powerful customers. It also lets us tune the feel of the frame by deciding exactly where the butts (the thicker sections of the tube) begin and end. Our steel tubing comes pre-butted from the manufacturer.
Q. What top tube slope can I have on my bike?
A. Basically any slope you prefer, however, there are limitations based on your proportions. Most of our bikes are what we call “semi-sloping”, with a slope between 4 and 6 degrees. Some customers prefer a level (traditional) top tube, others like a very compact bike. It’s entirely up to you.
Q. Which material is best for a bike? Aluminium, steel, titanium, or carbon?
A. All of these materials when designed correctly can make a beautifully riding bike. Each material has its own inherent attributes in regards to liveliness and stiffness. We choose to build with steel and titanium because we feel that these materials both offer a beautiful ride quality, tremendous durability, repairability, and a classic look that we admire.
Q. What type of steel/titanium do you use?
A. We source US Grade 9 Certified tubing for our titanium bikes. Our steel bikes are a blend of the latest steel tubes from Columbus, Reynolds, and Dedacciai. A single steel frame may consist of tubing from more than one tube supplier as we base our tube selection on each customer’s requirements.
Q. I’m a big guy and love riding. Are there weight limits on your bikes?
A. No – we design every bike we make around its rider. Whether you are 45kg or 120kg we can build a bike to suit you.
Q. Do I need a custom size?
A. Many riders come to Baum because they require a custom size. And many more can benefit from the offering. We have built our business around fitting the bike to the rider and believe that there is no better feeling than riding a bike that fits you perfectly through your local terrain. That said, standard sizes can fulfill the needs of many people. We offer a range of standard sizes – crafted around contemporary geometry – to get our ‘standard’ customers as close to a custom fit as possible.
Q. Can you match the geometry of my 10-year-old frame?
A. Yes, over the years we have amassed a database of many frames, which we can use to match the geometry of your reference bike. Alternately you can bring your frame into the factory for us to measure for you.
Q. I’m in Melbourne, can I visit your factory?
A. Certainly. Pending the state of play around Covid requirements – and assuming Covid safe protocols are followed – we would love to give you a tour of the factory. All we need is a call or email us to book a time.
Q. Can my bike be painted in my favourite colour?
A. The PPG Deltron Automotive paint we use puts around 50,000 colours at our disposal. We have chosen 30 standard colours for our bikes as we know these colours work well with our graphic schemes. If you have a special request, we’re open to discussion. See the paint and personalisation page for ideas.
Q. Can you refinish my 5-year-old Baum frame if I get tired of its look?
A. Yes, but for a fee. That is the beauty of our frames, if you feel like a change or the paint is no longer looking fresh off the spray gun, we can do a full repaint in the scheme of your choice.
Q. Do you build track frames?
A. Yes. We base our track bicycle requests on our road line-up, with modifications to suit the demands of the required discipline.
Q. Are frames numbered?
A. Each frame has its unique serial number hand-stamped into the inside of its drive-side dropout.
Q. Do you still build lugged frames?
A. As a rule, no. We are very slavishly dedicated to and considerably enamored with TIG construction.
