Cycling brand Canyon says it will now let people design their own bikes.
The new scheme, named MyCanyon, lets people choose a custom-built bike with their own design as well as choosing the fit and specific components.
The company likened it to the custom work that is done for the professional cyclists that it sponsors. But it will be offered to anyone who wants to buy it – as long as they are ready to pay the very high prices that it will ask for the new products.
The announcement comes amid a wave of technology-focused personalisation among fitness companies. Running shoe brand On, for instance, has recently highlighted its ‘LightSpray’ technology – in which a robotic arm sprays the upper part of the shoe to make custom footwear in minutes.
It will also not let people actually design the bikes themselves, saying that it had instead “taken a curated approach to artwork after carefully studying painting techniques to achieve some of the most spectacular frame designs it has ever produced”. But the bikes are hand-painted and customers can choose to have their name printed on it as if they are a professional cyclist.
For now, the custom bikes are available on Canyon Aeroad CFR, which already starts at £4,000 and goes to nearly £10,000. Cyclists will then have to pay at least $500 as an upgrade to have the bike customised.
