baum > 
"Fit the bike to the rider, not the rider
to the bike" It's easy to say, but difficult to do. If people came in just five standard sizes the evolution of the bicycle would be complete. But we're all different, every rider is unique; and a bicycle can only improve a rider's performance if it respects their individual differences. Baum Cycles was founded to create bicycles that combine the best of modern technology and sports science with the timeless elegance of a handmade product; bikes that we will always enjoy riding. Based in Geelong, 40 mins along the coast from Melbourne, Baum Cycles have slowly but surely been carving a reputation for finely crafted steel and titanium frames - for both the road and off-road fraternity. We met Darren Baum and his business partner Peter Jones at the 2008 Eurobike show. We quickly understood how well Baum fits into the Mosquito range and were very pleased that Darren and Peter agreed. The frames are also custom built to order, expect delivery to be three months. Darren Baum trained and worked as a certified aircraft engineer and stainless steel TIG welder before becoming a frame builder. His cycling career began as an A grade rider before a car accident in 1990 sparked a long-term interest in how biomechanics and the bike's impact on a rider's core stability can be used to increase performance. Darren has been a frame builder for more than fifteen years, and has developed a unique design and construction processes that allow the size, stiffness and handling of each frame to be tuned to the precise needs of individual rider needs. BAUM QUALITY All stages of manufacturing from CAD design to tube mitring and butting to painting, are completed in-house to ensure total quality control. Baum machine their own head tubes, bottom brackets and dropouts in-house to optimise the alignment, weight and stiffness of the bike, and have developed their own processes for butting, shaping and heat-treating tubes that allow them to keep the original (and ideal) properties of the materials intact. All frames are painted in-house using a paint facility developed with PPG, the worlds leading supplier of high performance paints. Only the highest grade materials and components are selected. Darren Baum believes steel and titanium are both excellent materials for frames; they allow a wide range of tubes for customisation, do not fatigue and provide a good feel for the road or trail. Steel has a livelier feel, titanium provides more damping and yields a slightly lighter frame. Every frame comes with a lifetime guarantee: the Baum attitude is 'if it is our fault we fix it no questions asked' BAUM CUSTOMISATION Customisation means more to Baum than just the tube lengths and the angles of a frame or selecting the right materials. Darren aims for a bike that is the best balance of speed, performance and durability by building each bike as stiff as it can be without compromising ride comfort, and shaving the weight down as far as possible for the individual rider and their intentions for the bike. The only way he can do this properly is by engineering the bike around the rider: - biomechanics
the frame, cranks and handlebars have to be the right size and shape to optimise your riding position under all conditions - performance
the correct blend of stiffness for your size, weight and power output, while maintaining enough comfort for long rides and rough road surfaces; components that complement each other and the frame - ride and handling
how you want the bike to steer, how you want it to feel on the road - appearance
classic or semi-sloping geometry, a choice of colours and designs to full custom paint | 
