The Alchemy Bicycles experience center in Golden, Colorado houses all the trappings of a much bigger bicycle manufacturer. There’s the CNC machine, welding stations, a carbon-cutting room, and a dedicated paint room. Alchemy can, and does, build just about everything in-house. But what’s more noticeable about the experience center is just how quiet it can be.
Check out the Alchemy Arktos by clicking here!
That’s by design. While the manufacturing facility sits behind a big, glass garage door, largely blocking sound from the building side, the showroom feels relaxing. Bikes gleam in the sunshine streaming through the big windows. The coffee bar stands at the ready to offer any visitors a cup, whether you’re there to buy a bike or just to hang out.
It’s all part of a larger process, planned to give Alchemy a unique approach to bicycle building and purchase. And it’s something Alchemy’s founder, Ryan Cannizzaro, has had built into his business plan from the start.
Alchemy Bicycles: the perfect bike for the rider
Alchemy Bicycles has a lot of control over itself. For a small company, its facility looks a lot like manufacturing settings common at much larger brands. Cannizzaro realized over the course of his time at the helm that control over the manufacturing process meant more control over the quality of the finished product.
That’s generally a cost-prohibitive step to take for a small brand, but Cannizzaro committed to it. Now, Alchemy Bicycles has the capability to weld its titanium frames on-site and cut and lay carbon for some of its bikes right in its facility in Golden.
Cannizzaro and his team also invested in 3D printing. That allows Alchemy Bicycles to prototype entire frames right in-house and test them quickly on the trails just outside the building’s front door.
That’s only the start, of course. Once the bikes are designed and built not only with performance in mind, but also versatility, it’s time to ensure that the rider gets exactly what they need, every time.
The Experience Center in Golden helps facilitate that process. Customers can come into the center to speak directly with Alchemy Bicycles representatives who will guide them through the process of choosing the right bike. Custom geometry is possible on many bikes, though a wide array of standard sizes are also available. From start to finish, Alchemy Bicycles reps help the rider hone down every bit of the build, from geometry to components.
As a final custom touch, Alchemy Bicycles has its own paint facility on site. Riders can choose from a wide array of colors and combinations. And Alchemy also recently invested in Cerakote ceramic coatings that give a durable and lightweight finish to the bikes.
Versatility on tap
Much of Alchemy Bicycles’ true service to the rider happens before the bike even has a physical form. Cannizzaro and his team design each bike with versatility in mind, steering the ship quickly as trends in bike design change. That’s yet another advantage of controlling a big chunk of the manufacturing process in-house: changes happen quickly, and Alchemy can in turn react quickly.
But outside forces don’t control all aspects of design. The Alchemy Arktos, for example, was created with cost-effectiveness in mind, yet it did not discount performance in that pursuit. By allowing three different travel configurations, the rider can essentially get three (or more) bikes in one. Alchemy sells conversion kits that include a fork and shock, and the bike itself features a chip flip to slightly change the geometry. A downcountry, trail, and enduro bike can all live in your garage while taking up just one hook.
Small, attentive, purposeful
The overall sense one gets by stepping into the Alchemy Bicycles facility in Golden is one of extreme care. It’s not busy, it’s not loud. Every movement by every employee seems purposeful. No one appears to be rushing, yet all processes move along swiftly as intended. Customers are greeted at the door. Coffee gets poured. Music plays low. While the showroom itself sparkles in its newness, the overwhelming sense of comfort and ease makes the place feel almost homey. You belong here.
Standing sentinel on either side of the garage door that leads to the manufacturing floor are two finished Alchemy bikes — a gravel bike on one side and a mountain bike on the other. Their gleaming paint and sleek lines give each potential customer a sign of what’s to come for them. They build the excitement. These are not yours. Yours are still potential energy. Yours are still parts beyond the garage door. But soon, soon, your bike will gleam, too. Then it will beg to get dirty, and you will undoubtedly oblige.
That’s what Alchemy Bicycles is up to with its experience center. It’s a place to gather and appreciate the high art that is the bicycle. But more than that, it is a comfortable place for you to meet your next bike, explore its intricacies, and see the place where it will be born. It will be yours not just because you paid for it, but because you had a hand in making it. Alchemy Bicycles provides the hard, concrete steps. But it’s your vision being created, just beyond the garage door.
