


noob looking for advice
I’m not really sure how to fully articulate this but I will try. I recently discovered the world of alt biking/custom bikes etc and I am obsessed.
The only problem is, I know nothing about bikes, customising, buying etc and want any advice from those who’ve tried.
I just wanted some advice and maybe pointing in the right direction to begin my journey, I feel it’s difficult to know exactly what I want or how to start.
For starters, I used to ride bikes all the time growing up. I’m now 29M, around 186cm, and recently moved to Spain (Cataluña). I really want to have some kind of project to do as I’ve kind of lost myself in the corporate world and feel as though I need something to ground me and help me escape. I loved cycling, and I love this idea of building a bike from the ground up, however it is intimidating as I’m not really sure how to start. And I want it to feel super crisp and smooth.
The style/purpose/type of bike or its use:
I essentially want something I can cycle on roads but with the comfort to handle gravel/slightly rougher tracks. I want the ride to be chill and comfy but also kinda fast if needed. I don’t want suspension. I would use it initially to cycle between local villages, cruising around the local town on the coast, and essentially just something super fun. I later do fancy the idea of adventure biking and customising the bike with pack stuff, nothing crazy serious, at most maybe 1 day trip, but enough that the bike can handle some rougher terrain. I really like the aesthetic of cycling between towns/villages and using it for that sort of thing, and maybe taking it on road trips to the north of Spain and using it there. The aesthetic/style I like are attached as pics, I’m also curious how people manage to essentially choose one style/colour scheme, as I see so many people’s bikes and I’m just amazed at their creativity and personality.
I tried looking on Wallapop (spains Facebook marketplace) and also on Google to find local bike stores, but it seems the bike stores look more like pro athelete 5-10k € road bike places which doesn’t fit my vibe of chill fun adventure that im after. Does anyone have any purchasing advice or ideas of where to begin? Also if so, what sort of bike/frame etc should I be going for?
Is there a couple brands or is it like ‘anything’ works as long as it fits certain criteria?