Scarab Cycles factory tour: Bikes made and painted in Colombia

Scarab Cycles custom builds and paints steel bikes in Retiro, Colombia, averaging six bikes per week. Founder Santiago Toro and creative director Alejandro Bustamante walked me through the process in person when I visited before the Transcordilleras bikepacking race.
Before I knew I was going to come to Colombia, Scarab's PR person had connected me with the company for a frame with which to build up the new Shimano 12spd mechanical GRX gravel group. So I went through the process of designing the custom geometry and the paint scheme from my home in Boulder, Colorado, working with Santiago and Alejandro through video calls and email.
Then, I got the opportunity to come to Colombia for Transcordilleras, which goes through Scarab's town of Retiro, so of course I had to go visit the factory.
scarabcycles.com/
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[@teunluijbregts2533]

Your story is completely true. When I ordered mine back in 2018 there were no dealers yet, or references, or anything. These guys built my bike from only a scetch, a few emails and one phone call - yet it was a great experience and my bike still fits me like a glove. Email discussions with Santiago: “Okay so starting off on a Santa Rosa disc. Tubeset? Columbus HSS cause you want stiffness. T47 cause more room for the brake hoses. Stainless brazeons cause you ride in Belgium 99% of the time.” Then Color with Alejandro: “you said nightfall? Which part of the world?” “Here’s a picture of Plaine Morte at sunset. Make mine look like that only 23 minutes after nightfall”. And pictures, me salivating and more pictures. And they delivered. Kudos guys - you ma(d)(k)e it! 👍👍👍💪😍

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Great story. Thank you for sharing.

[@dcv9460]

Scarab bikes have SOUL! 😎💯 You can feel and see the passion in the bikes that they make. AWESOME! 👍

[@neilashton9459]

Beautiful bikes and the team at Scarab are super detailed - impressive. And yours looks great Ben - but we need to see more of it!

[@JasonScottCarter]

Just started the process with them over the last week. So far is going well!

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Cool. Tell them I say hi.

[@cesarsalgado8]

Great, and congratulations for the incredible pieces you're creating. For the history of cycling in Colombia, the name is just poetry.

[@robbchastain3036]

What is this, Ben, an art appreciation video? And my only problem is now I want to buy this magnificent Colombian art. 😀

[@user-dm2bu1cx5y]

These are very nice bikes. Love the construction and the paintwork is crazy nice.

[@nofinglimit]

oh man, now i want another bike, this one!

[@rolffuchs2737]

i rode one last year in Girona. The paint job was unbelievable and the ride was great.

[@flouserfehler]

Lovely people at Scarab. Thank you for another great video ☺

[@asherbeal8357]

Gorgeous bicycles! What a passionate group of Artists! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jordihernandez3464]

SCARAB bicycles are from another world, once you try the comfort of steel you will not want to go back to brand name bicycles 🤙

[@lazlo2511]

Great that it can be recycled, so much better than a carbon which one day will land up in a landfill.

[@bobfoster687]

FANTASTIC paint job!!!

[@bykr2009]

Wow, beautiful and well made bikes. I'm going to look into them.

[@terrillford7784]

Great video Ben

[@seanmccuen6970]

nice sh-t, I'd happily own one of their bikes.

[@justinofboulder]

I need one!

[@StanEby1]

Awesome.

[@brentcollins9727]

We used to own an awesome 73 mph 29 foot Scarab offshore go fast boat. So fun!!!

[@seanmccuen6970]

sailors call call 'em stinkpots.

[@dalescott3942]

As usual amazing content! Still waiting for that full review of the scarab, what you loved, liked and would change. How would this compare to an out of the box giant or canyon? Cheers again

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Thanks. It is coming, really! What would I change! Since the geo is custom, the fit was perfect.

[@cesarsalgado8]

@@TheRidewithBenDelaney I would really like to know in that review if after 3 or 8 days racing the Transcordilleras one would need a suspension fork or not.

[@thomaskuhn6541]

Love some of the paint schemes. What are we looking at price wise for a custom gravel frame - just ball park?

[@TheRidewithBenDelaney]

$3,400 for the custom frameset and basic paint, then between $600 and $1,200 for the more elaborate paint designs.

[@edt459]

Will you be publishing a 'bike check' article detailing the Scarab Paramo that you rode? Thank you for the fascinating content!

[@mr.rodriguez3512]

Many bike frame builders call a fixture a jig. They are wrong.

[@DG-dv6ep]

❤😊