A bout 15 years ago, Boulder's Dean Bikes founder John Siegrist said he built an even 50/50 split of custom bikes and stock bikes. Now, Siegrist said, 95 percent of the 150-250 bikes he builds each year are custom made.

In the bike business, run-of-the-mill, status quo rides are no longer cutting it -- and local cycling manufacturers are taking note. Cyclists want something unique, built specifically for their bodies, preferred terrain and style.

They are the unsung heroes of the bike world. The guys who sit quietly behind their workbench taking a backseat to the athletes in the spotlight who perform jumps, flips and tricks. But without them the bike world wouldn’t be the same.