I wanted to share my recent experience purchasing a custom Parlee bike through Ari Bronsztein at Bespoke Cycles. While the bike itself is amazing, the business side of the transaction has been a nightmare.

The Issue: A $1,693.54 Overcharge

We agreed on a price based on the manufacturer’s website ($13,490 + tax), totaling $14,654.19. However, when I picked up the bike in late November, I was charged $16,347.73. He charged my card and emailed me a receipt.

The Timeline:

• Nov 25: Ari acknowledged the overcharge via text and promised a credit to my card.
• Dec 6–16: Followed up multiple times. He kept saying it would be processed "in a day or two."
• Dec 18: He pivoted and asked for my address to mail a check instead. I provided it immediately.
• Jan 2026 – Present: Absolute silence. He has stopped responding to all texts and calls, and no check ever arrived.

Quality Control Issues:

To make matters worse, the bike was delivered with a loose binder bolt, so the seat post slipped down during a ride, and improperly set up brakes that gave me zero front braking on second ride, and a misaligned front derailleur. I had to take it to another shop and pay out of pocket to make the bike safe to ride.

Current Status:

I have a pending dispute with Citi and have filed a formal complaint with the BBB.

If you’re looking for a high-end build, be extremely careful with Bespoke Cycles. The communication was good until they had my money, at which point I was overcharged by nearly $1,700 and completely ghosted.