On a warm June morning, Paul Levine is sitting in a leather club chair in his New York office, interviewing a client about his goals. Levine is wearing a pressed, short-sleeve, button-down shirt; neat shorts; and a focused look. He takes notes with a Montblanc Starwalker. On his right wrist is an elegant Officine Panerai chronograph.

But he isn’t talking to his client about equities or real estate or even psychological issues. Levine is a bicycle fitter.

He is the proprietor of Signature Cycles, an elite bike retailer with locations in New York City and Central Valley, New York. This isn’t the kind of bike shop that you just you walk into, pick out a model, and wheel it out. At Signature, bicycles are displayed like museum sculptures, and most of what’s in the 2,500-square-foot studio are just samples of what custom fitters might have their bike-building partners produce for you. This year, Signature will sell only about 200 bespoke bicycles, but it will tally nearly $2 million in sales. The typical bike will cost a shade more than $8,000.

In 2006, for the second year running, the number of bicycles sold in the U.S. surpassed the number of cars and light trucks—18.2 million, according to the National Association of Bicycle Dealers, compared with 16.5 million autos. The demand has extended to handmade bikes, thanks to a combination of Lance Armstrong-related hype, the rise of bespoke products in general, and a growing awareness among consumers that even if a one-off bicycle costs $10,000, it’s much cheaper than a sports car.

There are about a dozen shops like Signature around the U.S., and though many of them are new, all of them report surging interest. Parlee, a boutique bikemaker since the late 1990s, reports that its sales have doubled every year since 2002. Serotta, a Saratoga Springs, New York, company, has been in business since the late 1970s, and it expects to produce about 3,000 bikes a year, making it one of the largest custom builders in the country. Founder Ben Serotta says the average price of a build has nearly doubled in recent years. “Even $15,000 isn’t that uncommon for us anymore.”

Though Armstrong may be an inspiration for some high-end cyclists, they’re not replicating his Tour de France bike. Each bicycle is like a tailored suit; because everybody is different, what works for Lance might not work for you, even if you are in great shape. In fact, weekend warriors willing to spend the cash can ride a bike that not only fits them better than any professional’s model would, but in many cases is actually lighter and more forgiving.

For instance, not all carbon fiber is the same; it can be made to be more pliant for a ride that’s easier on your body. “We don’t have you come to the bike,” Levine says. “We measure you, your range of motion, and then we bring the bike to you.” In other words, you’ll sit more upright than Lance does, but at least that way you’ll be able to breathe a little more easily.