diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 0541be17..8456fa5d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ### Version 1.1.0
 * adds Ribbon integration
+* exponential backoff customizable via Retryer.Default ctor
 
 ### Version 1.0.0
 
diff --git a/feign-core/src/main/java/feign/Retryer.java b/feign-core/src/main/java/feign/Retryer.java
index 832f4137..a18cd421 100644
--- a/feign-core/src/main/java/feign/Retryer.java
+++ b/feign-core/src/main/java/feign/Retryer.java
@@ -37,19 +37,27 @@ public interface Retryer {
   void continueOrPropagate(RetryableException e);
 
   public static class Default implements Retryer {
-    private final int maxAttempts = 5;
-    private final long period = MILLISECONDS.toNanos(50);
-    private final long maxPeriod = SECONDS.toNanos(1);
 
-    // visible for testing;
-    Ticker ticker = Ticker.systemTicker();
-    int attempt;
-    long sleptForNanos;
+    private final int maxAttempts;
+    private final long period;
+    private final long maxPeriod;
 
     public Default() {
+      this(MILLISECONDS.toNanos(100), SECONDS.toNanos(1), 5);
+    }
+
+    public Default(long period, long maxPeriod, int maxAttempts) {
+      this.period = period;
+      this.maxPeriod = maxPeriod;
+      this.maxAttempts = maxAttempts;
       this.attempt = 1;
     }
 
+    // visible for testing;
+    Ticker ticker = Ticker.systemTicker();
+    int attempt;
+    long sleptForNanos;
+
     public void continueOrPropagate(RetryableException e) {
       if (attempt++ >= maxAttempts)
         throw e;
diff --git a/feign-core/src/test/java/feign/DefaultRetryerTest.java b/feign-core/src/test/java/feign/DefaultRetryerTest.java
index 57cd1b73..c36cca6d 100644
--- a/feign-core/src/test/java/feign/DefaultRetryerTest.java
+++ b/feign-core/src/test/java/feign/DefaultRetryerTest.java
@@ -37,19 +37,19 @@ public class DefaultRetryerTest {
 
     retryer.continueOrPropagate(e);
     assertEquals(retryer.attempt, 2);
-    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 75000000);
+    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 150000000);
 
     retryer.continueOrPropagate(e);
     assertEquals(retryer.attempt, 3);
-    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 187500000);
+    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 375000000);
 
     retryer.continueOrPropagate(e);
     assertEquals(retryer.attempt, 4);
-    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 356250000);
+    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 712500000);
 
     retryer.continueOrPropagate(e);
     assertEquals(retryer.attempt, 5);
-    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 609375000);
+    assertEquals(retryer.sleptForNanos, 1218750000);
 
     retryer.continueOrPropagate(e);
     // fail