diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b6c86c77..accf4970 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ Path-based routing:
 ; #Match{:template "/api/user/:id"
 ;        :meta {:name :user/user}
 ;        :path "/api/user/1"
+;        :handler nil
 ;        :params {:id "1"}}
 ```
 
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ Oh, that didn't work, retry:
 ; #Match{:template "/api/user/:id"
 ;        :meta {:name :user/user}
 ;        :path "/api/user/1"
+;        :handler nil
 ;        :params {:id "1"}}
 ```
 
@@ -164,10 +166,13 @@ Path-based routing:
 ;               :middleware [:api-mw :admin-mw]
 ;               :roles #{:root}}
 ;        :path "/api/admin/root"
+;        :handler nil
 ;        :params {}}
 ```
 
-Route meta-data is just data and the actual interpretation is left to the application. `Router` will get more options in the future to do things like [`clojure.spec`](https://clojure.org/about/spec) validation and custom route compilation (into into [Ring](https://github.com/ring-clojure/ring)-handlers or [Pedestal](pedestal.io)-style interceptors). See [Open issues](https://github.com/metosin/reitit/issues/).
+Route meta-data is just data and the actual interpretation is left to the application. Custom coercion and route compilation can be defined via router options enabling things like [`clojure.spec`](https://clojure.org/about/spec) validation for route-meta data and pre-compiled route handlers ([Ring](https://github.com/ring-clojure/ring)-handlers or [Pedestal](pedestal.io)-style interceptors).
+
+**TODO**: examples / implementations of different kind of routers. See [Open issues](https://github.com/metosin/reitit/issues/).
 
 ## Special thanks
 
diff --git a/perf-test/clj/reitit/perf_test.clj b/perf-test/clj/reitit/perf_test.clj
index 0ae01ce1..abf917ab 100644
--- a/perf-test/clj/reitit/perf_test.clj
+++ b/perf-test/clj/reitit/perf_test.clj
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 
   ;; 2.4µs (-84%)
   (title "pedestal - map-tree => prefix-tree")
-  (let [call #(pedestal/find-route pedestal-routes {:path-info "/workspace/1/1" :request-method :get})]
+  (let [call #(pedestal/find-route pedestal-router {:path-info "/workspace/1/1" :request-method :get})]
     (assert (call))
     (cc/quick-bench
       (call)))
diff --git a/src/reitit/core.cljc b/src/reitit/core.cljc
index 2021af29..2ef79975 100644
--- a/src/reitit/core.cljc
+++ b/src/reitit/core.cljc
@@ -55,18 +55,25 @@
       (meta-merge acc {k v}))
     {} x))
 
-(defn resolve-routes [data {:keys [coerce] :or {coerce identity} :as opts}]
-  (->> (walk data opts)
-       (map-meta merge-meta)
-       (mapv (partial coerce))
-       (filterv identity)))
+(defn resolve-routes [data {:keys [coerce] :as opts}]
+  (cond-> (->> (walk data opts)
+               (map-meta merge-meta))
+          coerce (->> (mapv (partial coerce))
+                      (filterv identity))))
+
+(defn compile-route [compile [p m :as route]]
+  [p m (if compile (compile route))])
 
 (defprotocol Routing
   (routes [this])
   (match-by-path [this path])
   (match-by-name [this name] [this name parameters]))
 
-(defrecord Match [template meta path params])
+(defrecord Match [template meta path handler params])
+
+(def default-router-options
+  {:coerce identity
+   :compile (comp :handler second)})
 
 (defrecord LinearRouter [routes data lookup]
   Routing
@@ -76,23 +83,29 @@
     (reduce
       (fn [acc ^Route route]
         (if-let [params ((:matcher route) path)]
-          (reduced (->Match (:path route) (:meta route) path params))))
+          (reduced (->Match (:path route) (:meta route) path (:handler route) params))))
       nil data))
   (match-by-name [_ name]
     ((lookup name) nil))
   (match-by-name [_ name params]
     ((lookup name) params)))
 
-(defn linear-router [routes]
-  (->LinearRouter
-    routes
-    (mapv (partial apply impl/create) routes)
-    (->> (for [[p {:keys [name] :as meta}] routes
-               :when name
-               :let [route (impl/create p meta)]]
-           [name (fn [params]
-                   (->Match p meta (impl/path-for route params) params))])
-         (into {}))))
+(defn linear-router
+  "Creates a [[LinearRouter]] from routes and optional options.
+  See [[router]] for available options"
+  ([routes]
+   (linear-router routes {}))
+  ([routes opts]
+   (let [{:keys [compile]} (meta-merge default-router-options opts)
+         compiled (map (partial compile-route compile) routes)
+         [data lookup] (reduce
+                         (fn [[data lookup] [p {:keys [name] :as meta} handler]]
+                           (let [route (impl/create [p meta handler])]
+                             [(conj data route)
+                              (if name
+                                (assoc lookup name #(->Match p meta (impl/path-for route %) handler %))
+                                lookup)])) [[] {}] compiled)]
+     (->LinearRouter routes data lookup))))
 
 (defrecord LookupRouter [routes data lookup]
   Routing
@@ -105,28 +118,44 @@
   (match-by-name [_ name params]
     ((lookup name) params)))
 
-(defn lookup-router [routes]
-  (when-let [route (some impl/contains-wilds? (map first routes))]
-    (throw
-      (ex-info
-        (str "can't create LookupRouter with wildcard routes: " route)
-        {:route route
-         :routes routes})))
-  (->LookupRouter
-    routes
-    (->> (for [[p meta] routes]
-           [p (->Match p meta p {})])
-         (into {}))
-    (->> (for [[p {:keys [name] :as meta}] routes
-               :when name]
-           [name (fn [params]
-                   (->Match p meta p params))])
-         (into {}))))
+(defn lookup-router
+  "Creates a [[LookupRouter]] from routes and optional options.
+  See [[router]] for available options"
+  ([routes]
+   (lookup-router routes {}))
+  ([routes opts]
+   (when-let [route (some impl/contains-wilds? (map first routes))]
+     (throw
+       (ex-info
+         (str "can't create LookupRouter with wildcard routes: " route)
+         {:route route
+          :routes routes})))
+   (let [{:keys [compile]} (meta-merge default-router-options opts)
+         compiled (map (partial compile-route compile) routes)
+         [data lookup] (reduce
+                         (fn [[data lookup] [p {:keys [name] :as meta} handler]]
+                           [(assoc data p (->Match p meta p handler {}))
+                            (if name
+                              (assoc lookup name #(->Match p meta p handler %))
+                              lookup)]) [{} {}] compiled)]
+     (->LookupRouter routes data lookup))))
 
 (defn router
+  "Create a [[Router]] from raw route data and optionally an options map.
+  If routes contain wildcards, a [[LinearRouter]] is used, otherwise a
+  [[LookupRouter]]. The following options are available:
+
+  | keys       | description |
+  | -----------|-------------|
+  | `:path`    | Base-path for routes (default `\"\"`)
+  | `:routes`  | Initial resolved routes (default `[]`)
+  | `:meta`    | Initial expanded route-meta vector (default `[]`)
+  | `:expand`  | Function `arg => meta` to expand route arg to route meta-data (default `reitit.core/expand`)
+  | `:coerce`  | Function `[path meta] => [path meta]` to coerce resolved route, can throw or return `nil` (default `identity`)
+  | `:compile` | Function `[path meta] => handler` to compile a route handler (default `(comp :handler second)`)"
   ([data]
    (router data {}))
   ([data opts]
    (let [routes (resolve-routes data opts)]
      ((if (some impl/contains-wilds? (map first routes))
-        linear-router lookup-router) routes))))
+        linear-router lookup-router) routes opts))))
diff --git a/src/reitit/impl.cljc b/src/reitit/impl.cljc
index 5114ae61..38fb5577 100644
--- a/src/reitit/impl.cljc
+++ b/src/reitit/impl.cljc
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 ;
 ; You must not remove this notice, or any other, from this software.
 
-(ns reitit.impl
+(ns ^:no-doc reitit.impl
   (:require [clojure.string :as str]
             [clojure.set :as set])
   (:import #?(:clj (java.util.regex Pattern))))
@@ -101,14 +101,15 @@
 ;; Routing (c) Metosin
 ;;
 
-(defrecord Route [path matcher parts params meta])
+(defrecord Route [path matcher parts params meta handler])
 
-(defn create [path meta]
+(defn create [[path meta handler]]
   (if (contains-wilds? path)
     (as-> (parse-path path) $
           (assoc $ :path-re (path-regex $))
           (merge $ {:path path
                     :matcher (path-matcher $)
+                    :handler handler
                     :meta meta})
           (dissoc $ :path-re :path-constraints)
           (update $ :path-params set)
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@
           (map->Route $))
     (map->Route {:path path
                  :meta meta
-                 :matcher #(if (= path %) {})})))
+                 :matcher #(if (= path %) {})
+                 :handler handler})))
 
 (defn path-for [^Route route params]
   (when-not (every? #(contains? params %) (:params route))
diff --git a/test/cljc/reitit/core_test.cljc b/test/cljc/reitit/core_test.cljc
index e00cf429..2da36f71 100644
--- a/test/cljc/reitit/core_test.cljc
+++ b/test/cljc/reitit/core_test.cljc
@@ -55,25 +55,44 @@
                 (reitit/resolve-routes
                   ["/api/:version/ping"] {})))))))
 
-  (testing "route coercion"
-    (let [coerce (fn [[path meta]]
-                   (if-not (:invalid? meta)
-                     [path (assoc meta :path path)]))
-          router (reitit/router
-                   ["/api" {:roles #{:admin}}
-                    ["/ping" ::ping]
-                    ["/pong" ::pong]
-                    ["/hidden" {:invalid? true}
-                     ["/utter"]
-                     ["/crap"]]]
-                   {:coerce coerce})]
-      (is (= [["/api/ping" {:name ::ping
-                            :path "/api/ping",
-                            :roles #{:admin}}]
-              ["/api/pong" {:name ::pong
-                            :path "/api/pong",
-                            :roles #{:admin}}]]
-             (reitit/routes router)))))
+  (testing "route coercion & compilation"
+    (testing "custom compile"
+      (let [compile-times (atom 0)
+            coerce (fn [[path meta]]
+                     (if-not (:invalid? meta)
+                       [path (assoc meta :path path)]))
+            compile (fn [[path meta]]
+                      (swap! compile-times inc)
+                      (constantly path))
+            router (reitit/router
+                     ["/api" {:roles #{:admin}}
+                      ["/ping" ::ping]
+                      ["/pong" ::pong]
+                      ["/hidden" {:invalid? true}
+                       ["/utter"]
+                       ["/crap"]]]
+                     {:coerce coerce
+                      :compile compile})]
+        (testing "routes are coerced"
+          (is (= [["/api/ping" {:name ::ping
+                                :path "/api/ping",
+                                :roles #{:admin}}]
+                  ["/api/pong" {:name ::pong
+                                :path "/api/pong",
+                                :roles #{:admin}}]]
+                 (reitit/routes router))))
+        (testing "route match contains compiled handler"
+          (is (= 2 @compile-times))
+          (let [{:keys [handler]} (reitit/match-by-path router "/api/pong")]
+            (is handler)
+            (is (= "/api/pong" (handler)))
+            (is (= 2 @compile-times))))))
+    (testing "default compile"
+      (let [router (reitit/router ["/ping" (constantly "ok")])]
+        (println (reitit/match-by-path router "/ping"))
+        (let [{:keys [handler]} (reitit/match-by-path router "/ping")]
+          (is handler)
+          (is (= "ok" (handler)))))))
 
   (testing "bide sample"
     (let [routes [["/auth/login" :auth/login]
@@ -107,4 +126,3 @@
                 :path "/api/user/1/2"
                 :params {:id "1", :sub-id "2"}})
              (reitit/match-by-path router "/api/user/1/2"))))))
-