I bought a used frame (ebay) and built it up part by part. New framesets are typically so overpriced relative to buying the complete bike that it makes more sense to buy the bike and swap out some parts (selling the unused parts to recoup some of the $$$).

For example, a P5 Six frameset is $7,000, while a complete bike (Dura Ace and HED carbon wheels) is $8,500.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Buy a leftover (two year?) bicycle and strip off the part(s) you don't need/want is one way to save bucks. Buying used can be even less expensive.

Where is it that cheap? P5 DA wih Hed is 11,000 us.

I think it depends. Generally a complete bike will be a better deal. But...

If you can find a new, old stock frame it can be cheaper to build up the bike. I built up an Argon E-112 bike for my wife by scouring the internet for a 2014 frame when the 2015 where available. Then scoured the ST classifieds, ebay, and UK shops for the parts. Was able to build it up with mostly new components (drive train mostly 6800), and a powertap wheelset for ~$2k. So if you're willing to wait, search a lot, and be patient then building up can make a lot of sense.

But again, it just depends.

I have bought about 1/2 my bikes as bare frames. As I get older, slightly less poor and tired or the hassles of building bikes, more of my bikes are complete bikes, unless there are specific things I want on a bike. Often I will just buy a complete bike and swap out parts as tickles my fancy. The other parts go in the pile of bits. When I have enough bits, I make up a bike and most of the time, give it away to a friend or whatever.


There is a certain joy and pride to be gained from building a bike from the frame up, but these days I need a good reason

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

 https://www.racycles.com/...i-xduraace-bike-7910

Note: That's with mech DA (not Di2).

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Built up my current road, MTB and tri bikes from bare framesets. Only bike I own that I got as a complete is my CX/gravel bike.

I learned a ton about equipment setup/tuning/tweaks by building them up myself, plus I got to spec/source all the components I wanted vs the stock build from the manufacturers.

Oh ok. Cervelo site doesn't show mech with hed. Gotcha.

Off the top of my head, over the past 5 years.

Bike purchase (new)
Cx-Commuter
Cx-Commuter
Enduro mtb

Framesets (new)
Road bike
Tri bike
Carbon hardtail mtb
Alum singlespeed mtb

I'd suggest this as a poll question to a moderator rather than depending on thread answers.

But I've done both.

Dura Ace Di2 is $11,000. Mechanical Dura Ace is $8500

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I've done both. Bought a frame on ebay and parts from previous bike and built up with st classifieds. I also bought a brand new trek speed concept super cheap from a store brand new. Crazy good deal and couldn't pass it up.

I think the best way to get a bike is frame and st classifieds, unless you can find a new old stock bike and save hundreds or thousands, especially with having the warranty.

I enjoy the challenge of building my own bike from a frame. If you do enough searching you can usually buy a new frame or near-new frame at a very reasonable price and add components, wheels etc from an online bike shop. You need to learn along the way but it is not rocket science. There is always advice and help to be obtained from Dr Google.

What you end up with is a bike with all of the components you desire and a sense of pride in knowing you built it. When you want to replace it, sell it online at a sensible price and do it all again.

you can get amazing deals - I bought a 12 year old KM40 650 wheels with completely new 9 speed DA for >1000 US

whilst not completely current i.e. 11 speed - its still a good deal and parts can be stripped and reused for another frame

TT bike was built from frameset and parts. My race bike is a P3C with Hed Jet 9 and Renn 555 disc, Quarq Riken on 165mm carbon cranks, Speedplay Zero with bespoke spindle lengths, Spesh Sitero, Tririg Omega front brake, Tririg Sigma stem and Felt Devox Bayonet ultra low stack carbon bars. Tell me where I can buy that as a complete bike!!

With tongue in cheek a little bit, I think the point is that going the frame + parts route you can completely customize and optimize your bike. Normal to buy race wheels, saddle and pedals post sale anyway I guess, so maybe less of an issue with a superbike with integrated front end. But for me it made loads more sense.

That said, I bought my road bike as a complete unit (it is only for training anyway!) and have only ever replaced parts as I've needed to through failure. And I just bought a hardtail MTB as a complete bike too.

Recently bought a Cervelo S3 Frame (Brief build report on my blog - http://thomaswhatley.wordpress.com)

Mostly because the spec options for normal purchase weren't what I wanted, and I also had other parts ready to go like a p2m etc.

Ended up building a Di2 bike, with internal battery and dura ace wheels for cheaper than the normal spec di2 bike off the shelf.

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http://www.twhatley.com

I've done both.

It's cheaper to buy new bike all together than to buy new parts separate and build it myself.

I've also purchased a used bike with all of it's pieces in the box, then picked and choosed exaclty which parts I wanted on the bike from the multitude of parts I had laying around.

I've heard of people going to bikesdirect.com and buying a bike just for the components. They just strip it down and sell the frame so they can use the parts on another bike.

jaretj

I've done both. Full bike when I bought my TT bikes but both road bikes I got great deals on new, old stock framesets from LBS and bought the rest online.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

Bought my first bike from an LBS, second bike used but complete, and then built my last 4 bikes (sold 2) with frames from eBay/craigslist.

Each of my current bikes (Raleigh RXC Pro and S Works Transition) cost me $1400 and $2100 respectively, both built up with Ultegra Di2. RXC Pro would have cost ~$5500 from a shop/online and the S Works would have been ~$8500. I bought both these frames on eBay for about $500 each and pieced the rest together from Competitive Cyclist and eBay.

 

Years ago I bought a Softride TT7 frame and built it up myself. I enjoyed the experience.

But every bike I have bought since then has been off the show room floor. Later on I upgrade parts myself as needed or desired.

.

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Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Both.

But I won't buy a bike without available comparative wind tunnel data.

Your bikes look cool but are they fast? If you say they are then you should provide proof.

Performance is the #1 thing I buy in a bike, then I worry about if it's built up or not.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Bought a two year old frame on a bike store selloff (4 hr road trip away).
Then watched as my local bike store put the new model on sale, which by the time I had finished outfitting mine (with some leftovers from another bike and some new carefully sourced parts, yeah right) was about the same price.

Won't do that again :0)

Ive done both- first 2 were complete bikes, but the most recent (road) bike was built up with a used frame
If I were buying new, Id go for a complete bike since its usually a better deal but building a bike is pretty fun & not very difficult

Complete bike is cheaper, if you are happy with the components. If you plan on changing components, them better to custom build to your specs. I prefer to custom build, but you can find old stock complete bikes that are on sale for great prices.