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Bike build where to cut corners
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Jloewe
May 27, 18 12:20
Post #1 of 12 (2036 views)
Hey everyone,

Working on a bike build. Road bike, charbon, will have custom paint job. Also looking to keep cost as LOW as possible. Looking for the best money savers. I know people will say I should buy the frame first but because of cost it will likely be last and I’m buying parts now to keep me from bailing out.

So, bike is mostly for pleasure, maybe a backup in a tight spot. Possibly looking to go 10 speed since my TT bike is 10 speed and that gives me readily available backup parts. Although I have a full, I’ll be it beat up 10 speed I keep perminantly on the trainer that’s all 105 so I do have functioning back up parts.

So those with experience? Where are the money savers? I’d like all new or near new parts so buying used is possible but would have to be barely used. Wheels should be new, I have a good saddle already, handlebars from an old bike already, and a stem that should fit or at least be good enough for a short day.
I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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carlosflanders
May 27, 18 12:42
Post #2 of 12 (2001 views)
Get a used Dura Ace 7800 crank. Weight and performance are great and the chainrings are way cheaper than 4 bolt. You can get excellent quality looks or Shimano pedals for very little also. SRAM Rival everything else works very well. Nothing wrong with 105 but it's a bit heavier and clunkier. Only thing I would upgrade are the brakes.

Build your own wheels. The XR31T wheelbuild kit from bikehubstore is astounding value and can compete in any race.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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brider
May 28, 18 7:20
Post #3 of 12 (1736 views)
Since you don't have the frame and don't know what it will be, then hold off with the cranks. The frame's BB "standard" will determine largely which cranks and BB you'll need to get. Also, brakes -- direct mount anything? So the rest of the drivetrain and wheels will be fairly universal. 105 is the bang-for-buck favorite hands-down.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Grill
May 28, 18 7:59
Post #4 of 12 (1692 views)
Skip the paint job. I've a had a couple and they cost a stupid amount for a decent job.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Grill] [ In reply to ]
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rruff
May 28, 18 8:32
Post #5 of 12 (1660 views)
Grill wrote:
Skip the paint job. I've a had a couple and they cost a stupid amount for a decent job.

^^^^ Custom paint and cutting corners do not go together.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Big Endian
May 28, 18 9:15
Post #6 of 12 (1622 views)
If you are on a budget then buy an off the rack bike that has at least 90 percent of the parts you want - even better if you can find a deal where a store or online outlet is blowing out last years' models. The component group will effectively cost you 1/3 as much as it otherwise would to buy it piece by piece.

You can put on your saddle and maybe your bar/stem if you find that the ones that the bike comes with are not how you like them... going to a piecewise build because you have those three parts is not an effective way to come out ahead money-wise.
Less is more.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Big Endian] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe
May 28, 18 9:45
Post #7 of 12 (1595 views)
Big Endian wrote:
If you are on a budget then buy an off the rack bike that has at least 90 percent of the parts you want - even better if you can find a deal where a store or online outlet is blowing out last years' models. The component group will effectively cost you 1/3 as much as it otherwise would to buy it piece by piece.

You can put on your saddle and maybe your bar/stem if you find that the ones that the bike comes with are not how you like them... going to a piecewise build because you have those three parts is not an effective way to come out ahead money-wise.

It’s not necessarily about the budget. It’s getting a super sexy bad ass Charbon that I had the pleasure to build myself. I could find a Nashbar style bike with 105 for about $1k or so. But for that same 1k give or take I could get a velobuild with some cool konji or zombie faces.

However it’s not really designed for racing. And the lower the cost the better (to an extent I don’t want some tourney equipment on their).
I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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exxxviii
May 28, 18 9:53
Post #8 of 12 (1590 views)
Jloewe wrote:
Road bike, charbon, will have custom paint job... Possibly looking to go 10 speed...I’d like all new or near new parts...Wheels should be new...I have saddle...handlebars...stem.
Your frame is, almost literally, the only thing to save money or cut corners on. You have pretty much spec'd out every other part on the bike.

Unless you avoid stupid, you won't be able to save that much money on wheels. There are many good and inexpensive new options out there, and the room for incremental savings is small.

If you go 10 speed, then you could find NOS Ultegra or 105 or current Tiagra. I suspect that they will not be too far apart in cost. I would get NOS 105 or Ultegra, depending on the cost differential. That covers your RD, FD, crankset, brakes, and brake levers. You just need a cheap seatpost to complete the bike.

So, you could save hundreds on the frame. The rest, you might save tens.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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jaretj
May 28, 18 10:17
Post #9 of 12 (1564 views)
Shimano Tiagra. I built up a bike for a friend with 10 speed Tiagra and it works great.

Aluminum seatpost, stem and bars
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Big Endian
May 28, 18 10:42
Post #10 of 12 (1541 views)
Get your charbon, then find a complete bike that has the component spec you want. Pull off all the parts and then sell the frame on to someone... or just throw it away. Chances are you'll still come out ahead compared to buying parts separately.

Another way to do it is to get a complete component group set from a Taiwan or HK based OEM reseller. Just don't expect any help should those parts not fit or work for any reason; and it will probably still not be as cheap as buying your parts as part of a complete bike, especially because the wheels will not be part of that group set.
Less is more.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir
May 28, 18 11:50
Post #11 of 12 (1502 views)
I believe your only real option for curren-gen 10 Spd is Shimano Tiagra.

105-DA current-gen is 11 spd, and I couldn't find 10sp 105 anymore last year when I redid my bike drivetrains.

The good news is that Shimano Tiagra is nearly indistinguishable from 105 anymore and it works great.
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Re: Bike build where to cut corners [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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iron_mike
May 28, 18 12:15
Post #12 of 12 (1476 views)
generally i'm happy to save money on levers, calipers, and front derailleur. i splurge on wheels and rear derailleur.
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