For fellow slow-twitchers who have built up a bike from scratch – frame, then individual components – would you do it again? How did the cost compare against a pre-built bike? I’m assuming it would be more expensive.
Yes, I just finished building my 2nd scratch bike. Expense depends on how you do it. I took my time and watched for sales and slowly bought all the components. I know I could not have bought the exact same bike for the money I spent. BUt if you want to do it really fast, and buy everything in one spot, then yes it will probably be more expensive than buying a prebuilt bike.
Why do I do my own? Because so far I have not seen a bike spec’d just the way I wanted and this way I get the ability to build it my way without buying ti and then changing stuff out, which would cost me more in the long run.
Just my .02
Mike
Argon 18 bike with a Dura Ace/FSA carbon mix.
Yep…built my mountain bike from the ground up…including lacing the wheels. I’d do it again in a second - there’s no better way to learn the in’s and out’s of bike assembly/disassembly/maintenance than to see how everything goes together. I’m also about 80% done building a new TT bike for my wife - also from the frame up, although I won’t be lacing any wheels this time. Being as how I haven’t yet won the lottery, I’ve been accumulating the necessary parts slowly as sales come along and I figure I’ve saved quite a bit, although I haven’t totalled up the actual cost and figured out the real $$ saved yet. It’ll be spec’ed to her liking, and it’s a fun project as well. Of course, I’ll leave the final fitting/adjustments to a properly-trained expert when it’s done. Now, if I those backordered aero bars will just come in…
Not sure if this qualifies - I kind of built it. I was planning to buy a new bike this spring, but over the winter I started buying parts and then I got a good deal (I think) on a used Litespeed Saber with a new, full carbon OuzoPro fork. I stripped parts from another bike that I tried to build, bought some new and used parts, built what I could, considering the space and tools on hand, then took the whole thing over to my LBS. They finished the job. So I now have a Saber ($600) with C2 aerobars ($40), Thompson zero set back post ($40), Tektro brakes and levers ($35 - thanks to whoever first mentioned Chucks on this forum), Velocity Spartucus clinchers ($155), Vredestein tires ($30), Renn 575 second tubbie ($250), Hed front tubbie ($100), Sprinter tires ($40 for the pair), new Ultegra front derailleur ($50 - from LBS), SRAM cassette ($34). Plus the other parts I had. $1374 I sold my old bike and other parts for about $1000. It makes me feel like it’s my own personal bike, if that makes sense. Now, I’m considering whether or not to do it with a road frame. A friend has asked me if I’m interested in a three year old Mercxx frame that belonged to a former pro who gave it to him last year, it’s too big for him.
If you buy smart (ebay) & know what you are doing, there is no better way to do it. I consistently buy & build my own bikes, usually at about 60-80% savings, if not more.
Rember though that bikes are like cars–the parts can be worth more than the whole vehicle. I paid for my last 2-3 bike by carefully buying full bikes on ebay, and then selling the parts—keeping what I wanted. If you ride an odd size, then there are plenty of opportunities on ebay, but I wouldn’t recommend this route unless you know exactly what size you ride in each particular model.
There are great deals on ebay but if you order individual components the shipping costs can really add up. Road bikes sometimes go so cheap that you might be better off buying a second complete bike just for the parts.
Over the years, I have built up (for myself and for others) at least 10 custom road and mountain bikes. All were bought as a frame and fork. On a few, I built up the wheels, on others I bought pre-built wheels (from Colorado Cyclist, from J-Disc, from Zipp, or from other shops).
It takes some time to do, but I would DEFINITELY do it again (I am building up a bike right now). Actually, it is not always more expensive. If you buy some parts and some frames occasionally on closeout, you can easily beat the prices of high-end Dura-Ace or XT equipped bikes.
The main reason to do it is getting exactly what you need. (For example, a pre-built Cervelo P2K with Dura-Ace and Zipp 404 wheels is simply not available from Cervelo at any price.) Another important reason is fit: getting the seat you need, the seat post with the correct setback, getting exactly the right length stem and bar size, and getting exactly the right length cranks (I use long ones for triathlon racing and training).
It is also a great way to learn about how these machines really work. After doing this a few times, you might even end up with more knowledge than a lot of folks who work at bike shops!
Built my last two from scratch. Not sure I will go back to the pre-built bikes again - I love being able to spec each component.
I’ve built …oh lets count…about 10 bikes from the ground up. They include a Cervelo, Kestrel, Cannondale (x3), Zipp (x3), Softride and a custom Tiemeyer. I’ve only ever bought 1 bike that was built by a bike shop. It was my first bike after starting tri’s about 14 years ago. It was a Trek 2300. Since then, they are ALL MINE!! No body works on my bikes but ME!!! Except when I go to the LBS for a fitting.
I buy each component separately. I never buy a “groupo”, they are way too expensive. I had my Trek 2300 for about 8 years and sold it for more then I paid for it ($850). I guess I can hazard a guess that all my bikes are worth more then what I paid for them. Except maybe the Softride, the frame costs a fortune (its the Softride SE7).
Do you all seat crown races yourselves? I have built up two bikes but that is the one part I was always afraid to do myself and took to a mechanic. I don’t have a press and the only other way I could think of to do it was with a rubber mallet. That seemed like a good way to mess up a frame or at least a headtube.
Do you all seat crown races yourselves?
They still make frames like that? I have not had to do that for 8 years.
Used a rubber mallet and block of wood at the shop I used to work at. Put it in the freeze first to make it even easier.
There are two “home mechanic” ways to press in headset cups:
(1) Block of wood and a hammer. This method is not for the faint of heart, especially on a new superlight aluminum frame.
(2) Homemade headset press, cost about $10. You’ll need about two feet of 3/4" threaded rod, 2 stout washers and 2 nuts. Works almost as good as the real thing for about 1/20th the price.
For extracting cups, it’s worth buying the “offical” tool (about $20).
Is there a GOOD home mechanic method / tool of installing the lower race on a convetional road fork or on a typical MTB suspension fork? A method that will reliably install the race on STRAIGHT. Thanks.
Depending on what you’re building and why, it certainly can be more expensive - but if you’re spec’ing the ultimate lightweight race machine or just an around town beater, you can save money by not buying a complete bike/gruppo.
I saved a ton of cash by building my fixie by myself, mostly out of spare parts I had kicking around. It was fun, too.
I just use a spare section of pipe, and keep slamming it down on the race until it bottoms out. Take your crown race to the hardware store and find a short section of steel pipe with a diameter that matches what you need. the heavier the better. Voila! - 99 cent crown race setter.