Building a Bike From Scratch

Mithra
Mithra Posts: 64
edited April 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi, I was wondering how complicated it is to build a bike completely from scratch? :) Unfortunately I'm a complete newbie to this so I have no idea :P What kind of price would you be looking at for all the parts excluding the frame, just for a basic build which I would upgrade again later? :)
Also, I don't ACTUALLY know a full list of the stuff you would need :?, It seems like sometimes one thing comes with others, and other times you have to buy stuff separately, so what are the basic things that you would need?
Any answers to any of these questions would be great, sorry for the volley of hundreds of them :P

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    it will be cheaper to buy a ready built bike.

    Cost depends on what you want to put on it.....

    what come with what? depends on what you want. Sorry not that simple.

    Why build it and then upgrade. costing you more money 2 times.

    then there is the tools.

    have a read of parktools for info on fitting parts.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • i did that. worked out a LOT cheaper then buying a new bike of the same spec but then I spent six months trawling ebay to find 2nd hand xt mechs for £3 and buying second hand tyres off mates and taking away some LBS stock for cheap. all told I spent about 350 quid on:

    juicy 3 (front) 50 CRC
    beone stelis frame can't remmeber
    mavic ceramic rims 15 quid pair LBS
    xt/lx hubs 15 quid new LBS/10 quid new ebay
    v8 pedals 10 ebay as new
    supersplice forks free from mate
    lx/xt drive train deals from ebay. not v expensive, mostly new
    truvativ isoflow cranks 10 ebay
    Continental explorer tyres 10 from mate
    FSA BB 3 quid ebay
    DMR loclons 16 quid LBS
    braided gear and bak brake housing 10 quid set
    + a few good tools


    so not tooo bad
    did means that as an amateur i had quite a lot of niggly issues with compatibility/set up etc but that was all part of the lurning cerve I guess.

    all in - a worthwhile excercise but only one to be embarked on if you have the time to hunt for good deals. Tell your LBS waht you're doing and just ask if they have any suitable old components laying around you can have a deal on...
    Train hard, ride easy
  • Mithra
    Mithra Posts: 64
    Ok, thanks :) I understand it was kinda an awkward question as theres so much choice, but Marjory Stewart Baxtor's answer was really what I was looking for, I was basically wondering what kind of bike you could get if you were willing to build it :D. Thanks for the advice though :)
  • pleasure
    might also be cool to put a note on the classifieds of this forum. Say what standard of parts you want and makte offer the forumites offers for their cast offs/spares
    Train hard, ride easy
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    If you are going to scour e-bay for second hand bits and so on, and your new to it, it could be tough.

    There is alot of just out there and you need to know what your looking at to see if its been abused. otherwise i would buy new, then it is way more expensive to build it yourself
  • KonaMike
    KonaMike Posts: 805
    If you get lucky with E-Bay bargains you will save a lot of money,also the previous years groupsets get reduced quite dramatcally,remember you will need a good toolkit and a few specialist tools too.Look on Parktools for details.
  • If you are going to scour e-bay for second hand bits and so on, and your new to it, it could be tough.

    There is alot of just out there and you need to know what your looking at to see if its been abused. otherwise i would buy new, then it is way more expensive to build it yourself
    definately. There are tell tale signs like the wear parks, what else the seller is selling and feedback but generally it pays to be pessimisitic with second hand kit.

    saying that when the sellers know what they're talking about it works dandy. (I was sold a crankset as hollowtech II which turned out to be powerspline)
    Train hard, ride easy