Building a Bike, budget?

All the Gear and a Vague

I am planning to build a DH style trail muncher in the future, I plan on taking my time with it and I know it wont be cheap but I want to make something pretty top notch to go with my Cube AMS Comp that I have at the moment.

I was just wondering if anyone has done this before (I'm assuming yes) and if they have any guidelines on a budget and/or any tips/tricks/advice to impart on my newbie self.

Cheers

nicklouse

about 2 times what you think.

and how long is a piece of string.

All the Gear and a Vague

Fair point,

Any advice from anyone that's done it before?

The Northern Monkey

nicklouse wrote:

about 2 times what you think.

and how long is a piece of string.

+1
And i've done it twice....

nicklouse

All the Gear and a Vague wrote:

Fair point,

Any advice from anyone that's done it before?

like I said.

and I have built more than the monkey.

christ you could start with 3K just for a frame and 1K for a fork.

and TBH this is more of a buying question than a tech question.

welshkev

with canyon and YT industries doing cracking bikes for around £1800 why not just buy a complete bike new?

All the Gear and a Vague

sorry I meant have you got any advice about the construction e.g. any pitfalls you fell into etc, I wasnt trying to imply you didnt know your stuff

ricardo_smooth

if you are having to ask these questions, you probably have done little research?

Make sure you have the majority of the 'proper' tools, otherwise forget it. The hammer is only your friend for very few jobs on a bike, unless you like to waste money breaking parts!

nicklouse

All the Gear and a Vague wrote:

sorry I meant have you got any advice about the construction e.g. any pitfalls you fell into etc, I wasnt trying to imply you didnt know your stuff

pitfalls.

not having the tools. not knowing what you are buying or trying to build, and then the main one building the wrong bike.

gtd.

Started with a second hand Carrera Hellcat, upgraded the shock, fork, brakes, Sram mechs and shifters all with eBay bargains.

Then got a 03 Patriot frame locally that had just been refurbed and transferred everything over and kept upgrading that. Brakes, Wheel set, Headset, Pedals, Chainset, Saddle, Seatpost, Bars, Stem and Forks, mostly eBay bargains and CRC clearance/old stock

just worked out its cost around £1300 and over a year to build this bike though I haven't included seatpost, seatpost clamp, headset spacers, chain and innertubes as I don't have email invoices for those as they were bought locally.

Cost doesn't include tools but I haven't needed many. I made the headset press out of an old rear axle and two brush-cutter blade washers from work that are a perfect fit on old Hope headsets.

The only special tools needed have been a Hollowtech II BB Tool, a Shimano cassette tool used with an oil filter chain wrench instead of a chain whip. Otherwise good allen keys, torx25 bit, cable shears and chain splitter which I already had.

Built a 03 Giant FS1 based hybrid and also a Dr Jekyll hardtail as well next I plan to rebuild the Carrera as a FS XC bike.

The Rookie

I've built a fair few bikes now (though less than Nick) - 7 at last count - and it depends on your approach, with mine I tend it take a pragmatic approach, buy the 'best for my budget' on come parts and comprmise on others to keep price low and get it built, do it new and unless you want something very wacky it will cost 2 to 3 times what a new bike will cost, use good bits from the classifieds/ebay and you can do it a lot cheaper.

My MTB has so far cost £500, for that it's better than anything I can buy off the shelf, and I've been riding it since I first finished it at just over £300, but there are some compromises I will continue to work out as I go.

For £500 I have a resprayed Carrera Kraken frame running on Crossrides with decent set of winter and summer tyres, Deore/X7 shifting of LX/XT (rear) mechs and juicy 5 brakes with Manitou Skareb elite forks, carbon post with Carrera saddle, ritchey bars on FSAtem, BB is however square taper with Deore cranks (remaining compromise!).

Simon

BigChimping

£2500+ on top of the initial frame cost!

felix.london

The Beginner wrote:

BB is however square taper with Deore cranks (remaining compromise!).

oi! Nothing wrong with a Square taper BB & Deore cranks!

(well except that I cannot fit a chain device easily)

The Rookie

Indeed not, but not the lightest or stiffest option, It did have older LX cranks on it but they were heavier than the later Deore.

Square taper will still take a BB mounted chain device.....

Simon