Building a bike

bleasy

Hi guys i was just wondering if anyone could help me, im new to mountain biking (well i did it 15years ago) im looking for a hardcore hardtail with about 140mm travel things like saracen zen x, on one 456 evo, ragley ble pig, orange crush i was thinking of maybe having ago at buiding my own ( i know it will probably cost more) but im not sure of the full list of parts i need to build a bike, so if anyone can help me then i can search the internet for bargins and see what i can come up with.

vala

I'm building mine up at the moment. How I've done it is just step by step, I didn't have a complete list of all that I wanted. As I've progressed onwards I've just looked into and researched the next bits.
After getting the frame for me the first things was the headset, BB and seat clamp. I've then moved onto the forks and have recently just received my wheel set. It's now in a sort of rolling state.
Next thing I'm moving onto is the drivetrain and in the meantime keeping a look out for a set of brakes.
Personally for me I've done it this way because as it becomes more and more like a bike you can then size yourself up for things like handlebars, stem length, crank arm lengths etc.
For me it's taken some time because near enough everything is second hand so it's just being lucky at the right time when I'm looking for a particular part.

benpinnick

Actually, building you're own can be cheaper! Heres one I just made for my Brother in Law:

On One 456 Carbon
Revelation RLT Forks (Merlin)
XT Brakes (Rose Bikes)
SLX Groupset (Action-Sports)
Roval AM Wheels (Evans)
Easton Haven Bars (Merlin)
RF Ride Stem (Evans)
Grips, Rotors, Rotor bolts, 160 PM-IS mount, Seatpost clamp (Superstar)
Kenda SB8 (Next day tyres)
Cane Creek 40 Headset, Tubes (My LBS)
Seatpost and Saddle from my Cube right now, yet to be sourced.

Total Bill so far, around £1400 pounds. Full XT would only have pushed it another £120, which I would say is a better bike for the money than the equivalent on-one 456C x9 bike. This is also a good starting point as a list for what you'd need...

The Rookie

Done sensibly and patiently building your own bike can save money, especially if you are prepared to use good used parts (classifieds or ebay) mine cost me £415 as it stands with
Manitou Air forks with SPV
Butted frame resprayed in the colour I wanted
New FSA cartridge bearing headset
carbon post and bars
Spoon saddle
XT rear mech and cassette
LX front mech
X7/Rocket shifter combo
Crossrides
Ritchey SPD's
Superstar stem
Folders
Lightweight tubes
Truvative powerspline crankset
Juicy5 brakes with Hayes/Tektro discs

Weighs in at 11.15Kg without pedals.

delcol

i always do it my self and source my own parts it can be cheaper if you shop wisely,,

you always end forgetting something silly like headset spacers or ferruels,,

you will need specific tools for certain jobs but most of the jobs require allenkeys or torx keys depending what parts you use..

give it ago yourself it is a good way to learn how the bits on the bike work and how to repair and service the bike in the future...

blablablacksheep

best bet is get the frame company to do/fit the headset for you as a headset tool is very exspencive and useally cheaper to get fitted when you buy frame than afterwoods via LBS

cooldad

Headsets are easy to fit, can be done with a hammer and a bit of wood, and tools that work are available on Ebay for less than a tenner.

dhobiwallah

I have a homemade headset tool which basically consists of a large piece of threaded bar with nuts and a few oversize washers (ie bigger than the headset). Works great!

The Rookie

Ditto......

cooldad

I made one as well, but found it easier to use my bit of wood and hammer. TBH my original bit of wood is now chips.

bleasy

Thanks guys im def still thinking of building my own bike, so your input has been great

1mancity2

Re the headset, if you have a vice you can use this to install the cups, as for building before you buy anything research, research, research.

5pudgun

Buying the frame you want and a well specced unpopular bike as a doner keeps the spend down

Darkstalker420

It's a great way to get the bike you want from the start RATHER than buying something then thinking i need to "upgrade" this then that. I was all up for purchasing a VooDoo or Carrera a few weeks ago. Then i was donated a old Carrera Krakan frame a while ago which i striped and wire brushed.

To this i added some Recons Silver (2011) from on one (£109).
A Sunn riser bar an FSA stem and headset and a Shimano bottom bracket from CRC.

If you look through the clearance bits and don't just want this years "shiny" things you can snap up some real bargains. The FSA stem for instance was RRP £49.99 in clearance for £7.00!! bars were £12.00 infact the headset is the only thing i have paid anything near full price really for.

It's also easier financially to as you can just purchase a few bits at a time if you are having a "short" week etc. I will be adding a Shimano Alivio chainset soon (mostly Alivio running gear good enough for me to be honest ). Going for silver (frame) black and a bit of red theme) will be adding black Shimano MT15 wheelset from CRC soon as well .

If you can assemble the parts your self and save paying the LBS (plus you get the experience to tackle most repairs) and the satisfaction of answering "i built it" when someone says "nice bike mate where did you get it from?".

Thanks.

neil_sheehan2000

cooldad wrote:

I made one as well, but found it easier to use my bit of wood and hammer. TBH my original bit of wood is now chips.

I found that a wooden rolling pin was the ideal tool for this job. My girlfriend was less pleased with my discovery than I was though. (It was her rolling pin)

(Note: installing a headset by bashing it in with a lump of wood, if it goes wrong, can be very costly, as you can totally fubar your frame. It's always worked for me though)

cooldad

I don't bash the headset, I hold the wood next to it and bash the wood with a big hammer.