Changing bike frame

Milesy148

Hi, this is my first time using the BR forum so go easy on me !!..

I'm hoping for some assistance ahead of my 1st attempt at changing components to a new bike frame.

I ride a 2010 Focus Cayo carbon (size M, 54cm) but have just bought a 2 yr old Focus Izalco carbon frame and forks frame size 58cm which is more suitable for me, I'm 5'11. The Izalco frame looks almost new condition, really pleased with it !..

Rather than take the frame into my LBS my plan is to switch all the components (Chorus chain set, derailleur, crank etc...) from my Cayo onto the Izalco myself, hopefully learning plenty about bike setup on the way.
Does anyone have experience of putting together a carbon bike basically from scratch ?..

If so, is there a particular order of what job/s should be done first ?

Feedback welcome and appreciated, thanks. Dan

markyone

If you have the right tools it should be straight forward.
I quite like working on my bike and also I have swapped over components to another frame.
Go on you tube and you can find out all you need to know,it really is easy go for it.

Bozman

Just take your time and there won't be a problem, use You Tube and Park Tools if you have any issues.
I built an Izalco up about 18/24 months ago, the only issues that I came across were the internal cabling for the front mech, the internal plastic tube was squashed at the head tube end but a torch and a small screw driver sorted that, plus you may find it easier to flick the plastic tube out from behind the BB to feed the cable through.

Before you cable up I'd check that you are comfortable on the bike, I'm 5'10 and the medium was a bit of a stretch so I had the small frame due to the horizontal TT length(53.7).

Franks2788

Swapping components from one frame to the other is pretty straight forward if you have the right tools, a set of allen keys, crank removal tool and depending on your pedals either 15mm spanner or allen key and your good to go, take your time and if your not sure use the internet

terrytyler09

On another note, how much do you want for the medium Focus Cayo carbon frame as it might be what I'm looking for?

lewiskinch

Get a Torque Wrench!! Things NEED to be tightened to the correct torque! Especially with carbon.

You will ruin the frame if you don't. I have seen carbon frames crimped from over tightening over front mechs, and steerers and seattubes ruined. Be careful. If you have all the tool and are fairly competent then you should be fine, but you do risk ruining things if you are impatient/don't know what you are doing.

jomoj

echoing comments above - its relatively easy and good fun. The parts should swap over easily enough but you might need new inner cables if the frame dimensions are a bit bigger all round

The majority of parts only need an allen key to remove & refit but you'll need a bottom bracket wrench to swap the BB over. Torque wrenches are a good idea, if a bit expensive for something you use rarely, make sure you get a low torque one that covers 5-25Nm

When disassembling then you should be able to unbolt the front brake and leave it attached to the bars via the cable, possibly same with back brake but you're likely to need a new cable for that anyway. detach the cables from the mechs but leave the inners and front outers attached to the bars also. Then just re thread them all after you refit the bars and adjust / reclamp or replace if needed.

Once the cables are detached you can just remove everything in any order.

In terms of order of assembly, no hard rule but I would go:
bottom bracket
gear mechs
cranks
seatpost and saddle
forks
stem and bars
brakes
cables
wheels

One final 'pro' tip. Once you put the bars on the forks, use a bit of string or bungee to loop through the wheel to stop it swinging and the bars accidentally dinging the frame.
If you dont have a workstand then now is the time to invest. it makes the job so much easier.

good luck

londoncommuter

One maybe obvious thing to everyone else (wasn't to me) is sort your cabling out properly first before fine tuning your gears/cutting your inners etc. It feels like a cosmetic thing but it's not as if you realise at the end you've got 5mm of excess outer to make things look tidy you have to strip it all out again, recut and then set up again.

Tools that are really handy are a decent set of cable cutters, a torque key (if you don't want to buy a set) and a cheap LIdl workstand! If you're going to be using a workstand and have a carbon seat post it might be worth hunting round for £1 aluminium one on ebay to use temporarily so you don't damage yours (although a lot of people disagree about that). Oh assembly paste and up to you about carbon paste as that does divide opinion as well.

StillGoing

It's very therapeutic and a lot cheaper than having your LBS do it for you. Oh and a lot quicker. Some of the tools you may be able to borrow from your LBS if you're in good books with them so for a brand new frame that needs the faces skimming, just ask them for the tool for an hour or two and same with the steerer if you intend to cut it down. Swapping the components over is a doddle and just take your time with the indexing.

Milesy148

Thanks to everyone for your responses.
In the end I bought a bottom bracket wrench to remove the BB and removed all the components. Alligning the gears and fitting the brake cable through the internal tubing was a bit fiddly and in the end I took the 'almost complete' bike to my LBS and for £25 they finished off the gears and brake cables. The bike frame transfer is now complete and I am really happy with the result. Once again thanks to everyone for replying, really appreciate it ...

Milesy148

Hi there,sorry for the late response, been away past couple of weeks.
I have just put the frame on Ebay with a starting bid of £295 (not live yet, apparently can take 24 hours) I paid £500 for a replacement carbon frame so looking to claim back as much as possible, feel free to make me an offer
If you are interested, I can send you some photos ?..

terrytyler09 wrote:

On another note, how much do you want for the medium Focus Cayo carbon frame as it might be what I'm looking for?