Road Bike Build

DylanMurphy

Is there anywhere in the UK (preferably Essex) that I can pay to build my bike for me. By this I mean I give them parts and money and they build me my bike? Thanks.

singleton

Might be worth calling your local bike shop and asking them.
If the workshop is quiet at some time, the may be very willing to do it for you.

StillGoing

Build it yourself and if you struggle with indexing, just ask the LBS to do it for you if you haven't got a mate that will do it for you. You can't do anything disastrously wrong building it yourself other than maybe cross threading something.

DylanMurphy

Thanks, everybody. I think I might make some phone calls to local bike shops.

bmxboy10

Just do it yourself and if you get stuck refer to YouTube.

Matthewfalle

DylanMurphy wrote:

Thanks, everybody. I think I might make some phone calls to local bike shops.

why? its simple.

put old bike next to new and just replicate where the parts go. its a bicycle - there are only about 9 parts.

anyone who says it is difficult is lying.

#simples

kirkee

DylanMurphy wrote:

Thanks, everybody. I think I might make some phone calls to local bike shops.

Make the call and get riding ASAP. All the advice to build it yourself will require tools that you might not have like cable cutters and your spare time etc. The bike shop may include a free follow up cable tune as part of the build service, worth asking them about anyway.

Matthewfalle

kirkee wrote:

DylanMurphy wrote:

Thanks, everybody. I think I might make some phone calls to local bike shops.

Make the call and get riding ASAP. All the advice to build it yourself will require tools that you might not have like cable cutters and your spare time etc. The bike shop may include a free follow up cable tune as part of the build service, worth asking them about anyway.

ignore this totally.


get the bits and get building asap.

you will need some allen keys, grease, a tourque key and some cable snips. its not exactly building a space ship.

don't be afeared of building it. remember - a life lived in fear is a life halfed lived.

#bravery

craigus89

Plus you'll know how to fix it, saving a shed load of dosh you would spend having a shop turn a barrel adjuster for you.

wotnoshoeseh

Yes - get building yourself. Nothing really to it - just take your time and follow the guides on YT, and on the web, and don't be afraid to ask for advice on here.

Nothing quite like a new frameset and a load of boxes with nice shiny new kit in them.
Allen keys, cable cutters, torque wrench, some grease, a BB tool for the BB required, hacksaw for cutting steerer tube, and you're away.

Take your time and enjoy it - plus you'll be able to fix it yourself after.
There's loads of reference books like the Park tool Big Blue book, Zinn's etc. that, along with the tools required,will cost much less than paying an LBS to build it for you.

Good luck and enjoy....

cycleclinic

Building yourself is fine but why people are being anti lbs I don't know. Building up bikes is there bread and butter. Some people may not want to do it even if they know how too. Some people don't want to know how too. It is quite presumptive to assume everyone want to do everything themselves.

Matthewfalle

mf wouldn't even say a b/b tool - may as well geta shop to do that and press in the headset. £20 for the two jobs.

#simples
#doityourself
#don'tbelievetheweak

Matthewfalle

thecycleclinic wrote:

Building yourself is fine but why people are being anti lbs I don't know. Building up bikes is there bread and butter. Some people may not want to do it even if they know how too. Some people don't want to know how too. It is quite presumptive to assume everyone want to do everything themselves.

no one is being anti lbs, everyone is being pro yourself.

use the lbs when you really have to otherwise develop your skils, improve yourself, build your own bike, get satisfaction at something you have done.

or is everyone to remain forever in awe of the lbs? ooooh, look how they apply a bit of grease and bolt a rear mech. the skill involved in turning that allen key. onecould never do that oneself.

isn't it a sad state when people are being told not to improve themselves from someone with a vested interest in people not improving themselves?

#buildyourown
#improveyourself

cycleclinic

Not everyone wants to build themselves. Being told they should because it improves yourself is the problem. The people who use show may want to spend there time in other ways. I can tile myself and can do a pretty good job. I would rather pay a tiler though.

I have a big problem with the improve your self philosophy. Being self sufficient does not make you a better person. The worth of a cyclist is not based on how fast they they ride, if they do there own bike work, it is simply they are riding. We are all dependant on one another. No should be told they must or should improve thyself. No cyclist should feel they are less of a cyclists for using a lbs or feel more of a cyclist for doing there own work.

I am going to call this mf. Saying someone should improve thy self by build there own bike is arrogance and BS.

If the op does build him or herself, that's good but it won't improve them as a person. What ever improve means.

Matthewfalle

build bike. learn skills, tinker, chill, save money, make good use of spare time, be able to help friends, colleagues and family, etc.

or

give malcolm money for simple jobs that anyone can do.

MF wonders why Malcolm is so keen on the latter.

#buildityourself

CitizenLee

thecycleclinic wrote:

Not everyone wants to build themselves. Being told they should because it improves yourself is the problem. The people who use show may want to spend there time in other ways. I can tile myself and can do a pretty good job. I would rather pay a tiler though.

I have a big problem with the improve your self philosophy. Being self sufficient does not make you a better person. The worth of a cyclist is not based on how fast they they ride, if they do there own bike work, it is simply they are riding. We are all dependant on one another. No should be told they must or should improve thyself. No cyclist should feel they are less of a cyclists for using a lbs or feel more of a cyclist for doing there own work.

I am going to call this mf. Saying someone should improve thy self by build there own bike is arrogance and BS.

If the op does build him or herself, that's good but it won't improve them as a person. What ever improve means.

I prefer to build and maintain my own bikes but I fully agree with this. Well said

Matthewfalle wrote:

some 3rd person bullshit & pointless hashtags

Give it a rest, eh?

imposter2.0

CitizenLee wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

some 3rd person bullshit & pointless hashtags

Give it a rest, eh?

Not going to happen, unfortunately. If he did that, he would then have to find some other way of drawing attention to himself...

#attentionwhore

Matthewfalle

Imposter wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

some 3rd person bullshit & pointless hashtags

Give it a rest, eh?

Not going to happen, unfortunately. If he did that, he would then have to find some other way of drawing attention to himself...

#attentionwhore

#bitter&rude

lakesluddite

I can see both sides of the argument. The job of building a bike from scratch was very daunting when I set about doing my first one a few years ago, but I was surprised at how straight forward it was. Having said that, it was all rim brakes and external cabling, which made it easier than it would have been with internal cabling and/or hydraulic disc brakes, which are very prevalent these days.

Then again, putting the work the way of the LBS has many advantages. Saves time, hassle, not having to buy all the relevant tools, plus these days it's the only way some LBSs make any money/keep their head above water. Plus the OP may not have the time or indeed the space to undertake it themselves. There are plenty of things that we could do ourselves, but prefer to pay others to do it as they are far more experienced and skilled. I sure as shoot wouldn't try and fix my car other than the most simple things like changing a bulb, wheel etc.

drlodge

I've built bikes as I enjoy it, but would caution:
- it takes a lot of time (ask how you value your time)
- quite a number of tools are required, can be expensive if you don't have them.
- there is a risk that you make mistakes which can be expensive.

Its not difficult and there are advantages as you can service your bike from then on, but its not for everyone.