to build or not to build, that is the question

MDobs
MDobs Posts: 167
edited May 2012 in MTB buying advice
Hi all

I'm currently riding a hardtail Carrera fury (2010) basically riding just XC and I'm starting to think about a new FS bike that I can take away to Wales/Peaks/Lakes etc, not for DH or anything heavy but trails, both centre and natural, and more technical XC found in those types of places.

So i was looking at the Canyons which have been getting a lot of good reviews over the last year, either the XC 8/9 or AM 7/8X (£2000 budget), they have great spec which I can't imagine needing to upgrade. But then I kind of fell for a Lapierre Zesty/Spicy. These don't have as good spec but are probably better bikes, with the spicy probably more travel than i'll ever need.

Then i decided that I didn't need a bike and would just upgrade the Carrera as I'm still going to be doing predominantly XC riding. BUT that just led me to looking at full bike builds!

I found a couple of potential frames - 2nd hand Giant Reign (2006-9? model) £350; titus ftm carbon£900; titus el guapo £800. i did find a small zesty frame for 650 but i'm 5'10"ish so think it'll be too small. But putting a bike together from the titus frames quickly led me past £2000 and blew my budget... could save a bit on forks but don't want to downgrade a key area.


So (for those of you still reading!), should I just go with one of the Canyon bikes and be happy knowing i won't have to upgrade anything, the zesty/spicy, or go with a full custom build on one of the aforementioned (or other) frames?

Comments

  • Greer_
    Greer_ Posts: 1,716
    MDobs wrote:
    So (for those of you still reading!), should I just go with one of the Canyon bikes and be happy knowing i won't have to upgrade anything, the zesty/spicy, or go with a full custom build on one of the aforementioned (or other) frames?

    You're always going to find something you want to upgrade! It'll only be grips, pedals and a saddle to start with ..... :lol:

    I know when the time comes (and the money), I'd like to build my own bike. But its up to you whether you have the time
    Orbea Alma Team Carbon - Strava -Specialized Allez Sport
  • cubicboy
    cubicboy Posts: 117
    I have a couple of road bikes, one which I built up myself. The one bought complete represented great value whereas with the self-build costs really began to spiral... it's the stuff that you don't take into account (seatpost; saddle; tyres; cables etc). I recently bought a Canyon Nerve XC 9.0 SL and I have to say that it is a fantastic bike. I did a very quick totting-up of parts on the Nerve and it comes out that the frame is practically 'free'. It's so well-specced, that I can't imagine needing to upgrade it. If you read any of the Canyon reviews, the testers always rave about the frames, so you're winning there too. Practically everyone who sees it comments on what a handsome bike it is and that it looks like a premium brand. It is very light too.
  • leaflite
    leaflite Posts: 1,651
    Building a bike is fun!
    However, you will get a much better spec for your money if you get a prebuilt canyon, yt industries etc.
    That said, im a big fan of the titus frames and, thanks to a bit of bargain hunting, I built up the one in my sig for £2k ish (not including brakes which I already had). The spec isnt quite as good as a similarly priced canyon-one or two of the parts are a little heavier-but the frame is lighter and I doubt you would notice the difference between the specs on the trail.
    Whichever route you go down, you will end up with a decent bike.
    GT Hardtail
    The Apollo Project
    Titus FTM Carbon
  • bigj205
    bigj205 Posts: 31
    You'll probably get more for your money by buying a complete bike.
    However I much prefer to build my own and if you look about there's always bargains to be had.
    I got a great deal on my Turner 5 Spot frame otherwise I would have built a Titus El Guapo.
    Whatever you do, have fun
    Cheers

    John

    Offroad: Turner 5 Spot, The all mountain machine !
    Kona Kula Gold XC race bike.
    On Road: Planet X SL Pro Carbon, SRAM Red
  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    If you build, you can get the bike the way you want from the get go (budget allowing) but it isn't as cheap as the off the peg option. Saying that using site like crc and bike-discount.de will help keep the cost down. If building, I'd definately advise buying the best frame set & fork you can afford, other things you can upgrade as time goes on
  • hsiaolc
    hsiaolc Posts: 492
    Building is fun.
    Important thing about building is that you get the stuff you want and fun to install them.
    Secondly you can get your bike well cheap but you will have to wait for some mega sale plus bargains from CRC or Discountbike.de.

    I built my bike last Christmas and I picked up both Avid Code brakes for £150 only. With their £50 off for every £100 spend and with some items at 50% discount you can do some amazing builds.

    Saying that Canyon bikes are just too good value. Even if you just buy it for the parts you are not going to lose.

    There are some bikes on discount that you just can't beat it compared to buying components seperately.
  • yuhang
    yuhang Posts: 6
    Practically everyone who sees it comments on what a handsome bike it is and that it looks like a premium brand. It is very light too.
    hh.gif
  • MDobs
    MDobs Posts: 167
    leaflite- had a look at your FTM, very nice. having just started to swing back to getting a Canyon i'm now rethinking again... this is going to drive me mad!

    as much as I want to build a bike myself i'm thinking that I'm still really inexperienced with bike maintenance and fitting parts so might be better to just wait until i'm really into it. as much as i keep getting tempted by great value parts everywhere they'll be offers in the future and parts are only going to get better so I think I'm going to go with a canyon for now... although this is likely to change in the next, um 5 mins ;)
  • hsiaolc
    hsiaolc Posts: 492
    MDobs wrote:
    leaflite- had a look at your FTM, very nice. having just started to swing back to getting a Canyon i'm now rethinking again... this is going to drive me mad!

    as much as I want to build a bike myself i'm thinking that I'm still really inexperienced with bike maintenance and fitting parts so might be better to just wait until i'm really into it. as much as i keep getting tempted by great value parts everywhere they'll be offers in the future and parts are only going to get better so I think I'm going to go with a canyon for now... although this is likely to change in the next, um 5 mins ;)

    I've built my bike last Christmas. The only thing I didn't do myself was installing the headsets.

    I don't regret it because I have learned so much from it and I've recently built two wheels for the build too.

    Now I am getting the Canyon Strive and I can say that it is better just buy the bike as a whole if you calcuate the bike just on parts. So it would not be very economical to build a bike from ground up.

    What you can do is buy Canyon and sell off th parts you don't want and get the parts you do want.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Just setting out on my first build but it has been a pretty simple road for me. I bought a used Rockhopper and have slowly been upgrading bits and making it more suited to me and where I ride and adding the odd bit of bling here and there.

    Less than a year later I have all the tools & knowledge to fix, service, upgrade and (hopefully :? ) build a bike. I also have sitting in my garage; forks, wheels, tyres, handlebar & stem, seat with post, pedals, disc rotors, chainset, front & rear mechs, Shifters etc. - all decent gear; Marzocchi, Deore, Easton, Specialized etc

    With all these bits I can now build up a Nukeproof Snap 4X/fun/jump/town/pub bike and get it rideable for £470 (will cost £630 to get it the way I want it) - It'll be similar(ish) in spec to the full-build Snap Comp which sells for about £1,400. So seems a bit of a barging. Of course I've spent a lot upgrading the 'hopper and could've just bought a £1300 HT of the peg but who wants to ride what everyone else is riding?..and the main thing..where's the fun it that? :wink:
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Since getting back into cycling I've built all my own bikes, here's why...
    1/ I didn't always buy new bits, where I could source good used parts I did, after all a new part is used as soon as you ride the bike anyway
    2/ Despite knowing in advance the rough spec' I wanted I would occasionaly make a compromise on a part if I got a real bargain, knowing I would then upgrade later to the part I wanted and could sell on the interim part for little loss, I slapped an old LX square taper on my MTB, cost me a tenner (arms and BB), I then upgraded to a Truvative powerspline that also cost a tenner (arms and BB) and sold the old LX stuff on for a profit (sold for £15, been on the bike for 6 months), when I finally go HT2 as long as the BB is good I reckon I'll at worst break even on the Truvativ stuff.
    3/ Look for a good donor bike, either new or used, you can often sell on the rest for close to what you paid for the whole bike (or even make a profit)
    4/ Look at what you have, if most of your Fury is good, then look at splitting that as primary donor (saddle, wheels, forks, stem, bars etc) initially, of couse some things may not fit like seatpost and front mech, but many will.
    5/ The family runs 8 bikes in total, if I upgrade one of the better bikes, the the take off part usually goes onto one of the 'lesser' bikes and I have been known to work a chain of 4 upgrades in for buying one 'new' (to me) part, example, bought an X9 rear mech for my commuter, the take off XT went onto the MTB, that LX take off went onto the bike I was building for the wife instead of the Acera I had lying around I'd lined up for it, the Acera then went on the Townsend family hack bike in place of the cheap stamped jobby that was on there, so for £15 I upgraded 4 bikes.
    Check the link in my signature to see my home built MTB.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • MDobs
    MDobs Posts: 167
    The Beginner wrote:
    Since getting back into cycling I've built all my own bikes, here's why...

    Some great arguments there! The multi upgrade option is less relevant to me as I don't have a family and lack space for lots of bikes, but there is definitely value in the doner bike. I've also been looking at second hand parts and that's kind of what added to the build idea as found a great second hand fork and a few frame options.

    I still really like the idea of building but just don't think i'm ready to do it yet so will keep it as a pipe dream (another one :roll: ) for the future and get my bargain component hunting fix for a while by upgrading my existing bike.

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