building a bike

Anonymous
Anonymous Posts: 79,667
edited March 2013 in MTB buying advice
im having a great deal of trouble buying a bike for my price range wondering if it would be easyier to simply buy all the parts and put it together myself? if so I have no idea how to do this but.

Comments

  • warpcow
    warpcow Posts: 1,448
    Generally it's more expensive, especially if you have little experience. Take a look at something like Parktools website to get an idea of what's involved.
    Commie Meta SL
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    and then there is the cost of the tools.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    yeah

    your probably right gonna be more
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Looking at your other post, you have £150 to spend?

    I Built my wifes bike using a new frame and some assorted bits and a single donor bike with the majority of the stuff on I wanted and it worked out at about £50 once I'd sold the donor bike bits I didn't want.

    In your case you could buy the trek linked to in your thread, buy a frame suitable for your size and build a decent bike for less than £150 inc tools and after selling the trek stuff you didn't want.
    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.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    is there a guide on how to take a part a bike and then redbuilt it somewhere so I know the gum tree one sounds nice besides the size

    my budget got killed yesterday after £135 for new glasses seems my old ones broke ): still afford a little
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Parktools guides cover averything you need to know, just take it one step at a time, when doing a straight reframe though I....
    1/ Remove brakes from forks/frame, remove cables from mechs and then from frame.
    2/ Remove stem from forks taking bars and controls and brakes with it
    3/ Remove wheels
    4/ Remove forks and headset (if it will fit new frame, otherwise keep it all together and sell with the frame!)
    5/ Remove crankset, then mechs and chain.
    6/ Remove saddle and seatpost and clamp

    New frame,
    1/ Fit headset
    2/ Fit Forks
    3/ Fit stem with bars etc
    4/ Fit wheels
    5/ Fit brakes
    6/ Fit derailluers and cable up
    7/ Fit BB abd cranks and chain
    8/ Fit seatpost etc
    9/ Sort it all out
    10/ ride off into the sunset!

    Things that may not match new frame
    1/ Seatpost (diameter)
    2/ Seatpost clamp (diameter of seattube)
    3/ Front mech (likewise)
    4/ Headset (easy to source and main types are inexpensive)
    5/ BB (Just stick to 68mm English and you'll be fine)
    6/ Chain (may be too short)
    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.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    sounds complicated ive build a entire gaming pc so this should be easy in comparison but probably not
  • unquestioned
    unquestioned Posts: 172
    andrewgrundill wrote:
    sounds complicated ive build a entire gaming pc so this should be easy in comparison but probably not

    Harder than building a PC, much easier than building a car.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Personally I'd say it's easier than building a PC (which I have done) but not massively so (but then a PC isn't hard either), easier than building a car by a long way (not quite built, but fully rebuilt).....

    In your case, to minimise costs, I'd find and buy a suitable donor and then try and match the new frame to it to carry over as much as possible, most common sizes at that price point would be

    Headset - external or semi-integrated
    Seatpost - 27.2mm
    Clamp and FD - 31.8mm
    BB - 68mm English

    That would cover 98% (pure guestimates) of Merida's output!
    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.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    im bidding on a couple things on ebay atm if they don't come thou I may cycle scheme it depends.

    cycle scheme looks like the best option atm
  • doublem_1
    doublem_1 Posts: 266
    I only recently done this so if you have any queries please ask me. I am no expert, but it was my first bike build and everything went ok, a few niggles and parts bought that didn't fit but it was my fault for not double checking and researching first!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    thanks will do
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    What is your budget? And what sort of bike are you looking at building?

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