Originally Posted by lancele

Thanks for starting this post because I really wanted to show someone this bike, but had no legitimate thread to post in. Hopefully it can answer some of your curiosity.

I bought two incomplete mountain bikes off CL for $50 total, and the KHS Montana Summit was only missing a 26.4 size seatpost and saddle, but the chain was rusty and rigid. (The other bike was a damaged Bridgestone MB-3.)

The only thing new on this bike is the moustache handlebar, cables, and some of the housing. Original parts from the CL purchase are frame, fork, headset, bottom bracket, crankset, wheels, tubes, and tires. This is the most frankenbike I've ever built; handlebars are still a little too low; and no front derailleur for now.

• Origin 8 new moustache handlebar - $20 shipped online auction.
• Shimano Sora 3x8 brifters - $23 bike swap meet.
• Avid Single Digit 7 v-brakes on front - $5 bike swap meet.
• Non matching rear v-brakes (left arm is Avid and right arm is Koski) - $1.
• Kalloy Uno 26.0 seat post with Coca-Cola can shim - free.
• Kalloy Uno seat binder - free.
• 1-inch treaded to 1-1/8-non-treaded converter stem - $5 bike swap meet.
• Ritchey 26.0 adjustable stem - $15 shipped online auction.
• Shimano M739 XT rear derailleur - $10 bike swap meet.
• Shimano M737 SPD pedals (has play, but works) - $6 bike swap meet.
• Chain came off another bike I bought used - free.
• Delta wheel quickrelease - free.
• Zefal plastic water bottle cage - free.
• Zefal HP mini pump - $4 bike swap meet.
• Housing - $1.50/foot at most of the chain shops (REI, Performance, etc.)
• Cables - $1.50-$2.00 each online.
• Saddle - gel saddle used to tour across the country a few years ago.

The free stuff came off a bike I bought at the flea market and then sold the wheelset for a little more than I paid for the bike. Then I gave away that frame and fork to someone looking for a free/cheap frame on CL to convert to a single speed.

I recommend buying an inexpensive tool kit, but you can do quite a bit with just a simple multi-tool.