Northern California - Have you bought a used frame and built up the bike - how'd you do it?

Since I can't buy an expensive Ti bike maybe I can buy an old steel frame, get it painted and build it up. I'd like to modernize the bike a bit w/full Ultegra kit and 9 speed. If you've done something like this, would you let me know what the total cost ending up being?

A. $500 - $750
B. $750 - $1000
C. $1000 - $1250
D. $1250 - $1500
E. You don't want to know
F. Don't do it because your wife will leave you
G. Get some help for your addiction

Since I can't buy an expensive Ti bike maybe I can buy an old steel frame, get it painted and build it up. I'd like to modernize the bike a bit w/full Ultegra kit and 9 speed. If you've done something like this, would you let me know what the total cost ending up being?

A. $500 - $750
B. $750 - $1000
C. $1000 - $1250
D. $1250 - $1500
E. You don't want to know
F. Don't do it because your wife will leave you
G. Get some help for your addiction

Ive done a couple. Both times I built bikes for 60% of retail. I have one of those frames and forks for sale right now. But its a carbon Look KG 381. Under $2000 for the first bike and about $3500 for the other.

Frame(Battaglin with Columbus MAX tubing): $286

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/genejockey/ffd5_3.jpg

Repainting: $405

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/genejockey/DSCF0540.jpg

Chorus Kit (excluding wheelset); Chris King HS; Phil Wood BB; stem, bars, saddle, seatpost etc: $1300

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/genejockey/BatFinal1.jpg

So, about $2000 - but the HS and BB were $300 of that. You can get by with cheaper parts. Also, if I'd gone for Centaur instead of Chorus, I could have probably saved another $200. AND if I'd been PATIENT, and taken another 3 months to accumulate the parts, I could have maybe saved another $200 overall.

In the end, it's probably cheaper to buy a complete used bike. But not as satisfying, and you don't get exactly what you want.

Figure at least $1000 for a decent bike, assuming you get the frame for $250 or less and you're good with scrounging on eBay/CL.

I recently did this, and am doing it again right now. The first one is a 1985 steel Italian Palo Alto frameset I bought for $250 and outfitted with a Campy 10 speed Veloce/Centaur mix. Including everything - parts cost, shipping, tax, it came in right at $750 with bargain basement wheels off of CL. When I upgraded those to new handbuilts, that brought the total to $1000.

Same with the Pinarello I'm building now. I grabbed a NOS 2003 frameset on the web, and am building it with Camp Centaur. It'll be a little more than $1000 - probably closer to $1200 by the time I'm done. the frame and wheels alone added up to $650.

The Palo Alto build was pretty extensively documented:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=271388&highlight=palo+alto
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=283926&highlight=palo+alto
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=290650&highlight=palo+alto
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=297374&highlight=palo+alto

The Pinarello, less so:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=298827&highlight=pinarello

Palo Alto:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/Fathers%20Day%2006%2017%2007/PaloAlto-1.jpg

Pinarello:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/Pinarello/Pinarello_Surprise-1.jpg

I upgraded some parts on my CAAD 4, so I decided I would use the old parts to build my GF a road bike.

I found her a 2002 Bianchi Vigorelli steel frameset (inluding headset, stem, fork, seatpost and saddle) in size 47 on Craigslist for $100!

Here's the stock photo: http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/97/b9/2002_Bianchi_Vigorelli-bikes.jpg

The frame was in excellent condition, I used Meguairs polish to remove a few scuffs and light scratches, and waxed it. The frame looked brand new.

The woman who owned it was a triathlete and cyclist who had bought a new tri bike, and a new road bike frame (carbon) that she built with the components from the Bianchi. SO she was unloading the frameset.

Parts I had were:

Wheels - Mavic CXP21 with Tiagra hubs (all black 32h 3x)
Crankset - Black alloy tripple crank off my CAAD 4 (Cannondale brand)
Shifters - 9spd Tiagra STI

Parts we bought:
RD - Shimano 105 Black - like $30
FD - Shimano 105 - like $25
Chain - Dura-Ace 9spd - $25
Cassette - Shimano 105 12/25 - $20
BB - Shimano square taper - $25
Bars - Specialized WSD bars - $30
Brakes - Shimano 105 (black) - $40
Cables - Shimano SIS - $10
etc...

I think we spent about $300 including the frame.

The other parts could have been had for maybe $350 more

But the opportunity made for building 2 bike out of one :)

Beautiful bikes, guys!

One thing that made my build more expensive than it could have been was that I only bought NEW parts. Used parts, especially if patiently acquired, would have made it a lot cheaper.

But it wouldn't be finished yet!

Bought a Novara Randonnee frame off Craigslist for $20. Paid $75 to have it powdercoated. Spent about $1000 - $1300 to build it up for randonneuring and light touring. Bought all parts new, and had the wheels hand-built at my local shop with Dura-ace hubs. Could have easily kept the build to under $1000 if I'd bought factory-built wheels, skipped the Brooks bar tape, etc. Components are only 105 level though...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1019/1227926880_7fbff61bec_o.jpg

Until I bought my Pinarello, I only bought used frames and parts.
Bargains can be had on Craigslist list, especially in the Bay Area.
Also, check places like Box Dog Bikes in SF for an excellent source of
cheap used parts.

Powder Coating a frame would be the least expensive way to get
professional results. Otherwise, rattle can painting can have good
results if you do it methodically.

Getting a frame and accumulating parts to finally build up a bike is lot of fun in my opinion. The more patient you are, the more likely you'll score the best prices on CL and ebay like others have said. And you could end up with a sweet bike that's exactly to your specs.

I've always thought it was fun to have a project going on the side...