Road Cycling - Tools/Difficulty of bike assembly

I'm thinking of buying a new frame and stripping my existing frame of its 105 components.

How difficult is it to build up a new frame?
What tools are required? (the correct tools always make things easier).

Thanks
f

Get a good how-to manual that shows you step by step what to do. It's not tough if you have the right tools and can follow directions.

You'll need the right tools though. There is no subsitute for the needed bike tools.

For the bottom bracket you'll need a crank puller, spanner, a lockring wrench and bolt tool (I used a socket and wrench).

You'll need a pedal wrench also. And if you're going to do the brakes yourself, you'll need a cable cutter and third hand.

As far as the headset is concerned, I an't never put one together. Perhaps someone else could tell ya.

if you've gotta ask...

that said, i've been riding for a long time and have done basic repairs and adjustments myself, but only recently stripped and rebult a frame for the first time and i feel i did a good job on everything except two things which i saved for the bike shop - headset installation and derailleur cable installation and adjustment.

if you're doing your own headset, you'll need a special headset press to install and some special tools to remove it, along with a pair of large spanners to adjust it. (this is for a threaded, at least. i've never worked on a threadless). i don't advise screwing with your headset.

if you're doing cable work, you'll need a good set of cable/housing cutters.

the only adjustable bearing assemblies i touched were the ultegra hubs on my old wheels (which i'm keeping as my backup and running ksyriums as my new wheels).

if you're taking your hubs apart, you'll need cone wrenches.

i'm using mostly DA on my new bike, but sticking with an ultegra cartridge bottom bracket, which is super easy to install, but does require some special tools to screw it into place.

if you're removing your casette, you'll need a chain whip and tool for the lockring.

you'll need a crank puller for the crankarms, obviously, a chain tool for the chain, and possibly a pedal wrench, though i've gotten by with a small adjustable for my speedplays

otherwise, the only think i can think of are a good set of hex wrenches and screwdrivers.

I'm thinking of buying a new frame and stripping my existing frame of its 105 components.

How difficult is it to build up a new frame?
What tools are required? (the correct tools always make things easier).

Thanks
f

Look here

ParkTool (http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQindex.shtml)

Do you do your own bike maintenance now? (meaning replace and adjust cables/cable housing, repack wheel bearings, replace chain & cassettes)
Do you currently own any cycling specific tools?
If not, you may want to have a shop help you out.

lots of shops will do stuff for free, i needed some cranks pulled a week or two ago, because i had the wrong puller :( they did it for free. Now headsets might cost you something, but if you dont think you'll use a headset tool a lot, i would just have your LBS do all the tough stuff.

-Ross

YOu don't really need a third hand tool for brake adjustments, and you can fabricate a headset press with a long threaded bolt, some washers and a nut. With the exception of the headset and bottom bracket, though, there's not much you can't do with a set of allen wrenches. Of course, if you're gonna do all of the work to move stuff over, you might want to think about repacking hubs, too, which requires more tools.

I would recommend that you look at one of the tool kits. It will be a lot cheaper that buying all of the individual tools. I bought the Park roll-up kit years ago. It is a great start for the specialty tools (crank puller, cone wrenches, BB tool, chain whip, cassette lock ring tool). You have to add things like screwdrivers though. They also have larger, more complete kits.