Cyclocross - So, I want to build a Cross bike....

Hello everyone! I have been lurking here for a while and I have decided that the n+1 rule for owning bikes is rapidly taking over! I have been commuting by bike for 4 months now and I have become addicted to biking all over again. Problem is, the bike I purchased I am not really happy with :( I made a very hasty decision and was basically "sold" a bike. Anyway to make a long story short I really want to build a cross bike!

I really like the fact that they are super versatile and it would suit my riding almost perfectly. Once I get in better shape I believe that I would also like to race. I train on the road as much as I can right now and will continue through the winter.

So I have a few questions for you. One mainly is Cost. How much money would I be able to save by buying all the components myself as opposed to purchasing a ready-made from a LBS? This adventure of building my own bike will function as a two part goal for me. One is to save money, the second is to really learn a lot about building(assembling) a bike from the ground up and maintenance.

So I ask all you experienced Cross riders, are there good places online to purchase frames and everything else that goes with it, or do you think I should check LBS's first? Any information would be wonderfully helpful. Oh, I guess I'd like to stay around 1000 dollars for my first build. I sold my car and I live car free so I will be taking some money from the sale of my car to put toward this bike!

Thanks in advance

Neil

You won't get a build done for a grand, you're better off buying a complete bike. You may want to order a bike from bikes direct and do the final assembly yourself. I know it doesn't sound like as much fun as a complete build, but you will still learn from the assembly process and get to go through tuning the shifters and wheel truing and tensioning. It will be the only way to do this under your budget and end up with new parts.


The Windsor Cyclo looks like a pretty sweet deal.

Well I have heard that Bikes direct uses crappy frames? I'm not really sure if this is true..... Some info on that would be great.

Also, are you saying that for the money I will be able to get better components and a quality bike for a grand by purchasing a complete bike either online or from a LBS?

Yes, it is alway cheaper to buy a complete bike. The only reason to build is if you want something specific. The welds on the Bikes direct bikes may not be as pretty up close as a more expensive frame, but I have met several mountain bikers with Motobecanes on the trail and they had great things to say about them. You couldn't buy the components and wheels on the Windsor Cyclo for what the complete bike is selling for, so if you bought it for the parts and put them on your frame of choice you would still be ahead. Someone will post up shortly about finding all the parts for cheaper, but they will forget to include the shipping charges from ordering each part from a diffrent dealer and the time spent searching for "deals"

Thank you for helping me out. One more question about Bikes Direct. Since Windsor, Mercier, Motobecane etc all have their own individual websites, are you getting the same bike you see on their individual websites or some knockoff version? (the frame)

Their websites/brand names are all owned by Bikes Direct.

Congrats on going car free I really enjoy the challenges that it brings and I think cyclocross bikes are excellently suited and both my bikes are cross bikes. As a fellow car free dude I would recommend getting one with rack eyelets though you can get a round that if you choose to get a frame or bike with out them but they are more troublesome to take on and off and my bikes have many personalities which means rack comes on and off a lot, at least once a week. I agree with the previous poster my custom build cost me a whole lot more than my stock bike from the shop. I also own a moto fantom cross and they are good bikes mine has got some where between 8,000-9,000 miles on it and holding strong though unless you live near a cycle spectrum good luck on finding one to test ride.

I have to agree that the Windsor Cyclo looks like a really sweet deal, and since you actually want to do assembly you're over one of the two obstacles to making BD work for you. The other obstacle, of course, is size. Study the geometry charts carefully and make sure you know what you need before you buy.

If you want to get an LBS bike, the Kona Jake (aluminum) and Surly Cross Check (steel) are good choices in your price range. I've got a Jake and I love it. Of course, you'd be getting Tiagra parts for about the same price as 105/Ultegra on the Windsor. :(

A Surly, Crosscheck would be great for your needs. My Surly has been bombproof for over ten years of harsh riding.

what's the n+1 rule?

n+1 = optimal number of bikes. How ever many you have (n) all you need is one more to have a full stable.

Building is only cheaper if you have parts or don't mind scrounging and getting used stuff. If that's the case you can get by real cheap. But otherwise a complete bike is much cheaper.

Well I have heard that Bikes direct uses crappy frames? I'm not really sure if this is true..... Some info on that would be great.

Also, are you saying that for the money I will be able to get better components and a quality bike for a grand by purchasing a complete bike either online or from a LBS?

Yes, purchasing a complete bike is cheaper except in rare exceptions. I just did a build with a new frame and components, see: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=470912 . I'm happy with the result, but a new bike from a lbs would have provided a more economical solution.

I would go for the Windsor, its one H#ll of a deal. If you don't like the Windsor frame after some use, buy a new frame and transfer the components off of the Windsor. It's cheaper than buying the components one-at-a-time.

Michael

It seems to me that the n+1 rule only applies to people who aren't Bike Forums regulars. For BF regulars, the formula is more like 2(n+1).