Touring - Building a bike up -Is it worth it? Your choice....

Well I did it. It could certainly be considered to be a foolhardy financial move, but nevertheless, I did it.

From this:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2799/4301709805_4471ab3e6b.jpg
to this:
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Originally I found an old Specialized Hard Rock frame in a junk yard (hidden away in the back of a car trunk -a frame with a crankset, rear and front derailleur, brakes and nothing else. Of course, I had to have it for $4.

And of course, my first financial mistake was to start "decorating" it with more appropriate components. Fast forward and my $4 junk bike soon became my commuter bike and a backup tourer (I toured the Yorkshire Dales in the UK in 2008 with it).

But the frame really was an offence to my eyes; it was an absolutely horrible anaemic green to torquoise blue fade -an accident of the early 1990's I would guess. Try as I might, I could not really love this bike until this crime of colour taste had been fully prosecuted.

So fast forward to this christmas just passed, and my parents in law had given me some money. I have to say rather unusually for me, I decided to spend the money on something I wanted rather than really needed. and for as long as I could recall, while browsing in the local bikes section of craigslist (after all, one might get a perfectly good bike frame for $4, right?) I would see an advert for Scott of Long Beach Custom Fabrications (http://lbcustomfab.com), situated about 35 miles away from me. After a quick email with Scott just after Christmas, I was quoted a price of $96 to strip and powder coat the frame. I was in!

My hands worked feverishly and the bike was stripped down that evening, and dropped off the very next day. In just less than 2 weeks, Scott called me back to say the frame was ready -I'd chosen gloss black to give a toned down utilitarian look. I drove down after work one week day and picked it up. I have to say I'm very impressed; the frame really does look brand spanking new -I love it.
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Very often I read on this message board about people asking if building a bike is a viable option -let this post serve as a cautionary tale about this! As nice as my "new" frame looks, cold logic exposes the full account of my financial foolhardiness:

frame: $4 + $96 = $100
tyres: $38
inner tubes =$10
cables = $15
wheelset= $150
brakeset = $30
fenders = $20
brakepads = $11
front rack = $10
front pannier racks = $26
rear rack = $20
bottom bracket = $30
crankset = $35
chain = $30
front derailleur = $30
rear derailleur = $30
rear cassette = $30
handlebars = $20
brake levers = $5
gearshifters = $15
seat post = $18
wheel/seatpost skewers = $20
bottle cages = $10
stem = $30
quill adaptor = $20
spacers = $5
saddle = $100
grips = $10
pedals = $35

total = $903

So, yes, hardly a bargain! Now admittedly I did have some spare parts (and I built the wheelset myself) so in some way I could say it did not cost me that much -probably closer to $500-$600 spaced out over 3-4 years. But still, it's still not economical -and had I not got the parts or paid for a bike mechanics services, it might well have cost more than a $1,000!

The positive side? I have a "new" bike that makes a perfect commuter and secondary touring bike, and I have the pride knowing that I built it up. For me, the pleasure its given me and knowing I have a "one of a kind" makes up the downside financially.

Would I recommend anyone to do this? From an objective viewpoint, definitely not -the costs are so close to a new touring bike such as the pre-built LHT. But if you love bikes, have the mechanical knowledge and spare parts, the thought of creating a one of a kind bike with your own sweat equity can be very appealing.

Kudos to Scott of Long Beach Custom Fabrication of Plymouth, MA, he was a pleasure to deal with.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4280589534_a402eb7683.jpg

Sometimes the costs don't matter... You have something you built and enjoy. Thanks for sharing.

i built my own this winter along a similar platform. it as my first build. a lot of people told me not to bother, the money etc and I respected their advice. I was able to complete my build around $500. Sure nothing was top top shelf and I do still have some things to buy, a new saddle and racks in particular but I am happy that I had the experience, I learned a lot, and I got my bike exactly the way I wanted it. I was able to save some money on frame refinishing, I liked my base color and I used Nu Finish Scratch Doctor to clean it up. I also used my old derailers.

I like your bike, it came out great.

Here is a bike I assembled. I am currently in the process of converting the cockpit with ergo bars and Shimano brifters.

It may end up costing more than a stock bike but I don't care. Not only is this bike my daily rider but also my hobby.

As you know, most moderately priced bikes will have some good components and skimp on others to keep the cost down. If you assemble it yourself you have the option of where you put your money.

I've got a mix of DA, Ultegra, and 105. All bought used at reasonable prices. It also gives me a good deal of pride knowing it is "one of a kind" built with my own two hands. :thumb::love:

Best regards,

Mike

Usually, additional cost is not a factor for those who enjoy and love to build.

In my case, I already had over 90% of used parts and components laying around so it made more sense for me to just buy the frameset only. That's exactly what I did when I built up my Surly LHT five years ago.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/VegaRack.jpg

Now that I've built up two bikes I can't see having a bike any other way. Building it up to my exact specifications and wishes is amazing, plus building it myself is the best feeling of all (short of riding it, of course!).

I've built one bike w/ leftover parts lying around my workshop, and one w/ mostly new parts. The second one was obviously more expensive but to me it's worth the extra cost.

Agree with you guys that the only way to go is building your own. It might cost a little more, or not, but you get the bike you want!

Nice bike -are those Paul's Thumbies there?


Here is a bike I assembled. I am currently in the process of converting the cockpit with ergo bars and Shimano brifters.

It may end up costing more than a stock bike but I don't care. Not only is this bike my daily rider but also my hobby.

As you know, most moderately priced bikes will have some good components and skimp on others to keep the cost down. If you assemble it yourself you have the option of where you put your money.

I've got a mix of DA, Ultegra, and 105. All bought used at reasonable prices. It also gives me a good deal of pride knowing it is "one of a kind" built with my own two hands. :thumb::love:

Best regards,

Mike

I personally have no interest in building up my bikes. I'd rather let a seasoned pro do it, I also don't need anything so special that a shop can't do it.

It's also worth noting that for the bottom-line reasons you noted, it's rarely worth it to buy a used bike and fix it up. I mean, you went from a $4 frame to a $900 investment! ;)

Of course, if you enjoy it and it improves your wrenching skills, it's clearly worth it and money shouldn't figure much into your evaluation of its validity as a project.

Very nice...I built my own also. You are not alone in your financial stupidity:p

The two bikes that I built up myself are mine, there are no bikes quite like them anywhere, and everything on them is just what I wanted. I probably could have saved a fair bit by getting an off the rack commuter bike, but where do I find a bike with mustache bars, a Brooks B-17, a decent (Shimano 3N-71) hub dynamo, studded tires and fenders? Besides, I haven't seen a lugged steel MTB frame in a bike shop in years. The tourer has a custom frame and I've swapped parts and made upgrades over the years. Between components that you can't buy any more (TA Zephyr triple crankset, Tange Super Roller headset with tapered roller bearings) and just plain unusual parts (Nitto Randonneur handlebars, 26" wheels on a 58cm frame), I'm very confident that there isn't another bike like mine anywhere.

But, since we're talking about touring bikes, you should at least have some wrenching skills before venturing out into the middle of nowhere......

I started out my build with the goal of building my tourer for around $400....and could have with the parts I had on hand.
But as I was building I started thinking "Deore DX would be good" and "New wheels would be great" and "I really don't NEED a new honey colored B17 but it sure would look good".

I stopped keeping track after I crossed the $600 mark, but I estimate that I wound up around $800 + and still had some used components.
If I'd just bought a new bike, I could have bought a new Randonee on special from REI for less than $850.
I have to say, though, that I'm very happy with my build and like the ride so much that I'm culling my bikes down to the tourer and a back-up commuter.
That, and I know EXACTLY how my bike functions now and have confidence that I could fix what might go wrong with it.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hjk-KjFgGfk/St1ACPEhXiI/AAAAAAAAAuc/tfzAUiTBgKA/s640/colorado%20%2709%20057.jpg

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Beautiful bike!

I think building up a bike can be very rewarding. I have an old hybrid frame I'm hoping to add some braze-ons to, and get it powdercoated one day. If you have good luck finding deals on used components and bikes you can save a few bucks. I think it's great to put an older bike back into service too instead of just buying a new one... it's a shame to make bicycles into something disposable.

at the present time, I have 8 bikes and two were purchased as complete bikes. I find it fun to chose the components and scour for deals and assemble it. When it is finally completed, I have a bike that I wanted. My problem is that I always look for the dream frame. Also when I am searching for components it seems that I gain quite a bit of knowledge on the newer components.

That's an incredibly important point to note -and one I want to stress to anyone thinking of the building up a bike route. I got a frame for next to nothing, and if you look at the prices I quote for components, I also think I shopped very wisely. Even then, the costs really just do not make sense.

In terms of costs, the best way to build a bike up is without a doubt if you have some components already (fortunately I did, but again, I reckon over 3-4 years I invested $400-$600 in it). And even if you do have components already, usually it means you had to purchase them in the first place anyway.

Straying slightly from topic, if you want to convert an old mtb to a tourer, it is feasible cost wise but only if you keep the original drive chain and most of the original components. Once you start that rocky road to upgrading and adding on parts, well.....


I personally have no interest in building up my bikes. I'd rather let a seasoned pro do it, I also don't need anything so special that a shop can't do it.

It's also worth noting that for the bottom-line reasons you noted, it's rarely worth it to buy a used bike and fix it up. I mean, you went from a $4 frame to a $900 investment! ;)

Of course, if you enjoy it and it improves your wrenching skills, it's clearly worth it and money shouldn't figure much into your evaluation of its validity as a project.

I've built up four bikes. It's more expensive than buying a complete, but it's lots of fun, and quite rewarding. One advantage is that you don't have to come up with all the money at once. You can buy a derailleur this month, a crankset next month, etc. Eventually you'll have a complete bike, and it won't seem quite so much like you've overspent (if you're good at rationalizing, of course.) At the moment I don't have a worthy project going, and I miss it.

I think your financial analysis misses the point...

In addition to a nice bike, you also bought and recieved a comprehensive training program in what your bike is made of, how all those pieces fit together and are properly adjusted.

Don't know what the value of the last piece is but it may prove to be invaluable at some point on your next big adventure.

I think you got a very good deal!!!

those bikes aren't that heavy, gf has a hard rock and it's lighter than my Surly.

I've been considering building one for my wife. That you got the frame powdercoated for under $100 is encouraging. Since I have access to wholesale parts, I figure I can put together a decent bike for around $500, if I can just find the right frame to start with. I'm being kind of picky about that, so I don't know if/when I'll get to this project.

And really, how does your $900 bike compare to a comparably priced new bike? As long as the frame is not damaged in any way, I'd say you probably came out just fine. Plus it's a lot easier to get a $900 bike in small installments than as one big lump sum cost.

Another thing that might be considered is resale value. An older rebuilt bike is unlikely to have as high of a resale value as a newer name brand bike that may have cost the same as a rebuild. I converted a mid 90s MTB to a tourer but only did minimal upgrades so as to not have much invested (and lost) when I sell the bike. But building a bike is fun, just not the most cost effective way.

Agree with you guys that the only way to go is building your own. It might cost a little more, or not, but you get the bike you want!

+1. I'm working on a touring build currently and it's a lot of fun to source used & new parts :)

At best the 903 is really 630, since the powder coating clearly doesn't count. That's a luxury (good for you), when you get an LHT complete, you don't get custom PC. The saddle, is also something you don't get on a $900 bike, and there are some items like the the racks, fenders that are accessories and add up to another 70. For 630 you did save money. The only thing I can't tell from the list and prices is whether you got good stuff, and really got what you wanted. Getting pressed into buying the "wrong" stuff because they are inside the budget is no better than because they are in the package. Possibly the reason all custom bikes seem to have a CK headset on them is that it sets the tone of excess, so that one doesn't compromise, even on any of the stuff that might make a difference.

Whats wrong with the teal blue:p

Before ($40)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u204/burtonridr2/Mountainbiking/IMG_0293.jpg

After: (about $150 later, salvaged racks and upgrades from other bikes for free)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u204/burtonridr2/Mountainbiking/IMG_1413.jpg

It works AWESOME for commuting, I can wait to tour with it.

BTW I envy the black powder coat job, it looks so nice :)

Just want to say that is one nice looking bike! I love the colour -I debated long and hard before opting for that gloss black. But that colour green is really gorgeous. I've always been partial to a nice deep luscious green.


I started out my build with the goal of building my tourer for around $400....and could have with the parts I had on hand.
But as I was building I started thinking "Deore DX would be good" and "New wheels would be great" and "I really don't NEED a new honey colored B17 but it sure would look good".

Just want to say that is one nice looking bike! I love the colour -I debated long and hard before opting for that gloss black. But that colour green is really gorgeous. I've always been partial to a nice deep luscious green.


I started out my build with the goal of building my tourer for around $400....and could have with the parts I had on hand.
But as I was building I started thinking "Deore DX would be good" and "New wheels would be great" and "I really don't NEED a new honey colored B17 but it sure would look good".

You have to remember it was a green to teal blue *fade* job, just my opinion, but truly ugly. If it had been all one solid colour there's no doubt I would have liked it more, though to be honest, teal blue just ain't my colour (no offence intended!). The Hard Rock is a nice frame though, slightly heavy but still nice. That will make a really nice commuter bike!


Whats wrong with the teal blue:p

I should have added the kind of components I got. SRAM PC89 and SRAM cassette (can't remember model, but very nice quality and not the cheap one), Shimano deore rear derailleur, LX front derailleur, LX hub set, nice Mavic rims (can't remember model, but again good ones), Brooks saddle, Nasbar pedals (have always worked great for me), Nashbar canti brakeset with Koolstop salmons (the best canti setup I've ever had, just wonderful -powerful and with great modulation), Nashbar cheapie mtb crankset -but I've found the crank to be fine and I've had no regrets with it. Would i have preferred some XT stuff in there or more LX stuff? Undoubtedly yes, but I knew all along this was a commuter and a backup touring bike, so I'm very happy with the components I have for it.

I think you're right, given the saddle, pedals and without the paint job and with some lower end components and no front racks, I could have easily knocked off $300 if I'd wanted to. I suppose if the question -even given the financial concerns -were to be "would you do it again?" -I'd have to say YES!!!



At best the 903 is really 630, since the powder coating clearly doesn't count. That's a luxury (good for you), when you get an LHT complete, you don't get custom PC. The saddle, is also something you don't get on a $900 bike, and there are some items like the the racks, fenders that are accessories and add up to another 70. For 630 you did save money. The only thing I can't tell from the list and prices is whether you got good stuff, and really got what you wanted. Getting pressed into buying the "wrong" stuff because they are inside the budget is no better than because they are in the package. Possibly the reason all custom bikes seem to have a CK headset on them is that it sets the tone of excess, so that one doesn't compromise, even on any of the stuff that might make a difference.

Just want to say that is one nice looking bike! I love the colour -I debated long and hard before opting for that gloss black. But that colour green is really gorgeous. I've always been partial to a nice deep luscious green.

That's the color of the Nashbar touring frame. They were still selling frame and fork separately when I bought this fork and frame used for $150 (about what the frame alone was selling for). Of course, now they sell together and were down to $99.95 last week.:notamused:

But yeah, the green is awesome.
The Flying Avocado! Long may she roll.:thumb:

the bike looks gorgeous
In the midst of my own 90s hardrock conversion
where did you get the fenders and such a tall quill adaptor?

Not sure if you are referring to my bike (hey, if you are, I'll take the compliments thanks!).

Fenders I bought from Nashbar many years ago for $15-$20. i think I also got the quill adaptor from Nashbar for $10-$15. If Nashbar doesn't sell them now I'm sure you can get one from Ebay. Actually -and this is why I'm not sure you are referring to my bike -the quill adaptor isn't that tall. I do get some good elevation from an adjustable stem though.
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the bike looks gorgeous
In the midst of my own 90s hardrock conversion
where did you get the fenders and such a tall quill adaptor?

the bike looks gorgeous
In the midst of my own 90s hardrock conversion
where did you get the fenders and such a tall quill adaptor?

...and if you're referring to mine (the nashbar frame) I just never cut the streerer tube and put on lots of spacers (it's a treadless head set).
Fenders are Planet Bike Hardcore Freddy Fenders I picked up on sale at Performance Bike