Bicycle Mechanics - bike building videos on you tube

I have seen several people on here reference you tube for repair and maintenance. I want to build my first bike from scratch, and wanted to see if there was a particular series that covered this, that anyone would recommend?

Try the search bar on the top of the Youtube page. Might be best to search for the particular operation you are working on at the time.Once you find one video, related ones will present themselves in the side bar.

There are also a great number of text and photo tutorials covering just about everything. In many cases these do a better job explaining things than video.

There are also a great number of text and photo tutorials covering just about everything. In many cases these do a better job explaining things than video.

:thumb:

YOU 'boobs' is mostly a moronic collection of poorly written and produced clips. Almost always a complete waste of time.. to really learn something.

:thumb:

YOU 'boobs' is mostly a moronic collection of poorly written and produced clips. Almost always a complete waste of time.. to really learn something.

Yes, mostly is a key word here. There are a few good videos with reliable info. There are also lots of poorly produced videos with equally poor info. There's a catch-22 here because unless you already know about bike repair, it's hard to know if what you're watching is reliable or not.

I suggest the OP, look for info from reliable sources or with links to same.

I never bothered to look at the Park Tool web site but people have said here that it's useful.

Some videos I saw on Youtube were useful, some I couldn't even see what they were doing. Yes, let's show how this is done by showing you a zoomed-out video of the bike while I shove myself in front of the cam while I'm working on the bike so I show you even less. Anyway, I'm sure they have good intentions but maybe didn't review in their head how the video would look like before doing it.

i would MUCH rather read about a procedure, with some well shot photos or diagrams, than listen to some moron drone on about it on a badly shot amateur video.

'how to' videos are almost always about one very specific task, and won't guide in you in the planning decisions involved before you buy the first part.

now, when you say, 'build a bike from scratch', do you mean at the frame building level, where you start with tubes and mig-weld or braze yourself a complete bike frame first? Or, do you mean assembling parts onto an factory built frame? I wouldn't tackle the former under any conditions myself (thats just me), and I wouldn't suggest anyone tackle the latter until they had plenty of experience with wrenching on existing bikes, including things like replacing bottom brackets, etc. once you've done those things on some existing bikes, you should know everything you need to know to assemble a new bike from a frame, other than maybe some specific things unique to the part combinations you've chosen.

note, buying a frame + parts is nearly always WAY more expensive than buying a complete bike.

now, when you say, 'build a bike from scratch', do you mean at the frame building level, where you start with tubes and mig-weld or braze yourself a complete bike frame first? Or, do you mean assembling parts onto an factory built frame? I wouldn't tackle the former under any conditions myself (thats just me), and I wouldn't suggest anyone tackle the latter until they had plenty of experience with wrenching on existing bikes, including things like replacing bottom brackets, etc. once you've done those things on some existing bikes, you should know everything you need to know to assemble a new bike from a frame, other than maybe some specific things unique to the part combinations you've chosen.
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Don't know when the expression 'build a bike' came into popular use as we now frequently see/hear it used. In olden times, say a decade or more ago, 'building' was only associated with 'frame-building'. Now it would seem to most commonly mean to put parts onto a frame.
Language, you gotta love it.

so much copy, not one answer. (with the exception of check the park tool site) I mean build up a frame I bought. I purchased a ridley noah rs. I got an ultegra crank, di2 ultegra FD, RD, and associated wires, shifters batteries, etc. I also got a zip service course SL bar and stem. I have wheels already and a cassette.

I am basically looking for "reliable" info, even if its not video. Telling me to go look for reliable info, without giving me an example of where I may find that...well thanks. I swear I think half of you wouldn't know how to help someone if you life depended on it, but you sure know how to raise your useless post count.

I suppose my response sounds harsh, but that's how yours sounded to me (in general, not all)

Wow, use search, who would have thunk it?

whatever dude you aint even trying

so much copy, not one answer. (with the exception of check the park tool site) I mean build up a frame I bought. I purchased a ridley noah rs. I got an ultegra crank, di2 ultegra FD, RD, and associated wires, shifters batteries, etc. I also got a zip service course SL bar and stem. I have wheels already and a cassette.

I am basically looking for "reliable" info, even if its not video. Telling me to go look for reliable info, without giving me an example of where I may find that...well thanks. I swear I think half of you wouldn't know how to help someone if you life depended on it, but you sure know how to raise your useless post count.

I suppose my response sounds harsh, but that's how yours sounded to me (in general, not all)

Wow, use search, who would have thunk it?

It's not like we have nothing to do but watch and rate repair videos. I've been riding, working on and in the bike industry for over 40 years, si there's no way I'm going to watch a video.

But, in general, (sorry) there's no one or two great videos, and everyone has a different learning style, so a video that one person loves, may be of no help to someone else. When I teach repair, whatever I'm explaining, there will always be one or two that don't get it right away. So I 'm always ready to approach it from another angle, and sometimes even a third so everyone gets it on his terms.

My advice, watch a few videos, or read tutorials. It barely matters how good any are, since you'll learn from the amalgam. The key isn't to have the best paint by numbers answer, but to understand the underlying concept, so you can paint your own picture.

If you don't like this cop out general answer, tough. You get what you pay for.

www.youtube.com/senordingles is pretty good, but I don't know if he has any bike building from scratch videos.

so much copy, not one answer. (with the exception of check the park tool site) I mean build up a frame I bought. I purchased a ridley noah rs. I got an ultegra crank, di2 ultegra FD, RD, and associated wires, shifters batteries, etc. I also got a zip service course SL bar and stem. I have wheels already and a cassette.

I am basically looking for "reliable" info, even if its not video. Telling me to go look for reliable info, without giving me an example of where I may find that...well thanks. I swear I think half of you wouldn't know how to help someone if you life depended on it, but you sure know how to raise your useless post count.

I suppose my response sounds harsh, but that's how yours sounded to me (in general, not all)

Wow, use search, who would have thunk it?


wow, why didn't you SAY so in the first place? 'build my first bike' was *incredibly" vague.

ok, so ROAD stuff. wait, wires?!? oh, you're messing with the *ELECTRIC* ultegra stuff? eek, have fun.

I assume you've read the Shimano documentation on that? start here
http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/Ultegra/UltegraDi2/DM-0001A-002-ENG_v1_m56577569830778132.pdf

and progress to other bits like cranks and bottom brakets linked here...
http://techdocs.shimano.com/techdocs/index.jsp
(under Road Bike, choose Ultegra, and all the parts breakdowns and install sheets should be there)

do you have a work stand? having a frame clamp will make things a lot easier.

lets see, I think I'd do it in this order


install the forks and headset, held on by the stem.
install the bars (needed to hold the controls]
brakes
handlebar controls *
put the cassette on the wheel *
put the wheels on the bike
install the bottom bracket + crankset *
install the derailleurs *
install the chain *
pedals, seat
hook up the electric control systems *
adjust the derailleurs *
test ride and repeat 8 as needed


* - the shimano instructions should give all the info you need for these steps.

did I forget anything?

Don't know when the expression 'build a bike' came into popular use as we now frequently see/hear it used. In olden times, say a decade or more ago, 'building' was only associated with 'frame-building'. Now it would seem to most commonly mean to put parts onto a frame.
Language, you gotta love it.


I'm from when 'building a computer' meant drawing the schematics, and laying out and wire-wrapping the circuits, not buying a bunch of major subassemblies and bolting them together.

same thing. sigh.

so much copy, not one answer. (with the exception of check the park tool site) I mean build up a frame I bought. I purchased a ridley noah rs. I got an ultegra crank, di2 ultegra FD, RD, and associated wires, shifters batteries, etc. I also got a zip service course SL bar and stem. I have wheels already and a cassette.

I am basically looking for "reliable" info, even if its not video. Telling me to go look for reliable info, without giving me an example of where I may find that...well thanks. I swear I think half of you wouldn't know how to help someone if you life depended on it, but you sure know how to raise your useless post count.

I suppose my response sounds harsh, but that's how yours sounded to me (in general, not all)

Wow, use search, who would have thunk it?

well, I could have directed you to my own Youtube channel where I offer demos of some bike building operations, but I don't like to make this a platform for crass self promotion. Anyway, as it turns out, none of my videos would help much with the frame and drivetrain you have as it's much more modern than most of the stuff I work on.
But, if you want to have a look, it's down there in my sig line. You might find something useful if you dig a bit.

I think the OP is getting the kind of vague answers, his vague question deserves.

I doubt there are any videos about building up a bike from frame and components, if you look at it as a single job.

Building up a frame into a bike, is a series of discrete operations; installing a headset, bars and stem, installing a BB and cranks, installing derailleurs, brakes, etc. So the OP should look for videos and tutorials on these, one component at a time. There are plenty of good ones and, as I said earlier, he should review more than one for each component.

BTW- I would hope that before buying a frame and a box of hardware, the someone would have some bike assembly and repair experience, and would at least know some of the more basic procedures. The OP's question implies otherwise, which has me wondering what the OP was thinking as he went along this far. There are issues of compatibility, ie BB type, and some knowledge is required before buying.

...........but you sure know how to raise your useless post count...........

Considering you've made 1000 posts in 10 months.............

I think the OP is getting the kind of vague answers, his vague question deserves.

I doubt there are any videos about building up a bike from frame and components, if you look at it as a single job.

Building up a frame into a bike, is a series of discrete operations; installing a headset, bars and stem, installing a BB and cranks, installing derailleurs, brakes, etc. So the OP should look for videos and tutorials on these, one component at a time. There are plenty of good ones and, as I said earlier, he should review more than one for each component.

BTW- I would hope that before buying a frame and a box of hardware, the someone would have some bike assembly and repair experience, and would at least know some of the more basic procedures. The OP's question implies otherwise, which has me wondering what the OP was thinking as he went along this far. There are issues of compatibility, ie BB type, and some knowledge is required before buying.
Exactly the point I tried to express, but I think you said it better. The way I said it just POed the OP.

so much copy, not one answer. (with the exception of check the park tool site) I mean build up a frame I bought. I purchased a ridley noah rs. I got an ultegra crank, di2 ultegra FD, RD, and associated wires, shifters batteries, etc. I also got a zip service course SL bar and stem. I have wheels already and a cassette.

I am basically looking for "reliable" info, even if its not video. Telling me to go look for reliable info, without giving me an example of where I may find that...well thanks. I swear I think half of you wouldn't know how to help someone if you life depended on it, but you sure know how to raise your useless post count.

I suppose my response sounds harsh, but that's how yours sounded to me (in general, not all)

Wow, use search, who would have thunk it?

Lets work back from your catch all question- what DO you know how to do? Entire books have been written about 'building' a bike, and I know I'm not about to type one out just because some jackass copped an attitude about the quality of free advice he was getting.

Here's what I'm thinking- pay your lbs to face and chase/press both your headset and BB and mount the forks and cranks. From there, ask questions as you get stuck.