fietsbob

in the 80s the famous Italian steel frame-builders expected the retail shop to do the final frame prep , so they left that off,
and Campagnolo (etc) sold the bike shops the complete tool set, in 1 box, to do the finishing machining.

rmfnla

True, but with "advances" like cartridge bottom brackets and threadless headsets this is not so much the case anymore...

fietsbob

And the Chinese made Cutting tools are cheap to replace , the Italian ones were not. so the solution was
let the shop do the Prep work .

DiabloScott

I did this - it was fun - saved about 30% over the cost of a new bike by getting a great deal on a bare frame a few years old that had never been built, buying a couple of items used, and shopping around for the best deal on all the components - one at a time. Turned it into a 6-month process. Had the LBS do the headset and BB though.

Still wasn't EXACTLY what I wanted, but it was what I thought I wanted and I did hand pick every single item... wound up changing saddle and handlebars after not too long.

ColonelSanders

I wouldn't be taking apart my own bike as a learning experience, unless I had another bike I could use whilst the bike being worked on, was off the road.

Inpd

Well its my own bike but not the one I ride now!

TheManShow

Amen, I am going threw this righ now. Keep changing mind on all the part I want. But first part is a Steel Lugged Frame & Fork.

geehue

I've done this once -- I found an NOS Casati frame on closeout, and slowly built it up whenever I could find the parts on sale over the course of about six months. I did almost everything other than the headset at home with basic tools. If you're using a Shimano drivetrain, most local bike shops will have the few specialized tools you'll likely need (special socket for tightening the rear cassette, for example). Using Campagnolo bits may make tools more difficult to source and more expensive.

A good resource to find out what kind of tools you'll likely need can be found in Zinn's generally excellent guide to road bike maintenance. It also gives step-by-step instructions for most everything you'll need to do.

What I couldn't do with basic tools, I took to a local bicycle co-op which let me rent tools and workshop space for $5 per half-hour (if you're in or near a large urban area, you will likely be able to find one).

I am NOT mechanically inclined, and there was a lot of trial and error, stupid questions to patient bicycle mechanics, and frantic internet searches. But I did it, I learned enough about bikes to handle most repairs on my own, and it was exceptionally gratifying. I'm in the process of doing it again with another closeout frame. There's something really wonderful about being able to say that you built your own bicycle.

If you are prepared to put off gratification until you can find parts inexpensively, you CAN save money -- particularly if you can find a good deal on the frame to begin with. If you just go out and order parts online all at once, you probably will end up spending more money than you would have by just going to a bike shop.

My only advice -- take it even slower than you planned. Confirm, then re-confirm, then re-re-confirm whether the parts you are going to buy will play well with your other parts and your frame. It will be easier to buy your drivetrain components as an entire groupset (look for end-of-year sales or closeout last-year-model) to ensure derailleur-shifter-chain-cassette compatibility. Know your frame's bottom bracket standard (Italian thread? English thread? BB30? BB86?) and make sure that your crankset works with that. Be prepared to do a lot of reading and a lot of watching Park Tools how-to videos. And don't be afraid to leave a few things to a mechanic.

My experience was that once I was done, I was pretty happy with the results. There's a lot of satisfaction in doing it yourself.

ColonelSanders

Well as long as you have a back up bike to use whilst the one you are working on is being worked on, then I would definitely do it.

Old School

I just built up a Trek Fuel Ex 9 from scratch, and the satisfaction of a job that turns out well is immeasurable. Lots of research and plenty of patience can result in a great project. Buying the wrong size or mismatched parts will be frustrating, so go slow and enjoy. I agree with a previous poster that eBay is a good source. Know your limits and have an LBS do the steps that require special tools (bottom bracket facing, pressing headset bearings, etc.).

CliffordK

Last winter I did a frame up build. I scraped and skimped. At the end of the project, I tallied up my costs and was stunned to find that I had spent almost $400 on my bike build. And it is still a "Franken-Bike" full of mismatched parts.

However, I ended up with one of the few $400 Titanium Litespeed Road bikes out on the road.

Anyway, I wouldn't plan on buying all new parts and expect to get a good deal on a new wonder-bike.

However, one can often get excellent deals on used frames if you keep your eyes open. Perhaps even parting out a C&V bike to salvage the frame and build up with new components (selling the extra parts if you wish). Keep in mind there are different dropout widths and stems.

Another place you'll find you might be able to save some money on is that Tiagra/105 level complete bikes are often sold at bargain basement prices, and it is hard to compete with the manufacture prices. However, the Ultegra/Dura Ace level bikes are often sold at a premium, and one might be able to save some money building Ultegra/DA level bikes. Or, some individuals have bought bikes with Tiagra groups, stripped the tiagra parts and replaced with Ultegra parts. Sold the Tiagra group sets, and saved a significant amount over retail.

BTW:
Keep an eye out for deals. Ribble is about $50 cheaper than Planet Cyclery for 105 group sets and $100 for Ultegra.
Ribble Cycles Groupset Creator Current sales don't include the group sets, but last year Christmas/New Year sales did.
Although, does Planet Cyclery include cables and housings?

habilis

As others have recommended, try overhauling an old bike first. Assuming your current bike has any value to you (I'm sure it does), don't tear it down. Get up early on bulk trash day in your town or go to the thrift store and pick up a free or dirt-cheap bike. If you make a mess of it, find another and start over. When you finish, sell or donate it.

My first build was a serviceable 10-speed I put together out of second-hand and junk parts in 1980. It then became a fully loaded commuter with lights, generator, fenders, etc. I still have it, but I recently turned it into a bare-bones fixed gear bike. It's satisfying to own and ride something that went through all those metamorphoses.

SquidPuppet

Why do you guys lug your frame to the LBS to have the headset cups pressed in?

This is a headset press. It really is this simple.

geehue

True. But it is all about comfort level. The first time I built up a bike, I was nervous about damaging the cups by using a homemade press, and I also was a little concerned about misaligning them -- for peace of mind, having a trusted mechanic check to ensure that my head tube didn't need to be raced felt like a good investment for me. The cost wasn't prohibitive. Now that I feel more confident in what I'm doing, I do use my own press for headsets and bottom brackets.

hopwheels

I can't "not" build or fix stuff on my own. I haven't worked on a bicycle since I was a kid, but even after that long a hiatus I didn't hesitate to build a bike from scratch for my wife, make over a '93 Giant Sedona ATX into a commuter bike, and upgrade my son's bike. I enjoy knowing a lot about the mechanical thing I'm riding, I do the same with motorcycles and cars (not as much). With a few of the right tools, a few homemade tools, this forum and a couple others, and YouTube, it's easier now than ever before for DIY'rs. If you have the time to read a lot and the tenacity and means to see it through, go for it. It wasn't the cheapest way to a bike, but it is really satisfying getting exactly what you want. A couple before and after pics.

1993 Giant Sedona ATX before

After

700HT frame before

After


The $50 bike repair tool kit from Nashbar had a lot of what I needed, a Park headset cup removal tool, a Nashbar steerer tube cutting guide, a Park freewheel removal tool...made my own headset cup press (same posted earlier) and a star nut setter. That's the list that got me started.

CliffordK

That is why i had planned to take apart Mom's bike this summer while my Nephew was in town.

Mom was a bit skeptical, and unfortunately we ran out of time

Perhaps next summer

cny-bikeman

Posts 9 and 10 say most of what I have to say, but in addition the amount you learn from a scratch build is small compared to the time spent. Many things you will seldom if ever have to do again, and you learn very little about dealing with adjustments when things aren't showroom new, or about hub overhauls for instance. Your time would be much better spent doing a complete overhaul of your current bike - and then riding it!

I worked for other shops for over 10 years, then had my own bike business, so I had access to low cost parts and all the tools necessary for a scratch built, in addition to mechanical knowledge and my needs as far as frame geometry, gearing, etc. Yet when it came time to acquire my ideal bike I chose one close to my needs and then changed out the few things that were personal preference or need - mostly to do with fit and efficiency - pedals, saddle, bars, stem and tires. It will take you far, far more than 3x what a mechanic would take, as you have to learn both how to choose components and then how to install and adjust them.

Again, unless you have specific needs, understand how to apply them to component or frame selection, and are willing to pay a premium in both time and money, a scratch build is not that great a thing. Many do it more for bragging rights than for any utilitarian reason.

geehue

Aren't bragging rights (or at least the satisfaction you've done it yourself) kind of the point, though? If it gives a person gratification to build their own bicycle -- or boat or car or house or furniture or whatever -- I would think that would be enough to justify it. The fact that one or two bicycle assemblies doesn't teach me how to be an experienced mechanic isn't really an argument against doing something that does give me a feeling of accomplishment.

cny-bikeman

Bragging rights the point? Is that where we've "progressed" to? As for satisfaction - the satisfaction of spending literally hours just figuring out what you need, spending more hours sourcing, ordering, unpacking, returning items is overrated. My greatest satisfaction comes from riding a well-tuned bike that fits my body and my needs, and I don't need an expensive scratch build to accomplish that. Your other examples have the same issues as a bike. It's unwise to build anything you can buy already built if you don't know what you need or even how to tell what you need, don't know how to do it, and don't have the tools to complete it. I enjoy doing my own home maintenance, and I've never in my life had a bicycle of mine fixed by anyone else, so I'm certainly appreciative of "do it yourself" but I've seen too many "I built it myself disasters to give unbridled support to the idea. If the OP truly enjoys the process more power to him.

geehue

I'm very glad you get to do what gives you satisfaction. I get satisfaction from feeling that I've had a hand in creating the things I use. I suspect the OP does too, and wants to know whether it is possible with the bike. If you think that's something to be ashamed of or that doesn't quite meet your high standards, well, I guess I'll have to live with it.

CliffordK

If you go with used... assuming it is not a fresh repaint, or badly battered parts, then you probably won't need to face, ream, or tap the BB, Head Tube, Seat Tube, etc.

Everything else essentially has 100% overlap with what you would ordinarily do with bike maintenance.

3alarmer 

...I guess we have different ideas on "creative". I get asked the OP question all the time at the co-op here, and am also an old fart who started doing this in the 70's as a poverty stricken college kid. I'm in the "get a complete bicycle cycle, tear it completely apart, clean and relube everything, and reassemble it correctly with all the fine tuning and adjustments needed" teaches you way more than spending days and hours shopping for parts. I honestly don't see the creativity in figuring out the various threading and sizing standards for a frame and buying the stuff to hang on it.

I have seen plenty of people get so confused as beginners "building a bike" that it never gets finished. Doing your first project as a complete disassemble and overhaul is plenty ambitious enough IMO, and probably a more easily consumable learning experience.

As always, just my opinion, and YMMV.

TinyL

I am currently building my first bike. What I did was: 1. Ask advice here. 2. Went to LBS and sized bikes that I could buy the frame only. 3. Watched You Tube videos till I was confident I could do it. 4. Shopped E-bay, JensonUSA, ChainReaction, WesternBikeWork.com, etc for parts and tooling.

I bought a frame from Surly which when contacted assured me the headtube, BB and fork crown were faced before powder coat. I just used a utility razor blade to remove the overspray from the faces and had the fork crown faced buy a friend...a razor could have been used there as well. Steel frame so I treated it with Frame Saver and ran scotchbrite thru the headtube and BB to clean them up before assembly. I already had access to torque wrenches and other basic hand tools. I built a press for 8 bucks at Ace Hardware.

As long as you take your time I think it will be rewarding to build your own. The tooling is also proving usefull working on my new found buddys bikes that need fixing now they have cheap labor...I charge a Diet Pepsi.

Just started mine

geehue

I appreciate your opinion. Maybe the idea of assembling your own bike doesn't feel creative to you, though, because for you it isn't a big deal; you do this all the time. For me, who doesn't normally get to do this, it was an exciting opportunity and I was enthusiastic both about the project and the results. You're no doubt correct that I could have learned more had I instead taken apart and overhauled an existing bike. I may well do that, too, one day.

Was there the chance that I might have got in way over my head and never finished it? Absolutely. Would a real mechanic have shaken their head in incredulity at some of the dumb mistakes I made and then had to undo? It happened more than once. But I'm still really glad I did it, and I don't see what I did (or what the OP wants to do) as being hugely different than trying to cook a meal from scratch even though I'm not a real chef, or developing my own film and making my own prints in a darkroom despite not being a professional photographer.

TinyL

It is very true you get a way better price buying prebuilt. Being a Clyde myself left my options pretty limited though. The frame I used came prebuilt with strong enough wheels...but I did not want drop bars. This would have meant new shifters and bars and cables. I probably spent 70 percent more than prebuilt...but I used higher grade components and got exactly what I wanted. My wheel set was a bit more than necessary...but should last a long long time.

Its funny how doing this at work on my breaks got other people to grab their old dusty bikes and have me help them clean them up and adjust them. Just in the last 2 weeks I have tuned 5 bikes that now have their owners riding them at breaks around the airport grounds. Two coworkers are now buying components to build their own bikes at work. My employer was quite supportive of my activities as the promote green and healthy lifestyle changes. My investment in tooling is paying off for others as it's helping get some back into cycling. I now do more than just read the news at breaks. Win win in my book.