i found out the hard way, but building a bike up always ends up costing more in the end....plus if you were like me and didn't know too much about bikes it took a long time to figure out what is compatible with what, and it took a long time finding the right parts at cheaper prices. i definitely learned allot and now have a much better understanding of bike mechanics, but trust me it is not the cheap way to go....

yah i second evan about scouring craigslist....like, watch it and check back every other day. lots of people are selling off their fixed gear bikes nowadays....