Originally Posted by
benajah
Depends on what you want. If you find a bike that is a combination of the frameset, wheels, and gruppo you want, then its usually cheaper to buy them all together than buying the parts and assembling it yourself.
Yup. I built my road bike, but the only reason I came close to a decent retail price for a complete bike like mine was because I got all the parts either used or at liquidation prices. If I paid new prices, it'd have cost close to double.
Also, I've accumulated most of the tools I'd ever need. I can do my own adjustments or maintenance more quickly than my local shops can manage (usually, anyway; I've had one shop replace a spoke while I waited, which was cool). If I only planned to own a couple bikes, though, I might not bother with a stash of tools.
Besides all that, I like to tinker with stuff.
