Originally Posted by
gruppo
Nice ghetto build, but untold hours invested. I've never understood the allure of eBay/flea marketing to build a bike, but many seem attracted to the prospect of saving a few bucks regardless of how much effort it takes. Maybe the same mentality as ultraight backpackers.
The cost of my bike was within $100 of the MSRP of a new Surly Pacer. My TOLD hours were approximately 8 to build, tune, and get the bike going. The time I spent shopping, buying and researching parts I still would have spent researching, test riding, and listening to some condescending 20 year tell me how epic carbon is and that steel is lame. I make my money, I decide where it goes.
Point is, if I added the value of the time it took me to build my bike I would add $225 to the total cost. Still, I cannot find a Shimano 105/Ultegra equipped quality steel frame bike within about $300 of what I paid for mine in parts and my labor.
And, no matter what, it was worth building my own bike. I learned more than I would have paying the local mechanic to wrench on it.