Swapping Componenets Between Bikes, Compaibility Question
 

Hi everyone, I have a bit of a newbie question...

I am trying to put together a road bike on the cheap. I am wondering (in general), if you can swap all the non-frame components from one bike onto another frame?

In specific, I am wondering if you can swap the components from a Jamis Ventura road bike onto a Specialized frame.

Are parts broadly interchangeable like this? Or is more like cars and are the different components frame (or maker) specific? Maybe there is a compatibility website? Would you be able to tell the compatibility from looking at different aspects of the frame specifics?

Thanks

Mikey

There is a huge deal of interchangeability between bikes, but it'd be rare to have a 100% match. The FD for instance can be mounted in several different ways. And if you're trying to stuff on the cheap it really doesn't take much of tinkering and replacement(specially if you have to have a mechanic do it) before you'd have been better off going for a complete used bike instead.

Mikey,

As Dabac stated, you'll have a great chance of swapping most components over. If we assume that the bikes are newer bikes, here is my experience with the swapability of components between frames:

Cables: I say cables because the frames might be slightly different in geometry and thus require the cables be cut to a different length. Obviously if your new frame is smaller than your old frame, you could reuse the cables, but if it's bigger then you'd need a new set.

Front Derailleur: They come in a few flavors: braze-on and clamp-on. Clamp-on styles have a circular clamp that actually wraps around the seat tube. A braze-on FD has a screw that attaches to a tab on the frame. If your frame needs a braze-on, then that's what you have to buy. There is no other way around it. If your frame requires a clamp-on style, you can either buy a clamp-on style FD or a braze-on style and use an adapter clamp. To complicate things a bit more, clamp-on FD's come in 3 different styles (34.9mm, 31.8mm and 28.6mm) and you'll have to get the appropriate size.

Bottom Bracket: There are a few different bottom bracket standards now. Mainly italian-thread, english-thread, and BB030. Most likely your 2 frames will have english-thread and you'll be fine, but you should make sure.

Mickey, To help, which Specialized frame? Do you already have the 'new' frame? How bare is the new frame and does it have a fork?

Brad

Thanks for the help!
The idea would be to put the parts onto a Sequoia frame.
But I really appreciate the comment that it will probably be cheaper just to get a complete bike.
Mikey

The two biggies would be the style of headset and the front derailleur. Between these two ROAD bikes all the rest should swap over without any other issues. On a broader range if you were swapping from a road to a hybrid then some other factors many come up in terms of BB widths, rear dropout spacing, etc.

The FD issues are that there's tab or collar mounting. And if collar mounted then the collar size matters. Since they are both road bikes the derailleurs will both be bottom pull. But the collar mounting will likely force you to buy a new FD.

The only other issue is the headset. There's 1 inch and 1 1/8. But there is also zero stack integrated and regular styles of head set. So again this is something to check.

Why are you swapping the parts over? Is the Jamis damaged or the wrong size? If it's just the wrong size and you got it AND can get the Sequoia for a deal AND can do the work yourself then it could still be a good way to go. But if you'd be paying a shop to do the work then such deals quickly spiral up to where they are no longer a deal.