SJX426 

Good Idea. Check lists are great! Every time I make one, I add to it over time. An indicator of its value and who I am!

miamijim

I've probably rebuilt a few thousand bikes in my time and could do a complete rebuilt in 2 hours in my prime.

1. Complete disassembly into sub units. Wheels and pedals are sub units.
2. dis-assemble sub units
3. all parts go in parts cleaner or ultra sonic cleaner or whatever

4. clean frame and wheels
5. clean all parts

6. Assembly. i assemble all the sub units first. Wheels, pedals etc.
7. Assemble sub units onto frame

Back in the day this was mt assembly order fro bikes with DT shift levers. I did it in this order to minimize the chances of the bars swinging around and hitting the TT. With STI Ergo's I changed it around for obvious reasons.

1. BB
2. Crank/pedals
3. Rear wheel
4. Derailleurs
5. Shifters
6. Chain
7. Derailleur cables
8. headset
9. fork
10. Bar n stem
11. brakes

jimmuller 

No one mentioned the preliminaries.

1. Check beer supply.
2. Check stash of cables and housing, purchase if necessary.
2a. Check bar tape supply, bearings stash, tires/tubes, purchase if necessary,
3. Locate all the required tools.
4. Verify beer quality.

turky lurkey

I am certainly no expert, so far I've done complete rebuild/overhauls on 12-15 bikes (all in the last year and a half or so) and still learn something new on every job. So maybe I can offer some insight as I can relate to being a new bike mechanic. I actually found it beneficial with the first several bikes to do small parts of the job at a time. Maybe start with the bottom bracket and complete that job before moving on to the next thing. Do the headset by itself, each hub by themselves, replace one cable at a time etc. That way as a beginner you won't get mixed up and forget how things go back together (especially if you only have small chunks of time to work on the bike), also take pictures as you go. This method is slower as you can't clean all of the parts at once but since you are doing it as a hobby slow doesn't matter. It also makes cleaning the frame more difficult but you can clean portions of the frame as you go as well, clean sections as they are exposed. I am getting more comfortable and confident with each project so I don't work quite as cautiously anymore, but I think it is worthwhile to proceed slowly in the beginning.

Lenton58 

Since I was a kid, I started with the wheels first — bearings and so on. Then the chain. Then cables and brakes. I think that I still go that way. I

jiangshi

1) strip it
2) clean it
3) grease/lube it
4) put it back together