kfb

I'm still debating about possibly building a bike and i'm wondering which online site would be the best to research component prices? I Figured while I was waiting for a Stumpjumper to show up at my LBS, I could build a bike (on paper) for comparison sake.

1Fast4500

www.jensonusa.com
www.nashbar.com
www.supergo.com

pcsanity1

WWW.QBIKE.COM is a search tool that will go to many different bike sites (including those listed before and after this post) and find you the best prices.

MudPie

When shopping for parts/components, my usual suspects:

www.jensonusa.com
www.universalcycles.com
www.pricepoint.com
www.cambriabike.com

I usually price shop amongst the above. I have yet to find one that has the lowest price on everything.

Good luck!

Peek the Geek

Similar to QBike is https://www.bestwebbuys.com/bikes/

This'll pull up a few online stores that QBike doesn't.

Raiyn

www.pricepoint.com They price match anyone's regular prices

Brian

Qbike.com searches several sites, plus ebay. In my experience pricing several thousand dollars worth of parts each year, I can honestly say no one site covers them all, but qbike should be your starting point. It give you a quick point of reference for the others. I've noticed many regular ebay sellers will still come in below the major sites.

stapfam

Don't know about E-Bay but there are so many on line shops out there you are spoilt for choice, just look at as many as you can.Problem is, you wont build a bike from bits cheaper than you can buy a complete bike.

I built up a custom hand made frame a few years ago, but had the sense to have kept all the old bits when I upgraded my old bike. Basically I had a donor bike with all the right bits on for the new frame. I then replaced all the old parts on to the donor frame so then had two bikes. Problem was, for the next 6 months or so I still prefered the old bike with the crappy parts on it.

Brian

I can see this as the ultimate thread challenge. A bigger time waster than fantasy football even. Assemble a complete bike (hypothetically of course) quoting only online sources for each item. I know that I could do it for less than my LBS in some cases. My LBS quoted me at least AU$12k to duplicate our tandem, and I don't think we spent more than AU$9-10k. Hard to tell with exchange rate fluctuations. To make it fair, we've have to specify a certain standard or something. Might be interesting.

stapfam

The big advantage of building from frame up is that You build the bike you want, with the bits you want. Just to give you an example, manufacturer sells a Complete bike and he also sells the frame of that bike. Problem is that the complete bike has certain bits on it that are not up to your standard, are too heavy, not the type you want etc. You have two choices, Start from a bare frame and buy the bits to build your ultimate bike, or buy the complete bike and pay extra to get the bits you don't like upgraded. Won't be a great deal of difference in the costings, but is it economic to do either?

Expat knows the situation where you cannot buy the type of bike you want,at the standard you want "ANYWHERE". We will have to build from frame upwards. I did it 8 years ago with my custom solo. It cost an arm and a leg but it was my own special XC machine and at 22lbs and with the right bits on it for me. Then you get into the throes of Your ultimate bike- You never have it. You are always wanting the latest lightweight fork or the braking system has been surpassed, or even the frame design is now not correct for your style of riding.

The only thing is, if you "Build" your own bike, there is a sense of pride in what you have accomplished, and if it does finish up as your "ultimate" bike, "Wow-I built that!"