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King of the Cheap But Picky Bastards - $700 < 16 pound bike

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King of the Cheap But Picky Bastards - $700 < 16 pound bike

Old 12-17-18, 08:48 AM
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King of the Cheap But Picky Bastards - $700 < 16 pound bike

Who can dethrone me as KOCBPB?

I like really nice things but am cheap. I wanted a high quality 15.x pound CF bike but didn't want to pay $3K+ so I built one up from scratch.

Here is the build with weights and source. I didn't skimp on quality (except for the saddle and perhaps cassette) but did skimp on design a little. Rather than a traditional STI build, I went with a 1 x 11 mountain bike build (its a cyclocross bike) with drop bars and a MTB shifter but with a traditional brake levers.

Frameset - Raleigh RXC Pro 1505g in size 57cm - RandomBikeParts.com $360
Levers - Tektro v-brakes 181g - RandomBikeParts.com $9
Shifters - Shimano SLX M7000 11 speed - 141g - JensonUSA $29
RD - Shimano SLX M7000 11 speed - 323g - JensonUSA $47
Chain - SRAM 11 Speed PC-1130 - 249g - Amazon $13
Cassette - 10 Speed MicroShift 11-25 Cassette - 253g Nashbar $19
Brakes - Tektro v-brakes 208g - RandomBikeParts.com $9
Crankset - FSA Expo Cyclocross 36/46 - 778g - RandomBikeParts $44
Bottom Brack and Adapters - 123g Ebay $29
Wheelset+skewers - Shimano RS10 - 11 speed 1951g ChainReactionCycles $81
Saddle - Amazon 122g - $9
Bars - Project Fixie 25.4mm 309g $11
Post - Ritchie Trail Offset 286g Nashbar $8
Tires + Tubes - Serfas Seca 460g+192g CRC $18+$8
Cables - With Kits 130g 0

Weights in at 7.2kg or 15.9 pounds and cost $697

Pictures and review to follow
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Old 12-17-18, 08:55 AM
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Last edited by raria; 12-25-18 at 12:30 PM.
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Old 12-17-18, 10:01 AM
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Stem? Pedals? FD? Cages? I built a 15.0 lb bike with SRAM RED for $1000 a few years ago

edit: Those MTB shifters will not fit 25.4mm bars?
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Old 12-17-18, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Elvo
Stem? Pedals? FD? Cages? I built a 15.0 lb bike with SRAM RED for $1000 a few years ago
edit: Those MTB shifters will not fit 25.4mm bars?
Stem was in the framset as was headset. Its a 1 x so no FD. Bikes as per standard are weighted without pedals/cages etc

Of course the MTB shifters will fit 25.4mm bars. That's what they are designed for. Recall the small diameter road bars are 26.xmm but I found some road bars that are 25.4mm.

My plan is once I get a great deal on a light groupset and wheels I'll splash out and buy them. The wheels will let me lose nearly a pound and the groupset maybe half a pound? So I should be comfortably under 15 pounds by then.
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Old 12-17-18, 10:31 AM
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I built mine as 1x7, less than $300 but it was aluminum and about 21-22 pounds. I think that you top me on the "but picky" part, because I was moderately picky at best.
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Old 12-17-18, 11:29 AM
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Not to diminish from your accomplishments, but any one can (and is) a cheap bastard. But it takes a true vision to be both a cheap and picky bastard.

It's odd that this software doesn't bleep out the word "bastard".

Originally Posted by wphamilton
I built mine as 1x7, less than $300 but it was aluminum and about 21-22 pounds. I think that you top me on the "but picky" part, because I was moderately picky at best.
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Old 12-17-18, 11:39 AM
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Sounds awesome, but I would've gone with the M8000 shifter. That's what I did on my 29er, full M7000 but XT BB, chain and shifter.

The XT shifter gives the option of two upshifts with one pull.
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Old 12-17-18, 11:52 AM
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Thanks

I've built many bikes with road bike components but this was my first with MTB components and I'll admit it was a bit of a challenge. There are so many different MTB product lines from Shimano (SLX, XT, Z etc) so I figured I'd by the same Shifter and RD (SLXM7000) to be sure it worked together.

I've just found out the SLX M7000 RD has a clutch! WTH is a clutch doing in a RD? I know how to use a clutch in a car but a RD?

Originally Posted by GrainBrain
Sounds awesome, but I would've gone with the M8000 shifter. That's what I did on my 29er, full M7000 but XT BB, chain and shifter.

The XT shifter gives the option of two upshifts with one pull.
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Old 12-17-18, 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
Not to diminish from your accomplishments, but any one can (and is) a cheap bastard. But it takes a true vision to be both a cheap and picky bastard.

It's odd that this software doesn't bleep out the word "bastard".
Yeh could be. My "cheap" isn't actually in that class of "anyone can be" but regardless that looks like a nice build and reasonable cost.
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Old 12-17-18, 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
I've built many bikes with road bike components but this was my first with MTB components and I'll admit it was a bit of a challenge. There are so many different MTB product lines from Shimano (SLX, XT, Z etc) so I figured I'd by the same Shifter and RD (SLXM7000) to be sure it worked together.

I've just found out the SLX M7000 RD has a clutch! WTH is a clutch doing in a RD? I know how to use a clutch in a car but a RD?
The clutched RD is more of a one way ratcheting friction mechanism I think. When engaged it shifts harder, but the RD prevents excess slack so the chain always has a bit of tension. I just leave mine on all the time.

I love my XT shifter and double shifting but it's not as super seamless as you'd think. It'd be really handy with a close range cassette like you bought. On mine I have an 11-40.

I'm a little confused about you getting a 10 speed Microshift cassette? Was that a typo on your part?
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Old 12-17-18, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
I've just found out the SLX M7000 RD has a clutch! WTH is a clutch doing in a RD? I know how to use a clutch in a car but a RD?
Ultegra RX road rear derailleurs also have a clutch. I have one on my gravel bike.

It prevents the derailleur from flailing back and forth, typically on rough descents. This prevents chain slap and chain drop.

It is very effective.


-Tim-
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Old 12-17-18, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
I've just found out the SLX M7000 RD has a clutch! WTH is a clutch doing in a RD?
On ordinary rear derailleurs, the tension cage with the two pulley wheels is on a simple sprung pivot.

On a clutched rear derailleur, in addition to being sprung, the pivot has a one-way clutch on a friction plate. This allows the tensioner to swing backwards and wrap up chain freely like normal, but when the tensioner wants to swing forward to release chain (such as when shifting to bigger cogs), the clutch engages the friction plate and there's a lot of friction opposing the motion.

The purpose of this is to prevent the chain from bouncing around. Riding over a bunch of big rocks will usually cause a chain to slap around like crazy, and can even risk chain drops; but with a clutch, the tensioner resists letting the chain out as the bike bounces. But, the friction mechanism isn't so strong that shifting doesn't work.
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Old 12-17-18, 01:16 PM
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$81 for a wheel set is extraordinary. Bet you can't do that again. I will have to look at that frame .. 1505 grams for a 57 is phenomenal. I have a ton of parts on hand .....
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Old 12-17-18, 01:33 PM
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All gone!

Unfortunately, they are all gone now. The $81 was from CRC and they are now upto $136 and backordered

The RXC Pro Frameset is also all gone though I believe you can get the frame on ebay. But that ENVE CF fork is pretty.

Fortunately, Surge pricing is your friend. The 235g folding version of these tires were $9 per tire but now only have the wire bead ones at $13.95 but they weigh 285g in 32mm.




Originally Posted by Maelochs
$81 for a wheel set is extraordinary. Bet you can't do that again. I will have to look at that frame .. 1505 grams for a 57 is phenomenal. I have a ton of parts on hand .....
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Old 12-17-18, 01:54 PM
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Your v-brakes are only 104g each!?
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Old 12-17-18, 01:58 PM
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$81 wheelset is cheap but I'm not sure I'm going to let him claim the title yet after that crack about "anyone can do it" because those C&V types get some radically low cost builds.

I used existing wheels ($0) that were comparable quality to the cheap wheelset but when I did buy wheels for $120, Vuelta Corsa Pro, I think they are a step up in "picky" from those. I mis-remembered my cost, it was actually $432 so I am NOT "King" and was kind of picky other than the frame:

Name weight cost Component
Nashbar Double-butted Aluminum Road Frame 1580 $74.00 Frame
Nashbar Carbon Road Fork 573 $90.00 Fork
ITM VISIA FORGED ALLOY ROAD BIKE BICYCLE STEM 120MM 31.8MM 190 $20.00 Stem
Pyramid Road Aero Bicycle Levers-Pair 300 $12.00 Brake Levers
Spare rear wheel 2000 $0.00 Rear Wheel w/cassette
Spare front wheel 1200 $0.00 Front Wheel
SRAM PC 850 P-Link Bicycle Chain (8-Speed, Grey) 318 $14.00 Chain
Sunlite Crankset Cotterless Alloy 44x170 3/32 Steel Ring Silver wt unkown 710 $18.00 CrankSet
Junk bin seatpost 350 $0.00 SeatPost
Origin8 Pro Threadless Headset - 1-1/8", Black 150 $24.00 Headset
Nashbar Oversize Road Bike Handlebar 360 $22.00 Handlebars
Other needed stuff 0 $18.00 miscelaneous
Avenir Seat Collar 31.8mm Black 32 $3.00 Seatpost Clamp
Shimano UN55 BB Square Taper Bottom Bracket (68x113mm) 300 $19.00 Bottom Bracket
SunRace 7-Speed Clamp-on Downtube Shifters 65 $14.00 Shifters
Nashbar Shipping $28.00 Shipping
Amazon Shipping 0 $16.00 Shipping
Shimano RD-2300 GS 7/8sp R-derailleur, Smart cage 280 $20.00 Rear Deraileur
Bontrager trade 320 $0.00 Saddle
Parts box 300 $0.00 Pedals
Shimano Sora BR-3400 Dual Pivot Brake Caliper 360 $20.00 Brakes
Shimano Sora BR-3400 Dual Pivot Brake Caliper front 360 $20.00 Brakes

totals: 21.5 pounds $432.00
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Old 12-17-18, 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by HTupolev
Your v-brakes are only 104g each!?
This frameset was available in a Disc and Cantilever brake form. I specifically chose the later since:

a) You can buy cheap and light brakes
b) In dry weather I find v-brakes are significantly easier to setup and function just as good as *mechanical* disk brakes see Explain to me again what's wrong with V-brakes?

The problem with tektro is that they make so many damn versions of their brakes you never know which one you are going to get. These were supposed to be the 121g linear pull TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Products ones but got something else!
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Old 12-17-18, 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
This frameset was available in a Disc and Cantilever brake form. I specifically chose the later since:

a) You can buy cheap and light brakes
b) In dry weather I find v-brakes are significantly easier to setup and function just as good as *mechanical* disk brakes see Explain to me again what's wrong with V-brakes?
I'm not questioning the decision to go with v-brakes. Good frames with canti posts can be had for cheap right now, and canti or V brakes can achieve excellent strength and stiffness at a very light weight with tons of clearance.

What I'm wondering is how the combined weight of both of your brakes is coming to only 208g. That implies that the individual v-brakes are only 104g each; most v-brakes are in the 140g to 200g ballpark. And as far as I can tell, Tektro doesn't claim to make any v-brakes in that ultralight weight range.
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Old 12-17-18, 03:33 PM
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All 11 speed drive train with a 10 speed cassette****************************************?
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Old 12-17-18, 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by coupster
All 11 speed drive train with a 10 speed cassette****************************************?
It might end up working okay. Shimano 11-speed mountain uses a cog-to-cog spacing of 3.9mm, while Shimano and SRAM 10-speed cassettes are 3.95, a difference of just .05mm. So if you set the indexing at the center of the cassette, you'll only be off by .2 to .25mm at the extreme gears. The shifter will just end up with one click that doesn't get used.
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Old 12-17-18, 05:39 PM
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I built my under 18lbs steel bike for around $400. I'm using Dura Ace 7700 (9 spd) for the drivetrain, along with carbon bars/stem/seat post - also lot's of Ti parts in the mix. I bought everything used on eBay and CL. The bike is in constant flux though and my plan is to eventually have it down to 16-17lbs, but w/o spending the normal fortune something like that would cost.
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Old 12-18-18, 09:52 PM
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Old 12-18-18, 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
Stem was in the framset as was headset.

Of course the MTB shifters will fit 25.4mm bars. That's what they are designed for. Recall the small diameter road bars are 26.xmm but I found some road bars that are 25.4mm.
.
I dont follow. You are saying the frameset came with a stem and that stem happened to have be a 25.4mm clamp size?
a modern full carbon cyclocross bike with tapered steerer came with a 25.4mm stem? Thats odd.
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Old 12-18-18, 10:56 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
Fortunately, Surge pricing is your friend. The 235g folding version of these tires were $9 per tire but now only have the wire bead ones at $13.95 but they weigh 285g in 32mm.
Those are 27" tires. You bought 27" tires for your bike?...that won't work out well with the wheelset you bought.


such a confusing thread without pics.
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Old 12-19-18, 12:44 AM
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I'm in Oz, so multiply by about .75 to get USD.

I bought an '08 TCR Advanced (the one with an ISP) for $600, and sold the 7800 off it for $560. Threw on secondhand Red cranks and 2nd-gen shifters and derailers. A 7700/7400 brakeset, RS80 wheelset, Jagwire Elite Link, Zipp stem, Chinese Aeronova copy bars and bare carbon seat, Seqlite billet 10s cassette, DA 11s chain, resin narrow/wide 14/12t pulleys, modified PD-A540 toeclip pedals.

Owes me about $1250, weighs 6.7kg (14.8lb).

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