Built my first bike!
#1
Built my first bike!
After two days of assembly (well one + tuning) I finally finished with my bike build. Total cost was around $1200. I learned a lot. It actually wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. The only thing that took time really was the stupid headset wouldn't get tight. Total assembly time of around 6 hours.
Total weight (without pedals) 16.83lbs
I got a carbon frame from Flyxxi with a full carbon seatpost and fork
SRAM Rival
Jagwire Race cables
SRAM Make the Leap tape
Forte Titan wheelset
Forte saddle
Nashbar pedals
It feels so much faster than my previous bike, is stiffer yet smooths out bumps more! Also is the proper size this time around..... Beats anything else I could find prebuilt (even on Bikes Direct)
Total weight (without pedals) 16.83lbs
I got a carbon frame from Flyxxi with a full carbon seatpost and fork
SRAM Rival
Jagwire Race cables
SRAM Make the Leap tape
Forte Titan wheelset
Forte saddle
Nashbar pedals
It feels so much faster than my previous bike, is stiffer yet smooths out bumps more! Also is the proper size this time around..... Beats anything else I could find prebuilt (even on Bikes Direct)
![](https://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/308622_1561715360001_1148820226_31656395_242315587_n.jpg)
Last edited by musicmaster; 10-17-11 at 06:39 PM.
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2008
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Great job. You will really enjoy riding it knowing you built it yourself.
One suggestion - SRAM's tour mechanic videos suggest a 36cm / 14 inch length of housing for best balance of smooth/crisp rear derailleur shifting. Yours looks a bit short and might start binding a bit after just a couple months use unless it is exiting straight out of the frame/chainstays. Tough to tell from the non DS photo.
One suggestion - SRAM's tour mechanic videos suggest a 36cm / 14 inch length of housing for best balance of smooth/crisp rear derailleur shifting. Yours looks a bit short and might start binding a bit after just a couple months use unless it is exiting straight out of the frame/chainstays. Tough to tell from the non DS photo.
#11
Senior Member
Congrats on the first build. As previously noted, please re-submit a photo following these few simple BF-approved rules:
Enjoy!
- Background - White garage door. Use a neighbor's if you don't have one
- Take pic from driveside - Chain on large chainring and middle cog
- Pedals - Either horizontal with driveside forward or raised to be in line with the downtube
- Wheels - Either put stems in same spot or "hide" them behind the fork/seat stay (and line the tire logos up with the stem next time you remove the tire)
Enjoy!
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2014 Specialized Roubaix2003 Interloc Impala2007 ParkPre Image C6 (RIP)
2014 Specialized Roubaix2003 Interloc Impala2007 ParkPre Image C6 (RIP)
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Vienna, VA
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Bikes: 2010 Fuji Roubaix 2.0. 2006 Iron Horse Azure Expert
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How is the quality of the frame? I looked through that site and they have a lot of frames for sale, but very little detail and description of each.
#13
I'm a 22 year old (as of yesterday!, so yes a birthday present to myself) college student, so for me $$$ was the biggest factor
#14
Congrats on the first build. As previously noted, please re-submit a photo following these few simple BF-approved rules:
Enjoy!
- Background - White garage door. Use a neighbor's if you don't have one
- Take pic from driveside - Chain on large chainring and middle cog
- Pedals - Either horizontal with driveside forward or raised to be in line with the downtube
- Wheels - Either put stems in same spot or "hide" them behind the fork/seat stay (and line the tire logos up with the stem next time you remove the tire)
Enjoy!
I agree it looks better and one can see more things. But as a newbie, are there actual rules?
#15
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#16
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#17
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#19
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I'm pretty sure I'm going this route too for my next (first) build.
I really want to build up another frame for various uses but can't spend a ton of money.
My Giant will stay my go-to bike but it would be nice to have something I don't mind taking out into the rain, or something I can ride in one of the few crits I race without fearing I'll have to spend a fortune to fix it if I crash.
Did you have access to all of the right tools or did you just use what you had?
I really want to build up another frame for various uses but can't spend a ton of money.
My Giant will stay my go-to bike but it would be nice to have something I don't mind taking out into the rain, or something I can ride in one of the few crits I race without fearing I'll have to spend a fortune to fix it if I crash.
Did you have access to all of the right tools or did you just use what you had?
#20
I'm pretty sure I'm going this route too for my next (first) build.
I really want to build up another frame for various uses but can't spend a ton of money.
My Giant will stay my go-to bike but it would be nice to have something I don't mind taking out into the rain, or something I can ride in one of the few crits I race without fearing I'll have to spend a fortune to fix it if I crash.
Did you have access to all of the right tools or did you just use what you had?
I really want to build up another frame for various uses but can't spend a ton of money.
My Giant will stay my go-to bike but it would be nice to have something I don't mind taking out into the rain, or something I can ride in one of the few crits I race without fearing I'll have to spend a fortune to fix it if I crash.
Did you have access to all of the right tools or did you just use what you had?
#22
Senior Member
You got that right. I've been buying used frames and building them up for years now in a quest for the perfect bike. Couple weeks ago, I sold a friend my Colnago C40 with Campy 10 speed Record and Velo Vie Vitesse 100 with SRAM Force. Got my stable down to 9 road bikes. Told myself I'd build no more for a while. Ha! Right! In the last 48 hours I bought used Colnago Extreme Power and Klein Quantum frames off eBay and I'm back at it again. Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in again! Is there a 12 step program for this addiction?
#23
![](https://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/311431_1562499699609_1148820226_31656934_1858251371_n.jpg)
I don't have a garage.... neither does anyone around me!
Hope this works.
Maiden Ride..... Windy 12 miles (I got off work late and it was getting dark, plus I stopped and adjusted stuff further).So much more comfortable than my previous bike. Plus the SRAM tape is so soft.
FD seems finiky when going from the big to small chainrings. Seems like I need to push it in twice for it to register.
#24
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Pretty sweet! Seriously.
Just needs a small logo somewhere. Make up your own like MUSICMASTER or a month of the year etc.
Just needs a small logo somewhere. Make up your own like MUSICMASTER or a month of the year etc.
#25
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Dude. Seriously congratulations. I haven't yet taught my son how to ride a bike, (nor do I have a son yet), but the supreme exultance of my life so far was bombing down Palomar's South Grade (it's this crazy-steep, twisting road here in San Diego County) at 58 mph on a bicycle in which I'd built only by my own two hands.
My life literally relied upon every nut, bolt and fastener which I'd installed myself. And every spoke-nipple too, because I also built my own first set of wheels for it too.
It also induces a weightless thrill ride a motorcycle on the freeway in front of a semi-truck, knowing that the cams, valves and shims which you've held in your hands are now spinning around hundreds of times per second between your knees are propelling you through our thick, viscous atmosphere at over a hundred feet per second.
Many safe and happy miles to you both!
My life literally relied upon every nut, bolt and fastener which I'd installed myself. And every spoke-nipple too, because I also built my own first set of wheels for it too.
It also induces a weightless thrill ride a motorcycle on the freeway in front of a semi-truck, knowing that the cams, valves and shims which you've held in your hands are now spinning around hundreds of times per second between your knees are propelling you through our thick, viscous atmosphere at over a hundred feet per second.
Many safe and happy miles to you both!