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Build up MTB or buy complete bike?


Soggy

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What would the technical guys recommend over here? Build up a bike or buy a complete one? I'm quite handy when it comes to building bikes and have been doing so all my childhood (cheap BMX and very cheap mountain bikes). When it comes to price and components would it be better off to build one or buy a good used one?

 

Any advise? I am looking for a future downhill bike, either buy or build up?

Edited by Soggy
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Building one up from scratch is more fun!! way more fun :) It obviously gives you more control over what parts to put on etc. start with a frame and go from there. the other great part of building a bike up is you can respray the frame without having to strip a new bike, if you like custom paint jobs of course.

 

You will be able to get much better spec if you go second hand as the goods will be slightly cheaper, possibly coming in around the same price as new parts of a lower spec...

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Building up a bike costs more than buying a new one. If you build it up with all new parts. I reckon buy a second hand bike and then swap out the parts that you want to upgrade. I have been doing that for years and now have so many old parts that i can buy a frame and build it up from spares. Then upgrade as cash allows. At least i always have a bike to ride

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Kewl! Thanks for the tips. Are many of the components interchangeable? Like do many frames work with many cranks, front shocks, bearing sizes, etc... Or do I have to stick to the same brand name?

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if you looking at "building up" a DH rig it will be VERY pricey - BUT you can chose the parts you want on it!!!

 

BUT - if you are on a "budget" (= 30k or less thesedays) then buy out-the-box ... you can get some decent off-the-shelf rigs for between 20k and 30k here in SA - you may need to still upgrade or change bits and bobs to suit your rides colours etc - but its FAR less costly than building from scratch

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if you looking at "building up" a DH rig it will be VERY pricey - BUT you can chose the parts you want on it!!!

 

BUT - if you are on a "budget" (= 30k or less thesedays) then buy out-the-box ... you can get some decent off-the-shelf rigs for between 20k and 30k here in SA - you may need to still upgrade or change bits and bobs to suit your rides colours etc - but its FAR less costly than building from scratch

 

Cool man, thanks for the advise. Looks like a complete bike for me then. Just need to get my road bike and second motorbike sold then :-)

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seeing as you are in CT - you have a much wider choice of 2nd hand DH rigs as well ... look in the classifieds and see whats around ... I just picked up a 2010 Mongoose Booter Team for 15k ... it needed some work (about 2k's worth) but still its a 25-30k bike for 17k ... BUT you loose your frame warrenty if you buy 2nd hand!!!!

 

Just see whats out there - but you can find some sweet deals

 

Good pricing = Scott / Mongoose

 

Bling but Pricey = Morewood

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Guest Omega Man

You can get a Giant Glory complete for around 30k. As ridden by Andrew Neethling. If I was in the market for a new complete DH rig I would buy that. It has very good components out of the box.

 

There's also a Mongoose bootr on gumtree for 17k. It's brand new. never ridden. That's about 10k off the normal retail price. Also a pretty good deal.

Edited by Omega Man
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I saw some nice ones around here on Gumtree that is out of my price range, but once I get my motorbike and road bike sold it can open up a lot more options for me. Yeah the Mongoose's and Scott's were priced well, but I favor Merida's especially after the build quality of my roadie and my buddy as a dual suspension Merida as well.

 

I know the dual suspension is not exactly a downhill (less travel in shock), but its one of the options.

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Yeah the Mongoose's and Scott's were priced well, but I favor Merida's especially after the build quality of my roadie and my buddy as a dual suspension Merida as well.

 

I know the dual suspension is not exactly a downhill (less travel in shock), but its one of the options.

 

Merida dont make DH bikes - so you are looking for more of an All Mountain bike then - not an all out DH rig!

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Guest Omega Man

Merida don't make a downhill bike as such. Any downhill bike you buy is going to be pretty burly so build quality isn't really an issue.

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Ok cool, thanks I didnt know that. Pity Merida doesnt make them. Ok, cant be brand loyal, must just go with the best rig I can afford.

 

Question: When entering PPA mountain biking events, are DH bikes allowed? Im not really sure on the rules or the type of the terrain the guys race on. Reason being, by next year this time I want to be entering in mountain biking events.

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Guest Omega Man

But anyway. As a general rule with all Mountain Bikes. It's always going to be cheaper to buy a complete bike. The manufacturers buy in bulk from SRAM etc and pass those discounts down to the consumer.

 

You may not get the exact part spec you are after but you will get it way cheaper than if you build the bike up from scratch. Plus you don't have to worry about compatibility issues.

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dude - if you are wanting to do PPA events (i am presuming that these are normal cross country events) I'd HONESTLY say go for an All Mountain rig with about 6 inches of travel that can ride both XC and do some light DH riding - on a DH rig you will DIE doing a 40km XC ride - trust me i have done it before ... and its NOT fun

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