Building a bike - How hard can it be?

[PepperM]

Hi Hubbers;

 

I am fairly new to cycling, started in 2016. I bought myself a XC bike but would like a trail or enduro bike aswell to do more technical single track riding.

 

I am considering building a bike as there is a smaller initial financial outlay compared to buying a complete bike. I plan to build the bike as funds become available and buy exactly the parts I want.  I do enjoy building things and the challenge is very appealing. Financially it will cost more or less the same than buying a complete bike when the project is completed.

 

My question is, is it possible to do this for someone with no bike building knowledge? I do know what most of the parts are called but that is about it.  Can you for instance buy the Parktool Maintenance Manual and from this be able to see how everything fits together? Do most of the parts come with manuals on how to install them? Will this be possible with a bit of research and the right tools?

 

I plan to buy a Transition Patrol frame and build around this.

 

Your input will be appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Kalahari Vegmot]

Absolutely it is.

 

Buy the right tools, and google if there's anything you're not sure about.

 

Easy as pie.

[Letum911]

Very possible and much easier than you would think!! Enjoy the process!

 

PS. The idea is always to do a build over a 6 month period. My closest I have come to the 6 month goal is 3 weeks and a hurt credit card...

[Jewbacca]

yes

 

Youtube covers everything a thousand times over.

 

It is really basic mechanics.

 

Close the thread, buy a bicycle tool kit and start.

 

The end

[Grease_Monkey]

Hi, building a bike is not the challenging part - it is actually fairly simple and you should be able to do it if you are technically minded.

 

BUT.... it will cost a heck of allot of you do not have the tools or consumables needed. Bottom brackets and headsets require special tools, you will require greases, copper pastes and other consumables which are generally sold in big tubs - acquiring these bits and pieces is pricey - in the thousands of rands. 

 

A good workshop will charge you maybe R600 to R750 to build your bike, and they will do it well. They will bleed your brakes, set your gears, etc etc...

 

As for buying customs bits and pieces as time goes on - go for it, putting together a custom bike is probably one of the most rewarding things you can do!

[Shebeen]

Hi Hubbers;

 

I am fairly new to cycling, started in 2016. I bought myself a XC bike but would like a trail or enduro bike aswell to do more technical single track riding.

 

I am considering building a bike as there is a smaller initial financial outlay compared to buying a complete bike. I plan to build the bike as funds become available and buy exactly the parts I want.  I do enjoy building things and the challenge is very appealing. Financially it will cost more or less the same than buying a complete bike when the project is completed.

 

My question is, is it possible to do this for someone with no bike building knowledge? I do know what most of the parts are called but that is about it.  Can you for instance buy the Parktool Maintenance Manual and from this be able to see how everything fits together? Do most of the parts come with manuals on how to install them? Will this be possible with a bit of research and the right tools?

 

I plan to buy a Transition Patrol frame and build around this.

 

Your input will be appreciated.

 

Thank you.

Not really. it will actually cost you more, unless you hound specials the whole time or cherry pick second hand stuff - both time consuming.

 

 

You will get the bike you want, but it won't be cheaper. If you don't believe me go look at a bike online, and then the parts individually

[PepperM]

Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback! Great to know it is possible. I will ask my LBS to assist with more complicated things, will only buy basic tools as a start.

[GrahamS2]

I'm busy with this (again) right now. It's very simple and the tools needed are pretty basic.

 

It's definitely cheaper to build a bike up, and you get exactly the bits that you want. On a store bought bike there's always a compromise.

[shaper]

Only comment will make... once you build...  N+1 becomes the norm as you got the tools and you end up building for the enjoyment, you find you have more parts than you need, you see a bargain and buy for a future build...etc etc.... 

 

I have built all my bikes, MTB, RB and TT

[Jinga]

100% what Shaper said.

[igg]

If you're buying the parts new, building a bike is quite a bit more expensive in my experience. Buying used parts off the hub, it could go either way, but there's always seriously good deals on the hub for complete bikes.

 

As for building, it's relatively easy and for 99% of the work all you need is youtube, a decent set of hex keys and some proper grease. Also get yourself a torque wrench if you fancy building a bike without weird creaks and squeaks everywhere. For pressing in BBs/Headset cups/etc., just take the frame to your LBS. They're unlikely to charge more than R100 for this.

 

I think the most complicated part about building up a bike is figuring out what BB/crank spindle combination you need given the sheer quantity of "standards" out there.

[MarcBurger]

I also planned on building my new bike from scratch. Basic tools and information are easy enough, but when it came to the more specialised tool requirements like press-fit bb's ,putting those little metal buggers in your brake hoses or trying to cut my fork steerer to size myself was where I drew the line.

Also I suddenly became not so keen on the idea of myself bombing down a mountain on contraption that I put together with limited knowledge.

 

That said, my N+1 will definitely be a home build (with possible LBS help with bits and pieces that I don't want to screw up)

[PepperM]

I plan to buy a torque wrench, can you recommend the park tools one? Will 2-14 nm one be fine?

[igg]

I plan to buy a torque wrench, can you recommend the park tools one? Will 2-14 nm one be fine?

Park tool make excellent tools, so I wouldn't hesitate buying theirs if it's at a good price. Pretty much every bolt on a bike is somewhere between 5 and 8nm except for cranks, pedals and axles.

 

Also, many people advocate undertorqueing (usually 5nm) controls like brakes and shifters so they spin on the bars in the event of a crash.

[porqui]

PepperM - welcome

 

How many thumbs do you have? If more than 2 give it up.

 

But here you go - plenty of reading - all still very valid though.

These are definitive.

 

http://www.esense.be/bike/Barnettmanual.pdf

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

 

Enjoy!

[Mongoose!]

for me there is only one thing nicer to ride a bike...and that is to build a bike

And riding a bike you build yourself...priceless