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Bike building from frame up

1946 Views 24 Replies 15 Participants Last post by Calsun, Oct 18, 2021

cityjackit

Discussion Starter · Oct 15, 2021

Morning all,

What is the best forum to ask questions about building up a bike from the frame and choosing all of my own components?

Thanks

Sid

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

Mike Aswell

· #2 · Oct 15, 2021

If you're talking buying a frame and building the bike, if you have general questions that are broad (i.e. want to cover lots of ground and all components etc) then really probably this one, "General."

If you had a very specific question....say about brakes, or what tool to buy for something, then there would be a better subforum. But otherwise this one is your best bet.

slapheadmofo

· #3 · Oct 15, 2021

You could also do a search on the subject, which has been covered many times here.

Short answer - if you don't already have experience working on and spec'ing out bikes you're way better off buying a complete bike and learning how things work by replacing parts as they wear out.
Building from the ground up tends to be far more expensive and time consuming, and the results are much less likely to be as good as what you could get by buying complete.

Reactions: 5

cityjackit

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 15, 2021

slapheadmofo said:
You could also do a search on the subject, which has been covered many times here.

Short answer - if you don't already have experience working on and spec'ing out bikes you're way better off buying a complete bike and learning how things work by replacing parts as they wear out.
Building from the ground up tends to be far more expensive and time consuming, and the results are much less likely to be as good as what you could get by buying complete.

You answered one of my very first questions. Would I spend more money building it myself.

Gotta account to he boss.

Thanks guys

Sid

Reactions: 1

slapheadmofo

· #5 · Oct 15, 2021

cityjackit said:
You answered one of my very first questions. Would I spend more money building it myself.

Gotta account to he boss.

Thanks guys

Sid

Yeah, unless you're sitting on a bunch of parts and already have the tools and some experience, it's very hard to do better than buying complete.
Though there is a lot to be said for being able to work on your own bike, it's better to at have a functioning bike and maybe pick away at a project like this over time so you're actually able to ride in the meantime.

Reactions: 4

Rod

· #6 · Oct 15, 2021

Edit: Slap's correct, buying a package deal from a big bike brand is more cost effective.

cityjackit

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 15, 2021

Thanks again guys

John Kuhl

· #8 · Oct 16, 2021

I build my bikes from the frame up because I have my own way of setting my bikes up. I can't buy a bike setup with the parts I want. Plus its fun to build your own bike. Enjoy building your bike cityjackit.

Reactions: 5

FrankS29

· #9 · Oct 16, 2021

It’s very situational for me if I buy a complete bike or frame only and build it up.

A lot of this has been thrown out the window due to lack of discounts and availability though.

The last bike I purchased complete is my Niner RLT 9 RDO, I could not touch the complete bike price with a 10’ pole building one myself at that point. Plus, there was very little that I wanted to swap out from the stock build so I didn’t have to replace a bunch of parts, mainly just personal preference touch point stuff.

If it’s a realistic option, I prefer to build up myself. My current Ripley was a frame up build done using a mix of new parts and parts taken off of my old Niner Jet 9 RDO.

Frame only options are pretty slim right now as well. It took me pretty much 7 months to find a HT frame only that I wanted to buy. I literally just got the tracking # for my RSD Middlechild frame this morning. From what I can tell, RSD’s stock of frame only for the middlechild seems to be gone already.

MattMay

· #10 · Oct 16, 2021

If you can find a complete bike that you like and it fits you, grab it. The supply chain issues are getting worse. Even if you did decide to piecemeal it you’d probably run into parts shortages, leaving you with an incomplete bike. Seems like every news article covering supply issues mentions bikes right up front.

xjbaylor

· #11 · Oct 16, 2021

As others have said, if it is just a question of what gets you the most bang for your buck, it is going to be a new bike. If you are looking for something really specific, like a moderate geo SS steel hardtail with ultimate level suspension, you may be better off building your own.

John Kuhl

· #12 · Oct 17, 2021

Its true you can buy a bike and upgrade it as you go. Change what you don't like. The big problem is it drives up the cost. Or get what you can and just try too live with it.

BansheeRune

· #13 · Oct 17, 2021

Pfft! My last two builds became bin builds since the scamdemic made components vaporware or require a mortgage to source.

Complete can save some dosh but a frame up build is more pleasurable as you get to bring it to be and it is yours from the word go. A territorial thing, I suppose.

cdalemaniac

· #14 · Oct 17, 2021

John Kuhl said:
I build my bikes from the frame up because I have my own way of setting my bikes up. I can't buy a bike setup with the parts I want. Plus its fun to build your own bike. Enjoy building your bike cityjackit.

^^This 100%
Only bike I didn’t built myself was my road bike. I upgraded a few bits here and there on it, but all my mtb were built from ground up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

acer66

· #15 · Oct 17, 2021

slapheadmofo said:
You could also do a search on the subject, which has been covered many times here.

Short answer - if you don't already have experience working on and spec'ing out bikes you're way better off buying a complete bike and learning how things work by replacing parts as they wear out.
Building from the ground up tends to be far more expensive and time consuming, and the results are much less likely to be as good as what you could get by buying complete.

Agreed, I did build my own bikes starting with a frame more than once.
Not sure if I would do it again but it can be for filling if you have the means.
GF just did that and switched everything from Shimano to Campy on her road bike.
I bought my main bike complete and replaced worn out parts which parts I want so over time it morphs into the bike I would have build up without down time.

slapheadmofo

· #16 · Oct 17, 2021

acer66 said:
Agreed, I did build my own bikes starting with a frame more than once.
Not sure if I would do it again but it can be for filling if you have the means.
GF just did that and switched everything from Shimano to Campy on her road bike.
I bought my main bike complete and replaced worn out parts which parts I want so over time it morphs into the bike I would have build up without down time.

Yeah, I can't even remember how many builds I've done at this point for myself and friends. Scores.
Aside from cost comes the question of whether you already have another bike to ride while you spend a bunch of time dicking around with a build (which could apparently take months based on what I've seen from other posters).
If not, are you really more interested in shopping, internet-ing and tinkering than actually, you know, mountain biking?

dysfunction

· #17 · Oct 17, 2021

Fortunately, in 2021, getting frames has taken long enough that's what I waited for. Last year, it was hubs. I still prefer building, but then I get exactly what I want.. And can often carry over from old bikes anyway. I also had bikes to ride while getting everything ready to go.

eb1888

· #18 · Oct 17, 2021 (Edited)

It's first a matter of knowledge. Do you know what the trails are like where you'll ride. What skill level will you ride them. Once you identify what bike will work best it's about money. The more skill you have the more you'd benefit from a top level bike.
And the more likely a $10k bike won't have everything the way you want it. That makes a $10k bike even more expensive as you swap out parts.
If you're lucky a good shop manager will give you credit for new takeoffs and a 20% discount on parts they order for you. That can make a complete the way to go. And you do the labor of your partial build. Otherwise a frame build is a way to save money over a top level model.
What if the frame isn't listed as a seperate option?
A good manager at a big shop may be able to get you a frame out of the stock the manufacturer keeps for warranty issues or for race teams.

If I were buying I'd be changing the fork . .and the wheels and tires . .and the seat and post . .and the bars and grips . .and the pedals and crank arms . .I might keep the drive and brakes .

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BansheeRune

· #19 · Oct 17, 2021

WTF??? At $10K, I promise you, I am going full custom! It is a matter of principle.

Reactions: 2

sgltrak

· #20 · Oct 17, 2021

OP, if you insist on building your bike this forum is as good as any to ask your questions.

I prefer to buy complete bikes because I'm too cheap and lazy to build from scratch and don't really care that much what I'm riding as long as the fit and contact points (bars, stem, grips, saddle, pedals) are correct. About half of my bikes were built from the frame up and that is because I had parts and frames laying around. Most of these started as complete bikes I had bought and ridden before dismantling them to use the parts on other bikes.

Reactions: 3

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