[lama]

I'm currently collecting parts for a Sir9 build and am having a ball doing research, bidding on ebay, etc. In my younger more impatient days this would have driven me crazy but now that I'm older I find almost as much joy building as riding. It's fun to build great bikes while trying to save some cash at the same time. How 'bout the rest of you?

 

[pimpbot]

I love it...

I'm currently collecting parts for a Sir9 build and am having a ball doing research, bidding on ebay, etc. In my younger more impatient days this would have driven me crazy but now that I'm older I find almost as much joy building as riding. It's fun to build great bikes while trying to save some cash at the same time. How 'bout the rest of you?

Finding good deals, browsing swap meets, building, tweaking. etc.

Recently, I found an XT 4pot front brake with nice wheel for $50 at Velowswap. The brake ended up on my 29er.

I'm building a Stumpjumper hardtail for my wife. Paint was ugly, so I'm doing a rattle can job on it. Now that is building! It's taken me weeks just to get the primer looking smooth.

 

[Rainman]

I'm currently collecting parts for a Sir9 build and am having a ball doing research, bidding on ebay, etc. In my younger more impatient days this would have driven me crazy but now that I'm older I find almost as much joy building as riding. It's fun to build great bikes while trying to save some cash at the same time. How 'bout the rest of you?

I really enjoy fiddling with and building bikes too. I'm a regular on eBay, always looking for deals..

For me, building and tweaking bikes is a very calming and relaxing pastime.. :thumbsup:

R.

 

[Enoch]

I really find retreating to my "Man Cave" and tinkering on my bikes alot of fun.

 

[Rainman]

I really find retreating to my "Man Cave" and tinkering on my bikes alot of fun.

Heheheh... my wife calls my workshop "The Cave" too...

R.

 

[Dr Feelygood !]

Yes I love building!

Used to be a Mechanical Engineer before I became a Dr,so I love to tinker.

Just built up a bike for a friend from old stuff I had lying around.He loves it and it`s MUCH better than the `ten tonne tessie` superstore bike he was riding.

Currently got a GT Nomad `hybrid` frame that I`m going to build up as a 29er commuter/fun bike and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Black Behemoth frame which I intend to build up as a 5/5" trail bike!

My last 26er was almost entirely an E(bay) bike and it was good fun getting the components I wanted at good prices.

Yours `fettlingly` Dr FG.:thumbsup:

 

[Rockin]

Yes, I do.

 

[Nat]

I used to really like wrenching. I liked changing fork oil, repacking bearings, tuning the drivetrain, truing wheels, etc. These days, not so much. I like browsing for parts and buying them, but now I'd rather ride than wrench.

 

[knucklesandwich]

In the process of building up my first MTB, SS and rigid- sorry, not a 29er at the moment though I could def see myself adding one in the future, hence the lurking in thif forum...

After my latest Nashbar order arrives, all I'll need is fork/stem/handlebar, and an SS chainring. Cannot wait to build it up.

Also, spent a good chunk of my afternoon today taking care of my daily ride, a Kona Jake- wiping down the frame, scrubbing cassette, clean/oil chain, clean rims, deflate/inflate tires, replace brake pads. S/b all set to go for another chunk of months commuting.

 

[unit]

Yes

yes, I do. I started building when I bought my first bike over 20 years ago, and I am still building. No bike I have ever owned has ever been finished....sure they are completed...but never finished being built.

My current project still wears primer and has for about 6 months....I can not decide on a color...or resign to the idea of staying off of it long enough to get it powdercoated.

Yes, I seem to be that younger more impatient kid you are talking about....but I love the building phase you speak of...mine just lasts forever.

 

[the Inbred]

i enjoy actually building the bike up (the mechanical part). i hate doing the research into which parts to order. consumes way too much time for what, essentially, doesn't matter (in my opinion). with this Willits I'm getting, i bought whatever came to mind first (except for the brakes...which i spent way too much time pondering over). keeping it simple. colorwise, also; black and white. this bike is all about simple.

 

[Guest]

hells yes!!!!

if i could afford to i would build a new bike and wheels every 6 months! (to be honest, i am not far off that mark for the last two years)

 

[cathyandrob]

Meee tooo, love to build

Similar to Dr Feelgood I was an auto mechanic before becoming an anesthesiologist so the tinkering comes naturally to me.

Also the chasing parts and research, mainly on mtbr, is fun too.

Rob

 

[Qfactor03]

I won't let a shop touch my bike!

After years of paying to have work done on my bikes only to head out for a ride and have the same problem, I have become a self-supported shop. Over the years I have collected pretty much every tool that I need. If I run up against something new, I order the tool and it's there the next time I need it. Now, most friends head to my house with their bikes to work on them. I thoroughly enjoy building and maintaining my own bikes and knowing that there is no one but myself to blame for problems on the road or trail. I have had a truing stand for a while now and have only used it to keep my wheels running straight. Just recently learned the proper way to lace and tension a new wheel and built my first set (29s) which are on my SS. At the age of 38, I am so happy that I never grew out of loving bicycles. It keeps me sane .

 

[Tweety]

I'm with you. Sometimes, I'd much prefer working on them than riding them. Also an engineer at heart (Degree is Electrical, but passion was always mechanical), I've been "tinkering" all my life.

 

[Rivet]

I'm currently collecting parts for a Sir9 build and am having a ball doing research, bidding on ebay, etc. In my younger more impatient days this would have driven me crazy but now that I'm older I find almost as much joy building as riding. It's fun to build great bikes while trying to save some cash at the same time. How 'bout the rest of you?

If when you say "bike building" you actually mean assembling the bike then yes, it is cathartic. If what you really mean is buying parts and having the bike shop build it that's not really "bike building" that's shopping and it's what women live their lives for, might as well be shoes and a purse.

 

[MadCowRider]

I used to be fastidious about tweaking my bike and cleaning my bike and shopping for upgrades. Then suddenly it hit me, my riding-to-maintenance ratio was pathetically low. I now do only as much (preventative) maintenance as necessary, and sometimes not even that much. Now I spend more time in the saddle and less time in on this forum. I used to look for excuses to fix/replace stuff on my bike. Now, if it isn't negatively impacting my riding I don't mess with it.

What's the old saying, "Better is the enemy of good enough"?

 

[Padre]

If when you say "bike building" you actually mean assembling the bike then yes, it is cathartic. If what you really mean is buying parts and having the bike shop build it that's not really "bike building" that's shopping and it's what women live their lives for, might as well be shoes and a purse.

It's not a purse. It's a men's European carry-all.

 

[Evel Knievel]

Can't get in to the e-bay bargain shopping. You turkeys must be getting all the goods deals. Mostly there is so much shipping fee, the the risk invovled outweighs the savings. LBS's have most things you would ever need + tax + owner divy + overhead + jobs + instant satisfication.

Did the blingle-speed build by visiting 7 local shops for parts, building it in my cave. It was fun but a lot of effort went into price reseach and driving the whole county. Love that bike fits like a glove. Saddly it sits while the inexpensive 29'r SS gets all the trail time.

 

[Timo]

Not really. Years ago, yes - but I've built up a lot of bikes since then and now it's just sort of routine. The difference now though is that with multiple bikes the builds can take longer - leave it on the stand and finish it when time or parts become available. Seems like a chore at times - especially when the "shop" is freezing cold like this time of year. I'd rather be riding.