Building a bike from the frame up?

Question

I'm looking into getting a bike and I am considering buying a frame and building it up. I really only want one for minor trips around the neighborhood where I don't need my truck to get to. I'm looking at a small bike shop online selling the frame and fork for a 29er for $1500. I would need to buy everything else, so I have to take that into consideration. So my questions are, what price could I be looking at for everything else? And, what are some good anti theft items?

Answer 1

You will end up with a bike that will cost you 3 times as much as an equivalent complete bike. As well, for your purposes, a mountain bike is a poor choice. Mountain bikes are geared and equipped for riding off road, not for trips around a neighbourhood. Have you even built a bike before? Do you have the needed tools? Do you know how to choose components that will be compatible with each other? For the price you plan to pay for a frame and fork alone you could buy a really really good quality bike that would be far better suited to your needs. The best anti theft device is a secure storage space for your bike

EDIT: If you start out with a $1500 frame and fork and build up the bike with components of appropriate quality for that frame you will easily exceed the $3000 mark while a $3000 complete bike will have better components than the one you built up for that amount of money

Answer 2

The only reason to build a bike from the ground up is if you are an avid cyclist and want to have your ideal dream bike, or you are part of a competitive team trying to design a bike to win a race. There is one exception to that rule. If you are a scrounger and want to build one on the cheap. Scroungers don't buy 1500 dollar forks though. Not usually. For a lot less than 1500, a lot less you can buy a great bike that will make trips around the neighborhood when you can not use your truck. For 400 you can get a Cannondale, Trek or Raleigh that will do more than what you describe

Answer 3

If you don't understand cost, building is going to be well beyond your skills. If you had a basic home machine shop you could modify and/or restore some used parts and make them compatible with each other. You can do some things to a mountain bike to make it more road compatible but it'd still be better to have a mountain bike and a road bike.



For what it'll cost to build a mountain bike using new parts you could buy a mountain bike and a road bike. You say $3000+ for a mountain bike, that's more in the pro's range and very advanced trails. Go to a reputable bicycle shop and check out a mountain bike and a road bike suitable for your needs.



As for anti theft get a keyed U lock and a keyed 15 mm cable lock. Two high quality locks will cost around $70. You could get alarms, tracking chips and cellphone notifiers. These last items can be expensive and only complimentary to locks not meant to be a replacement for locks.

Answer 4

Unless you are very good at bargain hunting, and/or have a serious stash of parts, buying and building a bike piecemeal will be a lot more expensive(easily double the price) than buying a complete bike.

As for anti-theft: heavy locks and secure parking. Store it inside.



Edit:

So you have $1500 frame & fork. Looks like you can get an XT groupset for about $1000

$500 will NOT be enough for the rest of the parts.

Answer 5

Bad idea. And I mean really B-A-D. It'll cost 3 to 4 times more vs. just buying a bike already assembled, ready to go & with a local SERVICE WARRANTY from your local bike shop.



I don't even think Bikes Direct is such a big bargain. For $3,000, you must be looking at full suspension MTB's. You can get a hell-of-a-good hardtail for a LOT less $$$. And a full squish bike is both heavy & terrible for streets riding.

Answer 6

You can buy a very nice 29er for less then that. Building a bike will cost you 3 times more.



http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/29er_bikes.htm#ti29er