Building a road bike

[Big Nick]

I'm getting very tempted to splash out on a road bike (n+1 and all that!)

On average is building your own bike from scratch and buying the frame set, wheel set etc as separate components worth it?

If there are handy savings to be had then I might like a go but if it normally ends up costing the same or more than a pre built one then I'll save my d.i.y. skills for the house!

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I always build bikes to get exactly what I want. Typically speaking it works out more expensive as the components you typically select are based on performance/quality/brand rather than price.

For example.. If you have a choice of cheap bars or good bars and the difference is £10 what do you do, what about cheap or good wheels with a £50 difference?. These small amounts typically end up putting a big ££ hike on the final bill.

Building a bike is only really feasible IMHO if you want specific components or am willing to have any conponents which fit within a certain budget for said part.

In reality its not a money saver though.

 

[vickster]

As Mr H

I have just had a bike built for me as I didn't want the off the peg spec, notably groupset. I reckon I could have saved a bit by buying built (probably £1400 vs £1100-1200). Rather depends what you want and for how much, there are lots and lots of good deals out there on built bikes. If you want new decent components, there is not a lot of variation in price even if you shop very cannily, use quidco etc

 

[vickster]

Although it also depends on whether you'll need to buy lots of tools, how much your time is worth to you etc

 

[vickster]

Headset press? Bike stand?

4 hours, would take me 4 months

 

[boydj]

If you are patient and prepared to wait for sales and lucky enough to get the components you want, then you can get a better spec'd bike than off the shelf version with the same frame for similar money. However, in reality, it's unlikely you'll save money, though you will have a bike to your own spec.

 

[young Ed]

are you looking at rather high spec? for entry level roadies i probably wouldn't build my self but rather buy an off the peg triban 3 or carrera zelos or even virtuso or triban 5 and then as and when i have the money and i want to i would up grade bits like wheels and to carbon forks etc
Cheers Ed

 

[derrick]

I bought my first road bike ready to go, the one i am riding know i built up from a new frame, using a lot of bit's of the first bike, then upgrading parts as and when i could afford them, i know have the bike i wanted built to my spec and i love it, would never buy of the peg again, it's always handy to have the tools aswell.

 

[TeeQue]

I'm toying with this idea. I've been doing quite a bit of research and think I am set on having a Tiagra groupset over Sora, I also think I'd prefer a triple. Based on this I'm considering building the rest of the bike around this; Tiagra triple groupset + all other components then work out how much £££ I've got left for the frame and choose based on that, does that sound a good or stupid idea?

 

[vickster]

That's what I did ,as I wanted sram, not the stock 105...however, don't expect it to be cheaper. Several manufacturers, ribble, dolan allow you to build the bike with the spec you want and it'll likely be cheaper than DIY as they have more buying power on the parts...unless you go the used route

 

[boydj]

I'm toying with this idea. I've been doing quite a bit of research and think I am set on having a Tiagra groupset over Sora, I also think I'd prefer a triple. Based on this I'm considering building the rest of the bike around this; Tiagra triple groupset + all other components then work out how much £££ I've got left for the frame and choose based on that, does that sound a good or stupid idea?

Better to get the best frame you can afford, build it with cheaper components and the upgrade the components as they wear out or you can afford to replace them. Frame first, then wheels, then components that's how I prioritised my spending for the bike I just put together.

 

[Kestevan]

It is possible to undercut the all-in price, I've just built a bike for Mrs Kes.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/new-bike-build-various-components.151781/
Worked out approx £200 cheaper than the equivalent build from Dolan. This was mainly due to a very cheap deal on the SRAM Apex groupset from Merlin.

Similar deals on Shimano stuff occasionally come along (keep checking Planet-X, Merlin and Ribble), but it's a case of waiting for the right price.

 

[Cubist]

I don't know whether its the same for road bikes, but I am unlikely ever to buy an off the peg mtb again. Stock specifications always seem to have some sort of compromise,. With MTBs its usually the fork, wheelset or brakes.... How many great bikes are fitted with Avoids as OEM, or daft contact points, or forks pandering to market rather than usefulness (Fox CTD anybody?)

All of my builds have been around the frame first of all. I first ever used a donor bike to provide all the kit it needed, but even that was a Triggers's broom and had been upgraded over a year or so.

My favourite source for components are classifieds. I have a number of drivetrain parts that were taken off brand new bikes by owners wanting to upgrade. These barely used refugees are a huge saving over new, but as folk have said, online sources like Merlin, and ze Germans buy up surplus OEM kit and flog it cheap, you just have to keep researching if you want new.

Self builds won't save you much money unless you go for used or bargain parts, but you do get a bike to your personal spec, but the greatest part of it all is the learning and the satisfaction.

 

[Old Plodder]

I'd say 'buy' your first road bike. Get the best quality frameset you can afford; & then look at the wheelset, in that order. Other bits can be changed later if found not to be suitable.