Hi to all!

[MattB]

Hi, ive come here in search of some...alot of advice! I used to like cycling, mountain biking, though did alot of BMX too Now, after nearly 2 years of driving, ive decided that I want to start cycling around more, to both get fitter and save petrol money Ive picked up a Carrera Vulcan frame and some front forks too. (this is where my lack of knowledge is going to make things sound very difficult!) Theres a bit missing where the forks go up through the front bit of the frame, where a ''headstock''? claps on, and the handle bars go through, so the forks rattled around. We bought the bit (I cant remember what its called) but found the forks are too small and didnt fit. So now, im left with just the frame and I dont really know where to start. I know its a disc brake only frame, the frame is 20". Does anyone have any good places to shop at, and a possible shopping list of sorts would be much appreciated Frame:

 

[Ivan Ardon]

What you'll need to buy to build what you've got into a working bike will cost far in excess of buying a complete second hand one.

If you're doing it to save money, forget it.

 

[Tharg2007]

i think you should tidy your room first!!

 

[MattB]

What you'll need to buy to build what you've got into a working bike will cost far in excess of buying a complete second hand one.

If you're doing it to save money, forget it.

Really? I wouldnt've thought it would be that much really. I actually have alot of bits spare from people, its just mainly getting a set of forks and getting the handle bars connected properly.

i think you should tidy your room first!!

It is tidy, thats just the corner when my amps are, so with wires about, tends to look a little messy

 

[Tharg2007]

well get scavenging, you should be able to pick bits up as well as donations in here, also try car boots, you can pick up brakes and bars there usually

 

[Danny]

Welcome MattB. I built my first proper bike up out of a frame that had been stolen and dumped in the river! This turned out to be a lot more time consuming and expensive than I expected, though it was a good way to learn about bikes.

To get your bike up and running it looks like you are going to need

• New forks (if your's are too short
• A headset to hold the forks in place
• A stem and handlebars
• Brakes (are you sure your's only takes disc brakes?)
• Gear leavers
• Front and rear dérailleurs (gear changers)
• A bottom brack and chainset
• Front and rear wheels
• Pedals
• A saddle and seatpost
• Cables and other bits and pieces
• And probably stuff I have forgotten

If you bought all this new it would probably cost at least £300, which just isn't worth it for the frame you've got. However if you can get second hand parts it might become more economical.

If you decide to go ahead, you could talk to your local bike shop about whether they have any "spares" they could let you have cheap.

You should also look at Sheldon Brown and the Park Tools websites, both of which have good guides on how to repair bikes.

 

[maxcherry]

go in google type in Gumtree then click on your area, it's like a local free news paper where folks place adds, i'm sure you'll find bike parts there, good luck on your project hope you will show us the finished (or soon to be finished) product.

 

[Tharg2007]

hehe its good in that there gumtree, i got my trike from that

 

[MattB]

Wow! Thank you all for the replies!

Welcome MattB. I built my first proper bike up out of a frame that had been stolen and dumped in the river! This turned out to be a lot more time consuming and expensive than I expected, though it was a good way to learn about bikes.

To get your bike up and running it looks like you are going to need

• New forks (if your's are too short
• A headset to hold the forks in place
• A stem and handlebars
• Brakes (are you sure your's only takes disc brakes?)
• Gear leavers
• Front and rear dérailleurs (gear changers)
• A bottom brack and chainset
• Front and rear wheels
• Pedals
• A saddle and seatpost
• Cables and other bits and pieces
• And probably stuff I have forgotten

If you bought all this new it would probably cost at least £300, which just isn't worth it for the frame you've got. However if you can get second hand parts it might become more economical.

If you decide to go ahead, you could talk to your local bike shop about whether they have any "spares" they could let you have cheap.

You should also look at Sheldon Brown and the Park Tools websites, both of which have good guides on how to repair bikes.

Firstly yea, its not much of a money saving thing, though I know it could turn out as much as a new bike, but building part by part is easier to pay for Plus I building things really that I can use, some personal satisfaction thing.

Ive got some mates with some parts. Ive got two wheels, both disc ready off a mate, another mates got a headstock, bracket, handle bars and a seat post and a seat and miles and miles of cabling, so these are turning out pretty cheap, though I am willing to spend some money on it to have some decent parts

 

[MattB]

Just a little update, got a new set of forks and a headset today from a local cycle shop for £35:

Hopefully going to get handlebars and wheels fitted over the weekend.

 

[Iainj837]

looking good, I think it will be the best way to learn how a bike works but as others have said could be expensive.
Good luck keep us posted

 

[MattB]

Teeny little update, found a stem and some bars in my mates shed, fiver:

 

[gbb]

Building your own isnt too difficult Matt...brilliant if you're prepared to wait for the right price bits to come along.
As others have said, it aint a cheap way of doing it....but donations from mates, and ebay are a great source of reasonably priced spares.

Setting up derailleurs etc may cause you some difficulty, but there's plenty of tutorials on youtube etc.

 

[MattB]

Got some wheels today, starting to look like a bike!

One bit of advice, ive been looking at cranks, and im unsure what to do with them? I live in a place with lots of hills (my journey home from work is 90% uphill) and not alot of flat really, so do I need to go up to 21+ gears? Or could I just use a single cog on the crank?