What's a Fair Price?

[Adasta]

Although it's a long way off (due to current peasant status) I am hoping to buy a new bike. I'm quite new to cycling and I'm not very mechanical-minded, so to speak. Essentially, I don't want to have to build a new bike when I finally get one. So, my question is:

How much does it typically cost for an LBS to build a bike from scratch?

 

[2Loose]

It would obviously depend... would it be from a big box of components including ready made wheels, or would the wheels be built from hubs\spokes\rims? I ask because I would imagine building the wheels from scratch would be the most labour intensive task.

Also, would the parts be bought from the same LBS, as they would likely subsidise the time-cost from the profit made on the other parts bought from them.

I would factor in around 3 hours labour to construct a bike from parts if the wheels are pre-made, some would do it a lot quicker than that.

 

[ohnovino]

My nearest one charges £20 to put together a bike-in-a-box. It's the first item on their workshop price list, so I'm guessing it's a popular service.

 

[Adasta]

It would obviously depend... would it be from a big box of components including ready made wheels, or would the wheels be built from hubs\spokes\rims? I ask because I would imagine building the wheels from scratch would be the most labour intensive task.

Also, would the parts be bought from the same LBS, as they would likely subsidise the time-cost from the profit made on the other parts bought from them.

I would factor in around 3 hours labour to construct a bike from parts if the wheels are pre-made, some would do it a lot quicker than that.

Sorry - I wasn't very clear in my original post.

I'm talking about building a bike-in-a-box. I would consider buying the accessories through the LBS as well (mudguards, etc.) but little else since I would probably just move all my lights etc. across from my "old" bike.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Best way to find out is to ask.

tell them what bike you are after and how much of the little extras you would(might) be buying and see what price they quote.

the cost may be included if you buy the bike from them anyway (?) that way you get some more bargaining power from bulk buying so to speak.

its always good to build up a relationship with the bikeshop - even if you are only window shopping at the moment.

same with any other sales related thing really.

 

[Moodyman]

Mail order bikes from most online sellers come built up.

You just have to turn the handlebars and add the pedals. Hardly bike shop work.

 

[biggs682]

my local quote £75 to strip 1 bikef reame and build into another frame

 

[MacB]

If you're interested in learning how to do the basics then another option is to hire a mobile bike mechanic to do the work with you and give you some basic instruction.

 

[festival]

Although it's a long way off (due to current peasant status) I am hoping to buy a new bike. I'm quite new to cycling and I'm not very mechanical-minded, so to speak. Essentially, I don't want to have to build a new bike when I finally get one. So, my question is:

How much does it typically cost for an LBS to build a bike from scratch?

Some of the answers so far are misleading.
If you buy a bike in a box and ask your Lbs to build it so its set up ready to ride you could be charged anything between £20 to £75.
Thats because some see it as an oppotunity to build a rapport with you and look forward to you spending with them in the future and others think its easy money and if you dont like it bugger off, they have more important things to deal with.
Geanerally a bike pdi should take about 45 mins with more sosfisticated bikes up to an hour.
I have seen plenty of so called bargins bought on line end up a mistake, so do your homework

 

[summerdays]

Some of the answers so far are misleading.
If you buy a bike in a box and ask your Lbs to build it so its set up ready to ride you could be charged anything between £20 to £75.

The £75 quote was for more than just setting up a bike ... it also included stripping the parts from another bike - which isn't going to be so straight forward.

And a bike shop can price it depending on whether they want the work too... some bikes they aren't that keen on trying to build if they know they can't do a great job on - as the customer will come back to them with problems rather than blaming the quality of the bike.


I've bought my bikes from the LBS so the assembly price and adding on the extras bought at the time is always hidden in the ticket price. It then enables me to swap some bits such as tyres, stem, saddle and get a reduced price on the new ones.

 

[ufkacbln]

Also depends on the bike.

I remember an article on building a Tesco BSO and getting it "roadworthy"

Due to the number of poor components, misalignment with the frame and other faults it is actually not an easy task, often involving extended amounts of time and effort than the same work on a quality bike.

 

[mightyquin]

Although it's a long way off (due to current peasant status) I am hoping to buy a new bike. I'm quite new to cycling and I'm not very mechanical-minded, so to speak. Essentially, I don't want to have to build a new bike when I finally get one. So, my question is:

How much does it typically cost for an LBS to build a bike from scratch?

Why not just buy from the LBS in the first place? If you're a newbie and not mechanically minded then I'd suggest you really don't want to be buying something remotely, you need the advice and help that the LBS can offer. It also helps to see/try your preferred bike.

Most shops also include a 'free' first service as well once the bike has been broken in a little, again very useful if you don't know basic bike mechanics. They may also show you how to do basic servicing etc.

 

[mickle]

Bikes arrive in a bike shop partially assembled from the factory via a distributor and require certain parts to be fitted such as bars and stem, seat and post, pedals, front wheel, reflectors. Then everything must be checked over; brakes, gears, spoke tension, check all the nuts and bolts, finish off all the cables... It can take between 15mins and an hour, or even more. Some bikes arrive in a very high state of adjustment. Poor quality bikes take longer to build than good quality bikes because you're building them up to a standard of road-worthiness. The quality of factory assembly is another important factor. If you're having to face disc caliper mounts, tap out frame bosses, align drop-outs, remove cranks to adjust BBs, re-dish wheels, wrap bars.... And if the mechanic has to fit mudguards, rack, bottle cage, lock bracket, lights add another hour. Set-up suspension... swap out saddles, tyres etc...

For a complete scratch build from the ground up including building the wheels - it depends very much on the kind of bike. In reality the preparation takes a while - speccing ,ordering, gathering all the parts. But if we assume that all the parts are to hand - Between 2 and 4 hours.

A frame swap is a different thing altogether. If it's straightforward it can take as little as an hour but they rarely are. Because you might as well fit new cables for example, and a headset regrease while you're there .... the time can increase substantially.

I'd always recommend buying the bike from the people who you want to build it. If there's a problem with it - and it's not uncommon to pull a bike from a box and find it damaged - you'll avoid the enormous hassle of sending the thing back to where you bought it.

 

[tyred]

Personally, I simply wouldn't buy a bike mail order and ask a bike shop to build it for me. They are in the business of selling bikes after all. It just doesn't seem right. Either buy it from the bike shop or build it yourself.

 

[Adasta]

Why not just buy from the LBS in the first place?

I'm considering a Boardman, hence my desire allow my LBS to build it rather than Halfords.