OEM bikes often work out better value overall, but generally have some components that you don’t really want.

So, if you have the skills/tools to build a bike, would you ever buy a custom build from a bike shop?

no

Have only ever bought frames & bits and built up my own bikes.

I get exactly what I want, and if it doesn’t work well or isn’t put together properly, I only have myself to blame.

“So, if you have the skills/tools to build a bike, would you ever buy a custom build from a bike shop?“

Eh ? If I’ve invested in getting myself the skills & tools to build a bike, why would I pay extra for someone else’s skills & tools to do it ?

When judging by a lot of posts on here, their skills are not up to scratch anyway.

I think sometimes, the shops can get a better deal on the components, but not always.
Supposedly get peace of mind from the shop.
I know the shop in question will look after me, but I don’t think to the degree that the extra cost is going to be viable.
Ho hum.

I quite enjoy building bikes. Some things I don’t do though, such as building wheels, but I will learn one day.

So no.

So, if you have the skills/tools to build a bike, would you ever buy a custom build from a bike shop?

Nope.

only ever bought 2 complete bikes…one in 1996 and then again in 1999 to replace the first one that got knicked
since then ive had more than 20 bikes and all of them have been custom/self builds
its a more costly way of doing it but you get the bike exactly how you want it

I quite enjoy building bikes. Some things I don’t do though, such as building wheels, but I will learn one day.

+1
something very satisfying in doing this…i tell myself i’m going to learn how to build wheels once i find the time and get a wheel building jig
at the moment my fastest build time has been just over 90 minutes

Nope. I enjoy the building part, I certainly wouldn’t want to pay extra money for being denied the pleasure.

Last time I bought a full bike, I knew the frame I wanted, but was flexible on bits. I had to be to get the bike in under a hard budget.

One place said they’d need to supply it built, build cost would be £140 on top of the bits

Didn’t go with them. Found somewhere else, gave them a list of components, stuff I had in my parts bin, stuff that was half price on line elsewhere, stuff I hoping they’d get me in exchange for my £1K letter. They fitted me up on the jig to advise on the right size frame and stem, checked my spoke calcs, ordered everything in and sent me off with the lot, plus a cheery good luck and asked me to come back and show them when I had it built.

And when I did they made all the right noises and told me to put an extra turn on all the spokes.

Perfect bike shop service, everything I wanted, nothing I didn’t, enthusiastic, knowledgable service.

Condor, good shop!

I’ve only ever built one bike from scratch with every component new and it was wonderful.

I love building my bikes now eg a new frame although they’re very much Trigger’s broom. I only realised when I needed a spare part for my HOPE hub and ended up getting it through retrobike’s classifieds.

A beer, peace and quiet and the satisfaction of putting a bike together is a very close second to actually getting for a ride!

I design and commission my own titanium frames and build my bikes from scratch – allows me to create something totally unique and not being the tallest of riders, often not served by mainstream brands so only option would be quite pricey custom frames:
‘Breakaway’ CX – packs away in a suitcase

29+

Fatbike

I just buy off the peg, swap what i don’t want (who would want avid brakes?) and put what i do what on.

Usually end up with exactly what i want, for quite a bit less than retail, the fact that i’m completely uninterested in colours and suchlike means i can pick up two or three year old bikes on sale for pennies.

My next bike will be bought as a frame and then built by me with new parts, but where possible I will buy the parts through the LBS (give them a list and see what they can do).

I prefer to build up my own bikes. It’s always been a fun part of the hobby for me, but it’s getting much harder with the proliferation of “standards”. It never made too much sense financially as a big manufacturer can always get the parts cheaper, but it kind of works as long as you can recycle bits from one build to the next. Not being able to do that is taking some of the fun out of the game for me and presumably makes some of the smaller players who just make frames or parts less viable (maybe that’s the point).

The one time I built up my own bike, it was immensely satisfying. It helped that everything went together perfectly (even trimming the hoses and rebleeding the Avid brakes wasn’t that bad). I was daunted by the derailleurs, but setting them up from scratch is easier than adjusting them later. I bought custom wheels from JRA, which were lush. I’ll do it again, one day.

I’ve had one, still made changes to it after speccing it myself. Ironically the last 3 I’ve bought off the peg, 2 are completely unchanged, and the other was only changed due to a fit issue

I enjoy the building part, I certainly wouldn’t want to pay extra money for being denied the pleasure.

^This +1
Every few years, I build my main bike from parts myself. I’m actually in the middle of a build right now.
The “other” bike however, I usually buy off the peg (then compulsively upgrade).

“Build” is a bit rich really, “assemble” is more like it…
It’s mostly just bolting a few standardised parts together… It doesn’t take a great deal of skill. The word “custom” gets a bit overused in reference to bikes which are really just a bunch of consumer parts, “Custom” should refer to a one off frame IMO…

But yeah why wouldn’t you enjoy putting something together for yourself, exactly the way you want to?

Then again there’s nothing wrong with buying a bike from a shop as it comes or with a couple of bits changed, whatever suits your needs. It’s all good.

Apart from building wheels, I’ve done all my own bike maintenance and assembly (Cookea) since it cost me nearly £30 to get my wheels trued and the ball bearings done 20 years ago.

Its quite comforting knowing you’ve got the right lubricants and assembly compounds where you need them, bar tape wrapped how you like it and your levers set at the right angle etc etc etc.

Every stock complete build I’ve had from has had parts swapped off as soon as its come through the door.

I can’t believe some folk call assembling some tubes into a frame “building”. If you’ve not started by digging and refining your own ore….