New frame has arrived and have most bits ready to transfer across from old bike. Was going to get LBS to build up as I'm inept mechanically, but they can't do it for a week. So do I have a go myself, learning as I go along or is this a recipe for disaster ( eg cutting forks too short). What does STW massive think? BTW if I do start and itall goes horribly wrong my LBS is happy to rescue me.
Cheers

BTW, any good on- line guides for this? I'm thinking start with Sheldon Brown, anywhere else?

Park Tools, obviously. With the money you are saving from getting the LBS to do it, buy a copy of zinn. How many tools do you have though? A bikestand is always useful.

There is something extremely satisfying about building a bike yourself though and I'd highly recommend it.

Have bike stand and tools although could only afford Park tyre levers!
Any tips? I have a week to do this btw. Torque wrench?

Slight hijack (sorry), but if you were going to build your own bike (as the OP is considering), what tools do you need (ie. if you had none at all, what would you need to buy to build a modern bike?)

I built my road bike without a torque wrench. I had a cheap bike-specific toolset from lidl, plus some decent hex keys, pliers, screwdrivers etc, and I had to get a couple of bits like a HTII BB tool.

It's not really that hard – I'm not that mechanically minded or experienced. Get the Park Tools book (or just use the website).

Putting in the Headset cups might be an LBS job though imo.

Anyone recommend me avoid bike specific tool kit or particular tools which are essential for putting abike together?
Cheers

Allen keys, torque wrench, torx drivers, chain tool, BB tool, cassette lockring tool, headset press, cable cutters.

I'd strongly recommend doing it. I have just built up an S-Works Enduro and enjoyed every minute. Racing Ralph (Rob)kindly lent me a few of the tools and a workstand, although I didn't need a headset press, as it came pre-installed.

It took me a day, but I had a few breaks to do other things and plenty of drinks/smokes, so I reckon half a day if you get stuck in. There was a little bit of trial and error, but everything works fantastically well and the feeling of satisfaction is great. It's certainly running sweeter and for longer than any other bike I've had built up by some shop monkey.

As said above it's not very hard to build a bike up. It'll teach you a lot more about how things work and make any trailside repairs you have to do in future a lot easier.

If you get really stuck on something there's loads of folks on here that will help you out.

There really is nothing to be scared of and you'll wonder why you've waited until now to try it once it's done.

I found that doing a full bike build was not a massive jump from general maintenance and component swapping anyway particularily if its a straight swap from another bike. If you've bought new bits like cranks, brakes, front/rear mechs etc and swapped them over in the past you're most of the way there. The next steps with a full bike build are more the headset removal from previous bike and installation in new…when I first bought just a frame I did get my LBS to do this part.

Its good fun and as you gain experience you'll start tackling more diffuclt stuff. I'm about to do a diy service on my RS forks for the first time having relied on LBS/TFT in the past…nervouse of cocking it up but it'll be fun/interesting.

As grumm says, I think I'd have managed without a torque wrench – when you've been bike fettling for long enough, you get a fel for how tight certain bolts should be.

Cheers everyone

i got bought a park tool roll for christmas and that and a bb tool and a borrowed press were all i needed i find it relaxing. I tend to build my mates bikes too. Ive a new set of wheels to build on monday for my audax bike. Dura-ace on open pro mmm cant wait 🙂

Go for it, only thing I'd say is that, depending on your workshop setup, there are some things it may be worth getting a shop to do rather than bodge it yourself. For instance, I don't have a bench, vice, or stand, so when it came to putting new forks in I got it done in the shop- headset presses aren't worth owning IMHO and I didn't want to be cutting my steerer while kneeling on it on a chair! If it comes to that sort of thing wait and get it done properly.

I think it depends on how mechaincally apt you are.
Agree with the above, if youre in engineering anyway, or worked on bikes for a while, you can get away without torque wrenches.
(and headset presses, or is it just me with a block of wood and a nammer :wink:)
And for cutting steerers i use a Swagelok stainless pipecutter, which i have anyway due to my job. At well over £100, i wouldnt suggest someone buy one just for bike usage.

Mr Salmon – I've fitted no end of forks without a stand/bench. It's not hard if you take your time.

Just remember – measure, mark, check, check again, cut – it doesn't have to be perfectly straight anyway.

If you do cut the steerer wonky, you can always files it down level anyway.

Most headsets are easy to bash in with a hammer and a block of wood, only deep cup ones like FSA Pigs, you might struggle a bit with.

If you stick the cups in the freezer for half an hour before doing it, it makes them go in a bit easier. Lightly grease them also. Get a mate to hold the frame securely and rest the headtube on a work bench, then fire away. Make sure you tap them gently to start with to get them going in straight.

A pipe cutter like these will be more than adequate. I've been using one I bought for about £10 for years now with no problems. Just take it nice and slow and lubricate the cutting blade with WD40.

Pipe cutter link

Don't cut the steerer down to what you think is the right length at first – I would leave it uncut and use loads of spacers above and below the stem untill you decide on height.

headset press? Length of threaded bar and washers.

You will need a BB tool and cassette tool other than that it all goes together with standard hand tools.

crown race setter – bit of pipe from b and q. Cutter as above or old stem as a guide and hacksaw. Lockons to guide trimming bars. Think thats it for my bodge tools lol im sure there are lots of others 🙂

dont use cheapo allen keys/hex keys Feckud nearly all my heads using a mbuk free one 😉 😥

Do you have plenty of spare time ? I wasted months collecting the right tools, doing an hour here and an hour there (all I could spare with a recent baby)…I couldn't get the headset right (took LBS quite a while too)…couldn't get the Shimano brakes bled right (despite previously doing it on my old Hopes a few times).

Lost loads of riding time and ended up paying shop to sort out it out anyhow.

Mr Salmon – I've fitted no end of forks without a stand/bench. It's not hard if you take your time.

Just remember – measure, mark, check, check again, cut – it doesn't have to be perfectly straight anyway.

No doubt, but personally that's about the time (or when it's time to start ****tting headsets with lumps of wood) that I start weighing up what I paid for the bits, the time it'll take me, the likelihood of muffing it up, and what it'll cost me to just get it done in the shop.

I do like the satisfaction of having done stuff myself but if it starts getting harder/more annoying than it needs to be through bodging then I can't be bothered! YMMV 🙂

Piece of Piss, just be caerful, follow the instructions and do things in a logical order.

Like BB & Chainset before front mech etc and you're laffin

I wasted months collecting the right tools, doing an hour here and an hour there

**** me were you building a bike or a rocket to take you to the moon and back. 😯

Go for it…
Why pay the Lbs when you can learn to yourself.

Plus its a buzz to build it yourself then ride the hell out of it.
GIVE IT A GO !!!!!

DONT DO IT

if you have to ask the question then the answer is obviously NO

Otherwise you would have been riding it and not talking about

full build at my LBS is £35 and takes 1.5 hours

DONT DO IT

if you have to ask the question then the answer is obviously NO

With that sort of attitude no one would ever learn anything.

what's the fun in letting someone else do it for you ❓ learn from your mistakes and if all else fails take it to the exspensive bike shop to do… 😛

Little things like getting the headtube and BB shell faced are worth it. So is having the headset pressed in rather than knocked in with a hammer and lump of wood – "It were new only 3 months ago and now it's fecked, those nameyourbrand headsets must be crap etc, and the frame is crap too, somehow the headtube is ovalised, bloody sh1te manufacturers…"

Wheels checked and trued also worth having done.

Any idiot can twiddle a spanner but it doesn't make them a bike mechanic.

Any idiot can be a bike mechanic.

Agreed!

😛

full build at my LBS is £35 and takes 1.5 hours

Not at my LBS… they charge for a full service, so more like £65 if not more 🙁 Buggers hit me with a £10 fee just to remove a cassette! I know they have to make money but still 🙄