[Closed] Bike Build For 10Y Boy / Anyone else? / Show me your parts bin specials

I haven't been very active on the forum since moving home to Canada in 2009, however I've just completed building a bike for my son and can't help thinking that the idea of doing it came from anywhere but STW!

Here is the story so far

It was time to get my son a new bike. Having moved to Canada a couple of years ago I didn't have the option of using Islabikes as you do in the UK. My daughter has a much loved 24" wheeled Spesh Hot Rock and that would be the obvious replacement choice but only for a year before he would outgrow that one as well. Decision made, lets get a xs/13" frame 26" bike.

After a few trips to our local LBS, he was beginning to settle on a Norco and asked me if he could upgrade it using my spares, etc. This got me thinking, should we just build a bike from scratch? Nah, too expensive, too much hassle, etc. This was obviously the ONLY choice that could be made so we went home and made a list. Thanks to CRC/Wiggle/LBS in UK I have a few boxes of spares and we really only needed a stem, a fork and a frame.

Easy, I'll just pop down to the LBS check on t'internet etc and get him a frame. This isn't easy to do when you want a small frame as no bike shop had anything and I started to think it wouldn't be possible. Meanwhile the little guy was at home looking at all the parts we had cleaned, repaired and checked hoping this would all be done in a day. After a week of searching and even contemplating a CRC order from here I was at the LBS picking up a repair and the mechanic asked if I was the guy looking for a 13" frame. He disappeared to the basements and appeared 5 mins later with not just one but two frames a red Kona Firemountain and a blue Gary Fisher. Result. I popped back with my son later who chose the GF and the deal was done for less than the cost of a nice meal out.

Now for the fork, really all I needed was something cheap and light, rigid would be best, but you try telling this to a 10Y boy. We searched for something suitable and eventually found a rebuilt and very nice Fox Float 100R, probably too much and more than he needs but he used $100 of his own money on it so we now had all the pieces to build the bike.

Final Build
13" Gary Fisher Advance (2009 I think)
Fox Float 100R
No Name 60mm Stem
Easton EA30 bars
Race Face cranks w/Crank Bros Cobalt BB
Hayes Sole brakes
Deore F&R mech and shifters
Mavic 317 Disc wheels with Formula Hubs
Race Face seat post
Flat pedals from a box

I've always done my basic repairs and installed my own new parts but never built a bike up from parts. Without the wheels it would have cost more than buying a new bike and the brakes might only last the summer as they are a bit old but the total outlay was less than $250 for the bike if you don't count the cost of the parts bin. Overall a great experience for my son who learned a bit of patience in looking and finding as well as working with me to build the bike. Has anyone else done this for your child / wife / GF / SO ? I'll post a few pics later when I have a chance to upload them. Needless to say the boy is happy and very keen to get on the local trails ASAP.

Thanks to KH and SG for some spares and tools. A big thanks to Jamie ? the mechanic at McPhails Cycles Waterloo, ON along with the other staff in the shop helpful and interested in something that hasn't made them much money at all.

So "Show me your parts bin specials"