[Closed] self build or buy a complete bike?

Selfie everytime (welcome back Ton btw..),

I have too many bits and bobs so I just get the frame and build it up from there... and being theraputic is part of the deal... I recon on the frame plus £100 for new cables, clips, spacers, outer cables etc etc.

Done this now for years...

Only ever bought one bike fully built - over a dozen from parts myself.

I have now moved onto having frames custom built - I suppose the next logical step is to build the frame myself too 🙂

Cheers, Rich

Depends if you can get what you're after off the peg.

how you doing?

Have done both but like to build especially as I have kit that I mostly like on my bikes (royce, middleburn, hope). it can be a faff at times.

What you looking at?

I think my next bike will have to be some sort of CX bike, it's still some way off but I'm finding myself perusing frames and kit to assemble one and then eyeing up off the peg bikes as well as some of the used options...

I'm normally a fan of the "Self build", but TBH I'm coming to a similar sort of conclusion, for all the time spent gathering and assembling bits, could well be better spent, buying a whole bike, maybe changing the odd thing I'm not so keen on and then just getting out riding, rather than wasting another week of late nights pissing about in the garage...

But then I do very much like putting things together...

I think it depends on the bike and it's intended use, You'll never get the perfect bike off the peg, but if its as simple as changing a couple of things; bars/grips/seat maybe, then you will probably save a fair old chunk of time with that approach... And I find as I get older, time has more and more value...

cheers rickmeister.... 8)

mt, a robust built 29r hardtail i think. it suits me i think.
dont like fettleing, my dh demons have left me, and with a 2nd set of lighter wheels all bases are covered.

[url= http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/ramin-one-2014-29er-mountain-bike-ec055206#features ]Start here?[/url] and slowly change everything over time....

Yeah, self build...you get what you want and you've only yourself to blame if something rattles or you can't stop 😉

I've built loads of bikes from parts on the forum...I build more than I ride...not sure which part of the hobby I enjoy more!!!

i always just build them up, means you can put the spec you want on it.

very rarely do i see a full build with kit i would want to keep on it.

that and im usually using most of the parts of my last build etc

Build it up, margins on complete bikes must be dropping, seems like in most cases you can shop arround and match the complete build price without having to settle for crap tyres or an XTR mech on a deore cassette. Even the On-One codeine is only about 10% better than the parts online, so after the initial saddle/bars/grips/tyres swapping probably about the same.

I'd go selfie build if I was in your condition. Clearly you'll not be riding until mid next week 😆 so that'll give you time to stick some spangly bits to an otherwise dull frame.
Think of it as rehab..

THen wheelie on it 😉

I always fancy building one up but it's never made much sense when I've been needing a new bike. On those occasions I've wanted something that I can get on and be riding pretty much straight away, rather than spending my evenings scouring eBay for bits for weeks first, with 0% finance as an added bonus.
Probably depends on what you've got lying around already though, and just how fussy you are about stuff like exactly what bars and grips you end up with.

I'd love to do it though as a sort of project- I'd like my next road bike to be a self-build around something like a Genesis Equilibrium frameset.

Self build I'm very fussy.

I'm sure someone local to you on here would help you out with a build Ton if that's the route you wanted to go down.

ton, nice plan been looking at something similar myself. Would like a steel or ti 29er, UK manufacture (if possible). Reasonably light components for some good off road rides (nowt to scary as I'd like not to bust my femur again) and as you say, a spare set of wheels set for a some road miles.

Tell us how you get on then get yourself up to the Dales and we get out for a spin.

Edit. Before I get into my 29er I need to sell some bikes and associated stuff. It should all be on the classifieds sooner rather than later.

Self build Tony

You'll get the bike what you want and it'll keep you busy for the next month until you've recovered enough to ride it 8)

I love building bikes. My last 'off the peg' was a 1997 Muni Mula and that changed beyond recognition once I discovered riser bars and White Brothers forks, stronger wheels, etc within about 6 months.

Always a selfie for me. I enjoy the process of the build almost as much as that first ride.

fancy a buzzard from sam.......that is not a dull frame bikebouy. 8)

if you can keep your wallet in your pocket post purchase the end of season full bike builds are the best bargains. Trouble is if you're a fussy bugger like me you'll change half the kit on it within 12-18months.

Also if you've already got a burgeoning spares bin it seems daft to buy a full bike. You do get spanked for frame only RRPs tho.

Glad you're on the mend Ton and looking forward. I usually go self build but last week decided on a complete bike. In the past I consider myself to have been quite lucky and own nice frames kitted out with Hope/Middleburn/XTR etc but I always seem to keep changing parts and trying different things. So this time I decided to just go out and buy a bike of the peg and leave it and change it as parts break/wear out. I love my new steed, it's just simple and no faff. I know as time goes on the forks and wheels will get upgraded when they die but everything else will just be replaced like for like as I'm happy with out. I just got [url= http://www.evanscycles.com/products/charge/cooker-4-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec053630 ]this[/url] for £876 and totally chuffed. Managed to get the price down with price matching and cashback and further to your recent thread would say have a look, could be you're type of thing. 🙂

Buzzard or Solaris?

I'm just putting a scandal 29er together, only a modest spec. but it is my spec, and I'll have built it, so only myself to blame, and once it's built, it should just be right.

I bought my current bike as a full bike, but less than 2 years later, only the frame, headset and shifters are really left, so I may aswell have self built that, though I did get a hack bike out of it.......

Self build here. Custom made to measure frame in titanium. Then built it up from there.

I wasn't going to wait any longer.
Why would I ?

the longer i look at that pinnacle that cookeaa posted, the more i think it is a good idea.
buy something cheap like that, to hopefully use through the winter, and to build some trail fitness back up, it is 4yrs since i have ridden offroad.
and then in the spring if all is good health and fitness wise, buy something befitting a healthy mountainbiker.