[Closed] DIY bike build - have i missed something?

Well how do you plan on stopping your current bike?

It'll take time to put everything together, and some things undoubtedly won't fit so you'll have to take them back and maybe spend more.

If you bought the brakes you'd be about £200 above the cost of just buying the full build. If there's anything you specifically want to change from standard spec, I would swap it out when new and sell the bits you take off.

Or consider taking more bits of your current bike perhaps? Obviously you then won't have a second bike but the value of a second bike without brakes is debatable.

Why though ? What's the logic behind not just buying it pre-built ?

does the frame only deal come with a shock?

Personally, I'd be looking for second hand parts in excellent condition. Can take a while to find the right parts though, but a huge saving. Spending £900 on a new, full groupset is way too much in my view.

Do you have the tools needed e.g. headset press, BB tool, wire cutters, star fangled nut tool etc. This added up to be quite a lot for me when doing my first build.

Have you got cables (inner and outers), cable guides, inner tubes?

Why not move parts from the current frame?

Have you got a headset press and the tools for facing bb and head tube? Might want to add a little extra to pay the local bike shop to do this.

Fitting a stealth reverb can be a bit trickier than a normal one and there might be a chance your brake hoses need shortening, or longer ones fitted. Would you be comfortable doing that?

Shock might need tuning to your frame and weight. That is also something to consider.

Despite the above I would fully encourage you to go down the build it yourself route. I feel a bike means a lot more to you when you assemble it yourself with your choice of parts.

I'd break (if you'll pardon the pun) the current bike and sell the bits, but its a fair point if i wanted to try and sell my current bike as a whole unit.

I don't think the full build has very many compromises to be fair, but i think some clever shopping around and i could get the cost below the full build cost. I haven't looked at the euro bike stores for example.

one thing that i would be a touch nervous about would be the air shaft change to bring the pikes down to 140mm. I dont know what TFT would charge for this but i'll make enquiries. i know there is a DIY option too but th potential to bugger a brand new for would weigh on my mind 🙂

Why though ? What's the logic behind not just buying it pre-built ?

An evening building a bike, with everything new and shiny from the packet, some suitable background tunes, and a nice libation or two is one of lifes little gifts.

thats a good point about the tools though. i have some of the stuff and could borrow the rest of them without issue i think.

An evening building a bike, with everything new and shiny from the packet, some suitable background tunes, and a nice libation or two is one of lifes little gifts.

But his spec doesn't give him anything real world over buying it new ?

Which gives him nothing new over buying a discounted bike too new of course 🙂

Why though ? What's the logic behind not just buying it pre-built ?

its a fair question - as i see it:

pros: better spec, nothing needs changed from day one, build and fettle it so its perfect from day one, opportunity to come in a bit under budget depending on deals

cons: a bit more hassle to research / find the right components, might need to borrow / buy tools, may require things like brake bleeds, possibility of properly breaking something

i think the "upgrades" would be the carbon bar and full xx1 instead of x01 mix. also the chance to buy the tyres you want.

Is the spec any 'better' real world though ? Don't forget to take into account things like an overall warranty, instead of a 'part' warranty ?

Is the XX1 really going to give anything ?

what spec is 'better' in your opinion ?

If you'd gone down the route of a King BB/Headset, along with super s****y cabling or a top of the range dropper compared to a basic model, then yes...but all you've got really is a minor personal preference ?

An evening building a bike, with everything new and shiny from the packet, some suitable background tunes, and a nice libation or two is one of lifes little gifts.

Exactly.

one thing that i would be a touch nervous about would be the air shaft change to bring the pikes down to 140mm. I dont know what TFT would charge for this but i'll make enquiries. i know there is a DIY option too but th potential to bugger a brand new for would weigh on my mind

If you are buying the Pikes from TFTuned they will reduce the travel for free, so they told me recently.

Also, if you don't mind buying from the continent you could knock a fair chunk off - e.g. XX1 Groupset for ~£700 at BikeDiscount.de

Is the spec any 'better' real world though ? Don't forget to take into account things like an overall warranty, instead of a 'part' warranty

i think what you are saying is would i notice the difference between the pre-built drivetrain and XX1? i dont know, but the items i've specced are "better" in the pedantic sence of the word, particularly the carbon bar and full XX1 as i said below. I accept your point though that i probably wouldn't notice the difference between the two.

The warranty point is something i hadn't considered too, worth thinking about.

If Frogstomp is right though thats an extra 80 quid in the coffers for a king headset 🙂

weeksy - Member

Is the spec any 'better' real world though ? Don't forget to take into account things like an overall warranty, instead of a 'part' warranty ?

I'd sooner have warranty by component tbh, usually simpler.

£1399 with shock sounds cheap compared to recent Transition prices - worth checking you've got that right.

buying frame only also means you can heli-tape/invisframe it properly i.e in a completely precious and anal retentive way 😉

You could find most of that much cheaper, and save yourself a lot of money.

Pikes- http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/rock-shox-pike-rct3-27%2C5-solo-air-150-tapered-maxle-lite-15-black-86865?currency=3&delivery_country=190 - £540

Nobby Nics- http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/schwalbe-nobby-nic-snakeskin-pacestar-27.5x2.25-tl-easy-folding-230064 - £65

Wheels- http://www.rushcycles.co.uk/m50b7s482p4881/HOPE-Hope-Hoops-Pair-Pro-2-Evo-Hubs-on-Stans-Arch-Ex-rims/RS_GB/11856 - £310

Brakes - http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-xt-m785-disc-brake-set-front-rear-black-55284.html

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-saint-rt86-ice-tech-6-bolt-disc-rotor/rp-prod67197?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&gclid=CjwKEAiA4_WjBRCNgf7A_KeE9jwSJADtegYdhbAC3KGA7M1zIjSRsQ4RUQM8GvD61WGYXgm1kBvCvhoCoEPw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/383/shimano_adapters/shimano-disc-brake-adapters.html

£189

Grips- http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/components-c9/grips-tape-c78/charge-griddle-handlebar-grips-p762/s19686?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=charge-griddle-handlebar-grips-colour-black-green-colour-black-green-hgch14griblkgrn&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&gclid=CjwKEAiA4_WjBRCNgf7A_KeE9jwSJADtegYdtnnot3aNXrI-tET3iVN5CJj0CM7fz6jNro8mOJaeEhoCRq3w_wcB

£15

Bar- http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/race-face-sixc-carbon-riser-bar/rp-prod106584?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&gclid=CjwKEAiA4_WjBRCNgf7A_KeE9jwSJADtegYdu_BvtcPbcXiWYwgihz8FjVYoJ9mHgH_6P4UFI7CdexoCegTw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

£99

Stem- get a nice one, eh? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/race-face-atlas-stem/rp-prod82910

£70

Headset- £40

Seat- http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/components-c9/saddles-c85/charge-spoon-cromo-saddle-p360/s19720?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=charge-spoon-cromo-saddle-colour-black-colour-black-sech14spocblk&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&gclid=CjwKEAiA4_WjBRCNgf7A_KeE9jwSJADtegYdSjGH8tytwrOAvnxdnXWB54QUCePkYAS0_Mbh1FdXxRoCCtvw_wcB

£18.50

Seatpost- http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/rock-shox-reverb-stealth-125-connectamajig-seatpost-30%2C9-mmx-left-94825

£215

Groupset- if you must have XX1

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/sram-xx1-groupset-11s-trigger-q168-gxp-175mm-136701/wg_id-4947

£700

= £2261, or £3660 with your frame. Saves you a couple of hundred quid, and if you got a sensible groupset like XT 1x10 with an expander for the cassette you'd probably end up saving about £500.

wow, thats some legwork there munrobiker 🙂 I did say in the OP that the prices were based on a very quick google so i'm sure i would have found things cheaper, but looks like you've saved me a lot of trouble there so thanks for your efforts!

http://www.plushhillcycles.co.uk/brands/transition-bikes

Forks [url= http://www.alltricks.com/mtb/forks/forks/rockshox-2014-fork-pike-rct3-275-150-mm-axle-15-mm-solo-air-tapered-black-131-149299.html ]£507[/url]

I did this recently and its good to be able to get exactly the component mix you want. Unfortunately my grand plan of using lots of old components went slightly south as I got click happy!

Have you missed XD driver for your sram 11 setup?

Also I got a stealth reverb for a great price from http://www.alltricks.com/

thanks for all the replies and links. Plush hill link confirmed my suspicion that the frame comes with a shock too, so good news there.

I had clicked for the XD driver pedlad, easy thing to miss in the options! STW challenge- can we get this build down to 3.5k? 🙂

If 740mm is wide enough then save another £22 here...

http://www.xcracer.com/shop/viewproduct.php?productid=263

We built up a TR450 for way less than the price of a complete build using either the same or better parts a few years ago

I'd build it myself, no question. You'll have warranties on individual parts, you can choose the spec you want (in the right colours, if you're a tart!), you can experience the joy of building it yourself, and you'll have a much better idea of how it all goes together (and consequently how to fix it, if needs be (assuming you've not built one from a bare frame before...))

Personally, if it were me, i'd get an XT groupset instead ([url= http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-xt-triple-transmission-groupset-64723.html?utm_campaign=googlebase-GB&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shopping&utm_term=Mountain+Bike+Groupsets&gclid=CNKsqpuLqMICFTCWtAodAXoAuA ]currently £300 on Merlin Cycles[/url], including brakes). Actually, if it really were me, i'd save myself about 2.5k and build a Singlespeed!

We built up a TR450 for way less than the price of a complete build using either the same or better parts a few years ago

I am looking at the prices the hive mind has come up with so far and wondering why transition seems to be competitive on the frame price but less so on components. It's still a solid build but the fact we can get close using retailers is either testament to the offers out there and stw members sniffing out deals or the relative lack of buying power at transition

Personally, if it were me, i'd get an XT groupset instead (currently £300 on Merlin Cycles, including brakes). Actually, if it really were me, i'd save myself about 2.5k and build a Singlespeed!

I am looking at the prices the hive mind has come up with so far and wondering why transition seems to be competitive on the frame price but less so on components. It's still a solid build but the fact we can get close using retailers is either testament to the offers out there and stw members sniffing out deals or the relative lack of buying power at transition

That doesn't include brakes

On further inspection, you would appear to be correct! In my defense, including the brakes in the pictures is a little misleading...