[Closed] Ensuring you have everything when building from bits

You need a steerer bung, not a star fangled nut for your carbon steerer fork.

Got the right mounts for your brakes/frame/rotors?

How will your tyres keep the air in? Tubes or tubeless & associated kit?

Headset bearings should just push into the frame without a tool. You may need something tube-like to help seat the crown-race on the fork.

You may need caliper adapters too..

Yep, steerer bung for the fork. Also when cutting carbon fibre wear a face mask and ideally have a vacuum next to the cutting area to try and pull the fibres away from you - they aren't the nicest thing to have floating around in the air.

Electrical tape to finish off the bar tape.

Tools wise a set of decent Allen Keys and Torx keys will do most things. Headset press for the headset but that might be one thing worth getting your local LBS or mechanic to do - it's a bit much buying the tool for just the one use.

Shimano BB tool and pretensioner. If the BB is one of the newer ones that's got a smaller diameter on the cups it should have come with a plastic reducer for the tool. This is one of those specialised tools that you do tend to use fairly regularly when servicing so worth getting.

A decent set of cable cutters and maybe a fine flat file and needle file to tidy up the ends of the outer. A pair of needle nosed pliers to crimp the cable crimp.

Does the groupset include outers, inners, end caps and ferrules (or is it fancy pants electic)?  And some carbon grip paste for fitting stem, seatpost etc with specified torque (actually, are you confident you won't over-torque any special carbonny bits, if not then a torque wrench will give a safety net)

@snotrag thanks!

@tomhoward flat mount and centre lock, so I think I've got the right ones.

@frogstomp caliper adapters...? You mean for post mount on a flat mount frame...?

@whitestone hadn't even considered I'd have to cut a carbon steerer... I'll add a BB tool and cutters to the list.

@thepurist yes, I emailed and asked if the groupset contained all the hoses etc. I have a big torque wrench for fitting square taper BB's, plus a 5Nm Topeak Nano Torqbox for seat posts and what not. Will add carbon paste to the list.

@frogstomp caliper adapters…? You mean for post mount on a flat mount frame…?

@k1100t yes, and taking into account the rotor size.

@whitestone integrated headset so no tool required

Brake bleeding kit maybe?

You've definitely forgotten something. I don't know what, but you'll find out when you're nearly finished and starting to think you might just be able to give it a test ride before dinner. Then you'll realize that you can probably borrow the missing bit off another bike just to get the new one going, so you take the other bike apart only to find that the bit doesn't fit, despite being a standard size. Then you'll realize that you have to put the old bike back together or you won't be able to ride in the morning, so you rush to do that before it gets too dark to see, resulting in breaking the bit that you tried to borrow. And then you have two bikes both missing the same bit.

A 32 tpi blade for your hacksaw will do to cut the steerer so long as you can cut straight. Otherwise you could add a guide from planet x to make it easier. Only things that occured to me were gear cables and assembly paste or greease to put everything on to your frame. I've just almost completed my build and can't see anything blindingly obvious that others haven't already said.

A fine hacksaw to create a split in the crown race to make for easier fitting and removal.

An old stem to act as a cutting guide for your steerer.

If it's a press-fit BB, you can wind them in using a bit of threaded stud, some washers and a couple of nuts, considerably cheaper than a bike specific tool and just as good.

Is the fork carbon? if so I doubt it even has a crown race, I know mine doesn't on my CX bike, nor did my road bike.

Chain tool and quick links for getting the chain fitted correctly.

Frame protector patches or heli-tape to stop the inevitable cable rub

Beer and a radio?

Is the fork carbon? if so I doubt it even has a crown race, I know mine doesn’t on my CX bike, nor did my road bike.

The "crown race" is part of the headset, not the fork. I've never seen any fork come with a crown race.

Fine tooth saw is fine for cutting down the steerer; I used a tenon saw for mine - just use a sharpie to draw a line all the way round and go easy.

Gear outers and ferrules +1.

Double check they've sent the right BB to go with the chainset *before* you screw it in and offer the chainset up. *ahem* oops.

Electrical tape will come in useful for holding cables against the bars until you install the bar tape; though I'd recommend a quick ride before you tape the bars to make sure you've got the hoods in the right place. It's a lot easier to reposition them before you wrap tape all over the place...

Do the wheels need rim tape / tubeless tape ?

How about bottle cages, pedals and a saddle ?

I would use tightly wrapped masking tape to do the fork steerer (helps avoid shards breaking off) along with a hacksaw blade (most are 32tpi anyway, but check to be sure), mark up and check then double, maybe treble, check the length and only do this after fitting everything up and putting all your spacers in so you can get the right bar height, then cut it down again.

You can knock down the headset race using a headset spanner, if you still happen to own one (or any fairly heavy flat thing with smooth edges if not). A bit more eurrggghh than it was when steerers were steel, but doable with care and easier than cutting a slot.

You haven't got any bottle cages.

Something will be missing and/or a different size or standard, or of the same standard but for some unforeseen reason just won't fit, though (well maybe not - this absolutely always happens when I swap out a frame though, regardless of how hard I shop around to get the same standards).

hols2 Pure GOLD!

Thanks all. I have just ordered all the parts. Slightly pants wetting as the wheelset and tyres on their own, were more than I paid for my Calibre Dune. 😨

Yes, the only thing now missing from my list are bottle cages , will have to have a look and see what will go with the frame. Now I just need to find someone local who can lend me a workshop stand for a weekend.

I use my turbo trainer when I'm bike building. Just put it on the table if you don't want to bend down so much 😉

I don't have a turbo anymore. Bought a Tacx iMagic back in the day and used it about five times. I'd rather ride in the mud/wet/cold/snow/dark than on a turbo. I should check and see if the chap I gave it to still has is sitting in a corner of his garage unused...

Check the mounting bolts for the rear brake caliper. The Shimano ones are referred to by length, but be aware that this is the length of the hole through the frame, that the bolt passes through - NOT the length of the bolt.
You may need to order the correct size bolts, like I did

Bottle cage. Mudguards.

Is it internal/external routed? If full outers then maybe some of those cable clips or zip-ties depending how the frame is designed.

Grease. Lube. Threadlock.

It doesn't matter how well you prepare....

You will still forget or over look something... 😂

Just do your build when the LBS is open for that but you've forgotten

Some spare ferrules and bolts for when the fridge gets involved. Failing to allow for Fridge-Suck has stymied a build or two here.

The “crown race” is part of the headset, not the fork. I’ve never seen any fork come with a crown race.

Yeah I know that, just on my current bikes and quite a few others that I've seen with Carbon frames and forks there is no place on the fork for a crown race as the bottom of the steerer where it joins the crown is tapered to suit the lower headset bearing race.

My CRC order is still listed as PROCESSING, even though most of it has just turned up. Just need the frameset to arrive from them now...

A tip for cutting carbon, use a fine blade hacksaw as you know, but don't use a vacuum cleaner for the fibres. They are too fine for most Hoover bags and they fly out the exhaust and into the air. Better bet is to spray the carbon with some water to get rid of the dust.

Oh, and measure twice....

A bell.
Rim tape. (sensible suggestion) Or tubeless valves if already taped and tubeless.

Might want to add a saddle to the list.

Edit. Just seen you have one

some cable ends to crimp the end of the cables with. And a cable cutter.

If externally routed make sure you have that little plastic guide that bolts to the underside of the BB, and if you have one already make sure it's the right one. Cost me a (relative) fortune having to order on of those on it own and had to wait 5 days to finish the build

it's tools you won't know you don't have like a bb tool or a torque wrench. copper slip and thread lock. chain links for the right speed of the groupset. wheel skewers

You will never have everything you need for the build before starting; it’s one of the Inevitable Constants of Bike Building.

Are you *sure* the clown race comes with the headset?

It's just a fact of life, you'll miss something.
It will most certainly be something stupid and you'll have to wait for the part because a) it's Sunday and everything's closed or b) no LBS Will stock it in a million miles radius (they sold the last one yesterday)

Are you *sure* the clown race comes with the headset?

Er, no...‽ I thought the headset came with everything you needed...?

That black thing with the slight cut out is the crown race, I was thinking of a ball race! 🤬 idiot... To be fair to myself though, I've never has a headset that didn't have exposed ball races. 🤷‍♂️

So my wheels and tyres arrived yesterday, very fancy. I got one out the packaging this morning and shoved the direct mount rotor on to see what it would look like. And it looks like I need another tool...?

The lock nut thing in the DT Swiss direct mount to 6 point adapter looks like it requires something similar to a BB cup tool. While the Shimano lock nut thing that came with the rotors looks like it requires some sort of cassette lock nut tool? I'm assuming I can run either lock nut on these rotors, or should I stick with the one that came with them?

Don't know about the DT Swiss adapter but I'm assuming that you've a Shimano Centrelock rotor or adapter. A standard Shimano cassette lock tool is what you want for that. See this Park Tool link -> https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/disc-brake-rotor-removal-installation

Do you have biscuits?
Most necessary.

Yeah, centrelock brakes are usually held on by either BB type locknuts or cassette type locknuts. If they're cassette type ones you may well need a new cassette tool with a deeper inner bit to clear the wheel's axle...

Frameset turned up yesterday, which is nice. Looks like cable mounting is via those little plastic clip thingies. What are the clips called...? Cable clips or hose clips doesn't turn anything up? It's those or cable ties, which I have plenty of.

Is there a downside to using cable ties? At least they don't fall off and get lost...

Cable ties will work fine, and won't fall off and get lost, which those wee c-clips will from time to time. Cable ties not reusable, but no huge disadvantage there.

Very much this:

You’ve definitely forgotten something. I don’t know what, but you’ll find out when you’re nearly finished and starting to think you might just be able to give it a test ride before dinner.

I'd also add, a small pile of random washers to shim out the brake mount as it's not quite to standard* and check the hub end caps you need are included with the wheels not just an optional accessory.

* - this might be just a Surly thing.

I've always called those things horseshoe clips, and my LBS knows what I mean! I like them - cable ties are fine but need care when installing. Specifically when you trim the excess - a flat bladed knife is what you need to get them done perfectly, otherwise the buggers WILL take chunks out of your fingers when they're cold, wet, and muddy.