New bike build: how...
 

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New bike build: how many operations?

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Question came to me as I did a total refit, from bare frame up, with new/refreshed components.

Anyone ever calculated how many discrete operations it takes to build bike?

Like, if you were bored/ing enough to make a spreadsheet for the task, with each discrete job on its own line, and given a bare frame and complete set of correctly-chosen components and tools (which is its whole own spreadsheet, probably) - how many lines would the spreadsheet have?

Obvs there would be some brand differences, like a Hope BB goes in slightly differently to a Shimano one, but we could probably approximate the BB task to the roughly the same number of steps in principle without getting too pedantic about things.

All I know is, I love that the last job on the list is 'bar tape'.

If you were building a drop-bar mountainbike, that is. 🙂


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 9:32 am
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Hundreds if you were writing a desktop instruction for each piece. eg: fitting and adjusting a stem with bars in has 7 bolts (incl adjusting headset preload) which a total novice would need to be told exactly how to do (faceplate bolts diagonally a nip at a time until tight and then torqued diagonally, etc.)


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 9:38 am
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Quite a lot having recently done a frame swap on a bike with internally routed brakes and cables. Urgh.


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 9:59 am
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Not all stems should be fitted the same way. Easton, such as the EC70 is a toplock stem so you tighten the top bolts first and then the bottom ones.

Also, a drop bar mountain bike!? You mean a gravel bike!


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:07 am
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No I haven’t


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:08 am
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Sounds like you need MES software, not a spreadsheet.


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:08 am
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I love a good build/frame swap,easing into it with lots of pondering and enjoying the details as it comes together.
Never been a fan ,or impressed by how quick a shop monkey or shed amateur can rattle a build together.
Any spread sheet of mine would have a high tea count and lots of random pauses. 😃 😊


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:12 am
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Also, a drop bar mountain bike!? You mean a gravel bike!

No, I don't 🙂

2.5-inch tyres, a SID Ultimate and a 30t chainring = MTB in my book 😉


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:19 am
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Totally with you haggis.

Going out with a cup of tea for a good long gawp and maybe even a gentle caress is totally within scope.

Autoglym might have played a part.


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:20 am
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lots of random pauses

This.

My new shed gets the afternoon and early evening sun. It's also now got a rocking chair in it.
Big build progress is slow


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:29 am
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My new shed gets the afternoon and early evening sun. It’s also now got a rocking chair in it.

I much prefer this direction than the stupid spreadsheet idea.

Thanks for putting me right. 🙂


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 10:31 am
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I don't care about spreadsheets but I used to think I could build a bike blindfolded.

10 years ago when I was building Specialized Rockhoppers and Crosstrails all day long we used to talk about how we could lay out all the tools and build a boxed bike with a blindfold on.

We never tested it.


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 11:02 am
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All I know is, I love that the last job on the list is ‘bar tape’.

I'm afraid you'll be disappointed when you think you've finished and realise you've left the bar end plugs off the list!

All in favour of the slower evolving project here. The whole point of any planning chart is only to show deviations from plan to managers. No point when in your shed contemplating all the other stuff in there at the same time. Apart from tea stops bike building time also needs to include things like fixed a coatpeg, sorted some wood, blithered on an the internet, etc.


 
Posted : 05/04/2023 11:17 am

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