Custom Build

paulo6891

Hi Guys,

After getting fed up of the ridiculous prices being charged by Irish shops, I have decided to build a bike up myself using good ebay offers. This will be my 1st road bike, and I wouldnt exactly know a huge amount. I'm putting a list together, and I feel like I'm missing some things. I added the weights of the different parts, and it seems a little light! Could anyone tell me what I'm missing, and maybe give some advice? Thanks

Frame
Fork
Seatpost
Stem
Handlebars
Headset
Seatpost
Saddle
Groupset
Wheelset
Tyres

Squidgy Black

Parts aren't covered under the scheme sadly, only complete bikes

Lemag

You'll only legally be able to use the bike2work voucher on a complete bike.

If you are going down the bike build route try buying the frame first as this will dictate the size of certain compatible components i.e. seatpost width, bb cup threadings, etc.

Also, goofbay should help you out a lot with some of those ebay auctions.

paulo6891

Thanks for the goofbay link, I have not seen that before!

Am I missing any components in the list?

Lemag

paulo6891 wrote: »

I was told my employer that I could buy bike parts. I specifically said what I was using it for. Now, there are a couple of different schemes that I can avail of, maybe it isnt the bike2work one. It's all above board anyway!

Unless it's just a normal gift voucher for a specific bike store then I doubt it.

paulo6891 wrote: »

Thanks for the goofbay link, I have not seen that before!

No worries. It's pretty handy alright.

paulo6891 wrote: »

Am I missing any components in the list?

2 seatposts is probably one more than you need Try getting a frame with a fork already installed as you won't be able to do it yourself and it'll save you a trip to the LBS as well as a potential compatibility issue. Also look for a frame which is BSA threaded. You'll need an allen key set, cable cutters, bb tool, chain whip, cassette tool - cheapest to get a bike specific tool set containing all/most of these.

paulo6891

Oops, didn't spot that! thanks for the help!

paulo6891

I'll be buying the frame/fork together, they are matching, so no problems there. Would I be better off just bringing it in to a bike shop to get assembled? If it was something like 50 quid, it would probably be money well spent

Lemag

paulo6891 wrote: »

I'll be buying the frame/fork together, they are matching, so no problems there. Would I be better off just bringing it in to a bike shop to get assembled? If it was something like 50 quid, it would probably be money well spent

TBH and speaking from experience, unless you're very patient it is very unlikely that it'll work out cheaper for you to build a bike than buying a complete bike unless you buy secondhand parts but then you ought to really compare the build cost to what's out there in the secondhand market.

You'd be very lucky to find somewhere to build it for 50e. Not everywhere will build it for you and those that will would most likely charge about twice that. As I see it the main benefits to a bike build are that you get to choose all of the components and that you get to learn about the mechanics of the bike.

molequidgallus

paulo6891 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

After getting fed up of the ridiculous prices being charged by Irish shops, I have decided to build a bike up myself using good ebay offers. This will be my 1st road bike, and I wouldnt exactly know a huge amount. I'm putting a list together, and I feel like I'm missing some things. I added the weights of the different parts, and it seems a little light! Could anyone tell me what I'm missing, and maybe give some advice? Thanks

Frame
Fork
Seatpost
Stem
Handlebars
Headset
Seatpost
Saddle
Groupset
Wheelset
Tyres

Dear op,
Have just ordered a new bike under that scheme. I was considering trying to build one myself, but found out its not eligible under the scheme so cracked & bought and whole bike. Besides I know nothing about bike, can fix a chain & puncture, snapped break cables, but as far as bike skills go thats it. I was fishing around to try build an entirely Carbon Fiber bike but was into mad money & in serious breach of the bank balance. Please please let me know how your pursuit goes. I would very much like to hear how you get on.
Best of luck & let us know how ya get on:)

blorg

Cables
Barrel adjusters
BB cable guide
Grease/carbon assembly compound
Bar tape
Tubes
Seatpost clamp
Fork bung (if carbon steerer)
Headset spacers

Some of the above may come with other parts but it may not.

You will NOT save money doing this.

Lumen

Complete bikes are generally less expensive than components.

If you want better value just shop around for complete bikes at lower prices.

paulo6891

blorg wrote: »

Cables
Barrel adjusters
BB cable guide
Grease/carbon assembly compound
Bar tape
Tubes
Seatpost clamp
Fork bung (if carbon steerer)
Headset spacers

Some of the above may come with other parts but it may not.

You will NOT save money doing this.

Thanks for the pointers, I would not have thought of them.

Basically, the bike I'm looking at is 2100 at the LBS, and comes with veloce and the other parts are relatively basic.

I can get that frame & fork for 1,000, would I not be able to build the rest for under 1,000? Plus, I don't really like Campagnolo

Beasty

Whilst I appreciate the edits to your OP, I think your undelying intentions are only clear with information you have since deleted

Your best bet is to use your BTW voucher towards a complete bike and paying the balance yourself - that gets you tax relief on the first €1k, and the overall savings of buying a complete bike rather than the separate components

Lumen

paulo6891 wrote: »

Basically, the bike I'm looking at is 2100 at the LBS, and comes with veloce and the other parts are relatively basic.

I can get that frame & fork for 1,000, would I not be able to build the rest for under 1,000? Plus, I don't really like Campagnolo

Maybe...

105 groupset: €480
Wheels (e.g. Mavic Aksium): €160
Tyres, tubes, bartape: €100
Finishing kit (saddle, stem, seatpost, bars) : €140
---
€880

Also pedals, but they may well be extra anyway.

I'd also rate Veloce over 105, but that's just me.

paulo6891

I'd probably go with Sram rival for 550, which would probably be better than 105. Dotn know how it compares to veloce, but since im not too mad on campy...

I would also consider sram force for another 200.

I can get the aksiums for around 125. Can't remember where the place is, it was posted on here, but it's another little saving anyway

macken04

try hongfu frames, also sram rival for only €509 from merlin under their vip scheme.

Lumen

paulo6891 wrote: »

I'd probably go with Sram rival for 550, which would probably be better than 105. Dotn know how it compares to veloce, but since im not too mad on campy...

I would also consider sram force for another 200.

I can get the aksiums for around 125. Can't remember where the place is, it was posted on here, but it's another little saving anyway

Probably CSS for the Aksiums. I doubt that offer is still current (their website is notoriously out of date regarding stock levels).

Anyway, you've now upgraded yourself to a >€2k bunch of parts. You could get a built bike from Canyon for less than that, with CF frame, Ksyriums, and Ultegra or Athena 11. And that would be eligible for the CTW scheme.

macken04

I would have to agree with Lumen, when I buy a really high end bike, anything 2k or above it would have to be canyon. Im just drawn to my honfu build atm.

Ive been diligently researching my hongfu build and an exceptional amount of people claim sram rival to be better than ultegra. Im probably going to go rival and force mix, going with the force crank set. It will cost be an extra €90 to change the crank. But, it seems to be a good up grade

paulo6891

Lumen wrote: »

Probably CSS for the Aksiums. I doubt that offer is still current (their website is notoriously out of date regarding stock levels).

Anyway, you've now upgraded yourself to a >€2k bunch of parts. You could get a built bike from Canyon for less than that, with CF frame, Ksyriums, and Ultegra or Athena 11. And that would be eligible for the CTW scheme.

I'm not overly mad on the canyon loko personally, but if they were good value, I would consider.

2-2.3k is pretty much my limit. It would want to be a really special bike for me to part with that though.

What shops can you buy canyon from? AFAIK they are not available with the bike2work.ie

macken04, how do you become part of the VIP scheme? I like the chinese frames, but am not interested in waiting a month or 2. Want the bike in the next week or 2.

Thanks

macken04

I just registered, was that simple. If you have 2.2k max budget the world is your oyster. You could get a look bike built up, a few ridleys, scott - the list is endless. I would take a trip to css and wheelworx just too see.

Some of the high end canyons are stunning bikes, specially in white:cool:

blorg

€2.2k would get you a very nice complete bike.

If interested in Rival, you can get a complete carbon bike with full Rival group for ~€1,135 from Planet X. Just to put it in perspective. And you can get that through biketowork.ie going through PX Ireland in Athlone.

What was the frame you were looking at?

paulo6891

€2.2k would get you a very nice complete bike.

If interested in Rival, you can get a complete carbon bike with full Rival group for ~€1,135 from Planet X. Just to put it in perspective. And you can get that through biketowork.ie going through PX Ireland in Athlone.

What was the frame you were looking at?

The frame is a Wilier Izoard

Planet x ireland is charging 1300 for the full sram rival, they charge extra, so it's not just a case of converting currencies. Great value, but not for me. I actually prefer their old frame design.

The only complete bike anywhere close to 2.2 that I really like is the tarmac comp, however its 2700 pre voucher. It would feel wrong paying that price for it when I could go up to belfast and get it for 2250ish. Also, it only comes with 105, alot of money for that.

The Izoard is a lovely frame, I would be willing to spend a bit more getting a really really good set up.

I kind of want either a really good frame with average components, or an average frame with really good components, so that I can upgrade.

I'd go canyon if any shops sold it, but it's not viable!

Not mad on anything in CSS for various reasons. Theyre way too expensive anyway! (eg 2010 TCR advanced 3 for 2400, and there are shops down the country selling it for 1850)

Coronal

paulo6891 wrote: »

I kind of want either a really good frame with average components, or an average frame with really good components, so that I can upgrade.

You're probably better off with a really good frame and average components. The components can be changed bit by bit; wheels, brakes, handlebars, etc. And they wear down. Frames are good for a very long time, crashes nonwithstanding, and are the most expensive single bit.

blorg

The PX is a good frame, IMO...

But besides that, do a search. There is mention of a Willier Izoard bike with 105 @€;1,550 in Cycling Pursuits in Limerick or an Orbea Onix 105 @€;1,500 in Dublin. Good brand name frames, and 105 is a very good group, the new version I imagine even better (I have the new Ultegra which I believe it is very similar to bar a few grams weight.) I certainly wouldn't be spending hundreds more to get Rival.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2056229865

TinyExplosions

macken04 wrote: »

an exceptional amount of people claim sram rival to be better than ultegra.

I'd be one of them, had ultegra on old bike, have Rival on the new one, and much prefer it (was lighter too )

blorg

I don't think that is true, most people put Rival between 105 and Ultegra, and that was before 6700 came out which is a massive improvement. Personally I would take Ultegra any day, possibly new 105 too for that matter. But it is personal preference.

Weight is not the only consideration with a group... how YOU like the hoods is probably most important, followed by how YOU like to shift. I've tried it a few times, and it works, but I like neither compared to Shimano.

paulo6891

blorg wrote: »

The PX is a good frame, IMO...

But besides that, do a search. There is mention of a Willier Izoard bike with 105 @€;1,550 in Cycling Pursuits in Limerick or an Orbea Onix 105 @€;1,500 in Dublin. Good brand name frames, and 105 is a very good group, the new version I imagine even better (I have the new Ultegra which I believe it is very similar to bar a few grams weight.) I certainly wouldn't be spending hundreds more to get Rival.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2056229865

I agree that the planet x is good, well I have read great reviews anyway. However, looks are important to me, and it just doesn't appeal to me as much.


I had that Izoard ordered for 1550, then when I called the shop back a couple of days later, I was told that the offer had finished and that it was now 1800 with Centaur. Poor form in my opinion

blorg

If you are buying the thing in parts from different suppliers you don't qualify for BTW scheme anyway, so the obvious thing to do would be just forget about that and buy a Canyon (if you like Canyons.)

You can get a custom bike built for you but you need to buy it as a finished bike from one supplier for it to be allowable under the BTW scheme. This likely rules out getting all the bits from the cheapest sources possible.

I guess it depends how wedded you are to the Izoard as opposed to another, non-PX frame of similar quality from another manufacturer.

Even then a €500 saving on BTW may be less of a saving than you could potentially get online looking at ~€2,200 bikes, if you can only find full Irish retail prices here.

€1,800 is still a good Irish price for Izoard/Centaur, but obviously don't do it if you don't like Campagnolo. €1,550 with 105 was better, the offer is over but it is an indication that there is sometimes value to be had here. Unfortunately as the days get longer the value gets shorter.

paulo6891

blorg wrote: »

Unfortunately as the days get longer the value gets shorter.

Too true!

Where abouts in Ireland can you buy the canyons? I have tried the bike2work.ie website, and cant find it anywhere.

I have heard of someone organising with their LBS to order the bike for them inexchange for a little money. However, I'm only saving 300. The shop would charge you an extra hundred for the bike (to compensate for the 10% commission they would be paying for bike2work) as well as maybe 100 for a profit themselves. Suddenly, your saving is down to around 100.

Also, when I go into the shop on the canyon website, they have 4 clearance model frames in my size (54). when I go into complete bikes, there's only 1 or 2 to choose from! One is an 08 model, the other is a 2010 aluminium model, whats up with that?!

Would the canyon be better than the Izoard? I know the 2010 Izoard got into the Cyclingplus bike of the year list, whereas there were no canyons at all!

blorg

I can't say between whichever Canyon is at a similar price and the Izoard, I don't know, I haven't ridden either. My point is just that if you are looking at paying full Irish RRP on something over €2k, there may be offers in UK/Germany where without BTW you are saving more than the €500. I got some of my bikes at half price for example, and saved far more than €500. I knew my size though, if not buying locally you can get fitted which is important if you don't know size already.

But with your plan of buying a frame and parts to the value of €2k, you can't get fitted or do that on BTW anyway, so the alternative to that should include looking at €2k bikes from wherever, even if they can't be got by an Irish shop... I haven't looked, but I am guessing that Canyon have something very appealing around that price point (they usually have.)

As to Cyclingplus bike of the year list I suspect that is a competition as to who can buy more adverts with Future Publishing over the course of a year... I would put about zero stock in any of their reviews and listen to what riders are saying on forums instead. Some of the crap they come out with is unbelievable.

Junior

Just done this myself..

'10 Scott Addict R3 Frame €650
Sram Red €450
Bars, Stem, Seat Post,
Saddle, Bar Tape, Cable Housing,
Askiums, Tyres, Tubes €500
Speedplays €145

Those prices include assembly, think I might owe a bit more but have to get it serviced for the first time.

All of the parts were brand new, none 2nd hand and only Frame and Gruppo were sourced from outside LBS.

blorg

Incredibly good prices for frame and group there.

Lemag

Junior wrote: »

'10 Scott Addict R3 Frame €650
Sram Red €450

All of the parts were brand new, none 2nd hand and only Frame and Gruppo were sourced from outside LBS.

By new do you mean old stock but unused? Where did you get them? I just bought Red shifters and an FD for just short of that.

Junior

Nope, the Grouppo was picked up stateside and the frame from a distributor in Europe. I'm lucky to have a few friends in the business.

paulo6891

Had a look at the canyon site there, would definitely buy one with the voucher if I could, however I can not avail of it. I can only use bike2work.ie or else a couple of the local bike shops that aren't included. So it's out of the running.

Lemag

If you can buy a bike from Canyon for 1899 that would otherwise cost you about 2500 for an equivalent bike in your LBS then why use the btw scheme to buy a bike for 2200 which would effectively cost you 1900/1700 (depending on your income bracket) but would be a lesser bike?

I think that blorg was alluding to this.

If you're spending this much on such a nice bike then use the btw voucher on a nice €1000 alu bike for your winter trainer/commuter.

blorg

Yes, that is what I mean. Also, you can't use the BTW scheme to buy parts, only a complete bike, so your plan of getting frame/fork and all the bits from different sources is not possible under BTW either. You would have to buy all the parts and get it assembled from the one, local shop- and that is likely to be much more expensive than buying a compete bike to start with. At the price you are looking at, unless you find a good deal locally on a complete bike you like, forgetting about BTW may be the best option... you then still have it to use in the future on something else.

paulo6891

Thanks for the advice, although I have already paid for my bike to work voucher, so I have to use it. I had picked my bike and agreed everything with the shop, but when I went back to get it, they had raised their prices so I said no way. Maybe it was foolish of me going for the voucher like that, but I'm stuck in the situation and I'll just have to make the most of it and do the best I can.

Lemag

paulo6891 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, although I have already paid for my bike to work voucher, so I have to use it. I had picked my bike and agreed everything with the shop, but when I went back to get it, they had raised their prices so I said no way. Maybe it was foolish of me going for the voucher like that, but I'm stuck in the situation and I'll just have to make the most of it and do the best I can.

If you've already got the voucher then fair enough but..

paulo6891 wrote: »

After getting fed up of the ridiculous prices being charged by Irish shops, I have decided to build a bike up myself using good ebay offers.

..won't be legally possible if the BTW scheme is to have anything to do with it.

I still think that you should use this voucher on the best €1000 bike that you can get with it. If it is to be your first bike you might soon realize that you don't even like cycling.