Is it worth it to build a bike vs buy it?

r439z5ifwt8soq · 26-09-2020 12:32pm #1

I'm in the market for a new bike. Part of me likes the idea of finding a frame I really like, getting a decent groupset and all the rest, similar to building a PC.

But the cost of it doesn't seem to be too much better with building one vs buying one, and there doesn't seem to be a great selection on frames around the place (for the price I'm looking at).

Does anyone have any experience with this and could give a bit of advice? Is it worth it to build a bike instead of buying one?

Wishbone Ash · 26-09-2020 1:57pm

Brianna Wide Referee wrote: »

.. Is it worth it to build a bike instead of buying one?

Yes, especially if you have certain specifications that an 'off the shelf' bike won't meet.

TheBlaaMan · 26-09-2020 2:34pm

Yes if you have the confidence, basic skills and a decent range of tools. It probably wont be cheaper so dont use that as justification.

You may pick up lightly used parts for a decent saving that would mean it works out around the same as buying a fully built bike but it is likely to be no cheaper. The advantages are being able to get the exact kit/parts that you want with no need to compromise and the learning and pleasure of doing the build.

grogi · 26-09-2020 2:53pm

Brianna Wide Referee wrote: »

I'm in the market for a new bike. Part of me likes the idea of finding a frame I really like, getting a decent groupset and all the rest, similar to building a PC.

But the cost of it doesn't seem to be too much better with building one vs buying one, and there doesn't seem to be a great selection on frames around the place (for the price I'm looking at).

Does anyone have any experience with this and could give a bit of advice? Is it worth it to build a bike instead of buying one?

Not worth it, unless you are looking for some extremely exotic combination of components or want to get the satisfaction of building it itself.

Wishbone Ash · 26-09-2020 3:18pm

grogi wrote: »

...unless you are looking for some extremely exotic combination of components....

It need not be 'extremely exotic components'. It may be for simple things like hub dynamo, eyelets for mudguards/rack, clearence for 28mm tyres etc.

Tony04 · 26-09-2020 3:24pm

Disagree with the statement that it will cost more. The total cost of frames and components new should be about the same especially if you shop around, definitely savings to be had second hand.
Obviously the added cost is your own time and perhaps the inconvenience of doing it.
If your buying a bike to change the components anyway it makes sense to build a big up.
Other thing would be, im not assuming your level of mechanical competence, but a new bike would probably be assembled better or at least not take a lot of effort to get there. As much as wrenching on bikes can be therapeutic it can also be a right pain to do things like route internal cabling etc.

fat bloke · 26-09-2020 5:20pm

In my experience an already built bike is generally way cheaper than a self build. It stands to reason that one individual buying, say an ultegra groupset, cannot compete with a manufacturer buying several thousand ultegra groupsets.
There are exceptions like top end S-Works where the build seems to be more expensive than the sum of its parts but take a look at any canyon for example and add up the costs of the bits and there's simply no way you'd build the same bike for the price. Of course you can be canny and frugal and pick up bits on sale but then you have to be lucky with every single component, that it's on sale, in stock, right size, right colour.

r439z5ifwt8soq · 26-09-2020 5:35pm

Great advice, thanks for the response.

It did become pretty clear that building a bike would not be beneficial in terms of cost, especially with the various tools that would need to be bought aswell. The main thing would really be satisfaction, and the whole 'custom' element of it, where I'd be able to have full say in everything that went onto it.

It's really hard to argue with something like what Canyon offer though, super nice bikes for a decent price. Based on what's been said here, I may be going with them, and the 'normal' approach to buying!

at1withmyself · 26-09-2020 6:32pm

fat bloke wrote: »

Of course you can be canny and frugal and pick up bits on sale but then you have to be lucky with every single component, that it's on sale, in stock, right size, right colour.

That's not true, most components are sold way below the RRP price so its not that hard to pick up bargains. once you have the frame then the rest is the easy part.

I agree that the likes of Canyon on the face of it are good deals but you can beat them with a custom build and a bit of shopping around.

I think ultimately it comes down to how capable you are at building them. I've been doing it for as long as I can remember and never pay too much over the odds, in fact in some cases its been cheaper as i don't have to change parts that i might have had to from an off the shelf bike such as wheels or contact points.

OP - make a list of all components on excel or similar and then just price them all from one shop and you can get an idea of total cost, then the fun is shopping around to reduce the overall price. Be sure to capture parts like headset, seat post clamp, skewers, cables etc..

Tony04 · 26-09-2020 6:48pm

The idea bike companies have the economies of scale to buy groupsets much cheaper is cod. Mail order sites have the same economies of scale and charge a simalar mark up. It is the case now where its cheaper for the consumer to buy from a mail order site than a bike shop to buy from wholesaler, ok they get a vat exemption.

The problem is cheaper carbon framesets are not available to consumers. You can only buy them with the full bike. 1700 carbon frame 105 rim groupset

Lets just take this canyon ultimate, arguably one of the best value for money complete bikes. And see how much the specs would cost. https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/road-bikes/race-bikes/ultimate/ultimate-cf-sl-7.0/2510.html?dwvar_2510_pv_rahmenfarbe=BK%2FGY#!accordions=1_0

105 groupset 457 55
https://www.bike24.com/p2280861.html
Fulcrum racing 900 136 51
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing-900-c17-road-wheelset?lang=en&curr=EUR&dest=6&sku=105140754&kpid=105140754&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|sDxXpJpPr_dm|pcrid|315060536570|pkw||pmt||prd|105140754ie|&pgrid=63493421220&ptaid=pla-576454153127
Antares r3 saddle(upgrade from r7) 91 50
https://www.bike24.com/p2249090.html
Pro handlebars 275g 40 66
https://www.bike24.com/p2168961.html?menu=1000,4,133
Prime stem 110g 40
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/prime-doyenne-lightweight-stem/rp-prod194369
Excluding tyres as they almost always have to be upgraded, assuming headset and seatpost comes with bike.
Also add 10 postage bike24 and 30 for a bottom bracket

That leaves with a total of 806.22€
That leaves with a budget of 893.78 considering the canyon is 1700
I somehow think canyon could provide that ultimate cf sl frameset and seatpost within that budget if they wanted to.
Now forgetting about direct to consumer brands. It should almost always work it the same price or less with bike shop brands.

Lets the take the caad13 105 rim brake build 1920€ in css
105 rim brake frame 994.50 pounds or 1090€ https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/road-frames-c47/caad13-rim-brake-frameset-2020-p23290. Which at that price is overpriced

So 1090 + 806= 1896 exact same price.

The problem is the lack supply on the market for framesets
But it is not more expensive to build your own bike just unpractical and inconvenient

at1withmyself · 26-09-2020 6:52pm

Good post. Merlin cycles can be good for frames but your right less shops doing them lately then a few years back.

Tony04 wrote: »

The idea bike companies have the economies of scale to buy groupsets much cheaper is cod. Mail order sites have the same economies of scale and charge a simalar mark up. It is the case now where its cheaper for the consumer to buy from a mail order site than a bike shop to buy from wholesaler, ok they get a vat exemption.

The problem is cheaper carbon framesets are not available to consumers. You can only buy them with the full bike. 1700 carbon frame 105 rim groupset

Lets just take this canyon ultimate, arguably one of the best value for money complete bikes. And see how much the specs would cost. https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/road-bikes/race-bikes/ultimate/ultimate-cf-sl-7.0/2510.html?dwvar_2510_pv_rahmenfarbe=BK%2FGY#!accordions=1_0

105 groupset 457 55
https://www.bike24.com/p2280861.html
Fulcrum racing 900 136 51
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing-900-c17-road-wheelset?lang=en&curr=EUR&dest=6&sku=105140754&kpid=105140754&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|sDxXpJpPr_dm|pcrid|315060536570|pkw||pmt||prd|105140754ie|&pgrid=63493421220&ptaid=pla-576454153127
Antares r3 saddle(upgrade from r7) 91 50
https://www.bike24.com/p2249090.html
Pro handlebars 275g 40 66
https://www.bike24.com/p2168961.html?menu=1000,4,133
Prime stem 110g 40
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/prime-doyenne-lightweight-stem/rp-prod194369
Excluding tyres as they almost always have to be upgraded, assuming headset and seatpost comes with bike.
Also add 10 postage bike24 and 30 for a bottom bracket

That leaves with a total of 806.22€
That leaves with a budget of 893.78 considering the canyon is 1700
I somehow think canyon could provide that ultimate cf sl frameset and seatpost within that budget if they wanted to.
Now forgetting about direct to consumer brands. It should almost always work it the same price or less with bike shop brands.

Lets the take the caad13 105 rim brake build 1920€ in css
105 rim brake frame 994.50 pounds or 1090€ https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/road-frames-c47/caad13-rim-brake-frameset-2020-p23290. Which at that price is overpriced

So 1090 + 806= 1896 exact same price.

The problem is the lack supply on the market for framesets
But it is not more expensive to build your own bike just unpractical and inconvenient

Wishbone Ash · 26-09-2020 7:11pm

Brianna Wide Referee wrote: »

...It did become pretty clear that building a bike would not be beneficial in terms of cost, especially with the various tools that would need to be bought aswell.

You can get a bike shop to do the build. I've had three bikes built by bike shops (all parts supplied by the shops) and they didn't cost any more than a similar off the shelf bike.

Weepsie · 26-09-2020 7:22pm

I built up a a genesis tour de fer this year (well lbs did a fair chunk)

To buy it off the shelf, best spec you can get is Tiagra group set and trp spyres, sp dynamo wheels (decent quality fair enough) and light. Costs in and around 1700 quid.

I got the frame, an ultegra triple, hy/rd brakes, and hubs and handbuilt wheels, lights and kit for just under a grand. All in I probably paid 1100 or so for it, possibly less and it's a good bit more bike than the one I'd have paid extra for.

Now it was a year of getting the parts. So that's obviously a big factor

8valve · 26-09-2020 8:47pm

Nothing beats the satisfaction of cycling a bike that you've built up yourself, when you know every nut and bolt.

Do it and you'll never fear a bit of home bike maintenance ever again.

Just saying...

fat bloke · 26-09-2020 9:17pm

You can't compare full RRP bikes to bargain basement parts or second hand parts and then say building bikes is cheaper. Built bikes go on sale too. They also sell second hand. Like for like the factory build is cheaper. Its not IKEA. Its not cheaper cos you're assembling it at home with the wife.
Neighbour bought a focus izalco race with full dura ace mechanical and ksyrium ust's for under 2 grand last month. Anyone who can churn bikes builds like that out for cheaper is dragons den shoo-in. Put me down for one an' all, I'm a 56.:pac:

at1withmyself · 26-09-2020 9:33pm

Look sometimes it's cheaper to build and sometimrs its not. It's not rocket science, plenty of people build there own bikes and plenty don't. Just cause your mate got a deal on a built bike doesn't mean everyone does.

fat bloke wrote: »

You can't compare full RRP bikes to bargain basement parts or second hand parts and then say building bikes is cheaper. Built bikes go on sale too. They also sell second hand. Like for like the factory build is cheaper. Its not IKEA. Its not cheaper cos you're assembling it at home with the wife.
Neighbour bought a focus izalco race with full dura ace mechanical and ksyrium ust's for under 2 grand last month. Anyone who can churn bikes builds like that out for cheaper is dragons den shoo-in. Put me down for one an' all, I'm a 56.:pac:

CantGetNoSleep · 26-09-2020 9:40pm

I've built a bike almost from scratch before (I bought the frame from a bike shop with the BB and headset installed) and I'm close to a beginner in mechanical terms. The total cost was probably a bit less than the cost of a similar bike new - it was a CAAD12 Ultegra disc. I got the frame for 550€ which is what made it so interesting. It also took a while to find parts at the right price, and often you'd realise you are missing either a part or a tool and have to wait a week for something to arrive. Happened to me a few times with the tiniest of things.

If I was doing it again - I'd advise to do it on a build that will be really special to you and worth the effort. I bought the frame purely because it was a good deal but it wasn't a bike I needed or wanted and sold it on after a few months.

You might save money buying parts separately but with the hassle of putting it together and time to find everything you need, unless you are going to really enjoy the learning experience or have a bike you couldn't otherwise have gotten, it is easier just to buy a Canyon. If you can, I'd avoid disc brakes on a first build as that is what I found the most challenging once you had everything together

Saying all that - I'm half thinking of doing it again as I'd like to build a light rim braked bike. If I found a frame like a Canyon Ultimate or Giant TCR in my size for under 500€ new, I'd be scouring the internet for an Ultegra groupset and the cheapest light wheels I could find by tomorrow morning.

magicbastarder · 26-09-2020 10:33pm

my experience was i bought a nearly new frame off the boards cycling forum here for a quarter of its RRP (though in reality half what you'd have paid for it online), and i built up a bike for under 2k (added 6800 ultegra, when it was being discounted when the new version was out) and zondas) when IIRC a similar spec would have been 2.5k new.

Tony04 · 26-09-2020 10:34pm

fat bloke wrote: »

You can't compare full RRP bikes to bargain basement parts or second hand parts and then say building bikes is cheaper. Built bikes go on sale too. They also sell second hand. Like for like the factory build is cheaper. Its not IKEA. Its not cheaper cos you're assembling it at home with the wife.
Neighbour bought a focus izalco race with full dura ace mechanical and ksyrium ust's for under 2 grand last month. Anyone who can churn bikes builds like that out for cheaper is dragons den shoo-in. Put me down for one an' all, I'm a 56.:pac:

That part list was the exact same spec as the canyon not bargain basement. Like for like the factory build usally comes in the same. But like for like buying the factory bike is going to be much more convenient and less hassle.
It is possible to get a top end frame used for 500 and i would say 1500 to get a used dura ace groupset with a bit of looking and new mavic wheels is doable
Sometimes its a little cheaper to build sometimes a little more but always in and around the same. To get a bragain youll have to look anyway frame or complete bike.
Using your logic youd be saying if i had a used bike id be best stripping it for parts and selling the frame and the parts seperatley as id make a lot more.
And i agree working on a bike is not the same thing as building a flatpack. The latter being a much less enjoyable experience.
Simply put dont build bikes just to save money. Nor dont be put off building bikes because its too 'expensive'.

fat bloke · 27-09-2020 11:03am

at1withmyself wrote: »

Look sometimes it's cheaper to build and sometimrs its not. It's not rocket science, plenty of people build there own bikes and plenty don't. Just cause your mate got a deal on a built bike doesn't mean everyone does.

Well the original question was "is it worth it" which we've deviated from by simply discussing cost I guess. For people who like to build things then even if it costs more it's worth it in the end to have the exact right bike in the exact right spec as they see it. However, in my experience throughout my n+1 existence where I've bought many bikes for both myself and others, and among my cycling buddies, amongst whom at least one of us would change bikes at least once a year, from a purely cost perspective, buying beats building.
I would include in that a bike which I have been in the process of building myself (well, getting built for me myself!) since the beginning of the year and which is going to be much more expensive than I thought it would be initially.

Anyway, a vous le choix. Next time I'm buying a super bike I'll get one of you lads to build it for me instead and take us both to Majorca on the savings:D

8valve · 27-09-2020 11:08am

fat bloke wrote: »

Next time I'm buying a super bike I'll get one of you lads to build it for me instead and take us both to Majorca on the savings:D

Deal, as long as its 'Balllymun in the Sun' aka Santa Ponsa:D

letape · 27-09-2020 11:28am

I have never bought a bike complete. For all my bikes I have bought the frame, groupset (together or the parts individually), wheelset etc etc

I bought new frames from westbrookcycles in the uk and cycling superstore and other sources. Groupsets are sold far below RRP in the German and Italian websites. All of my builds (two with Campagnolo super record and the very best finishing kit) were way below manufacturer prices for a fully built bike. Personally I would never consider an off the peg bike. It’s nice having something different that the built the way you wanted it, in my experience it’s been far cheaper and I enjoy the experience.

iwillhtfu · 27-09-2020 11:40am

I've built lot of different bikes in all shapes and sizes and in the cheaper v dearer arguement it kind of depends on what level you're building at. You will inevitably find it difficult to stick to your budget particularly when it comes to the likes of a mtb when you see the next level part is only a few hundred more etc. If you just want a 10 speed road bike sure you'd build a good one for small money and if you have time to wait on bargains/sizes it's easy. What normally happens is you want something specific and before long you're buying parts for not far off full retail as you don't want to wait on available parts/sizes.

As mentioned though building a bike up and riding it is very cathartic I'd recommend it to anyone considering it.

at1withmyself · 27-09-2020 12:05pm

fat bloke wrote: »

Well the original question was "is it worth it" which we've deviated from by simply discussing cost I guess. For people who like to build things then even if it costs more it's worth it in the end to have the exact right bike in the exact right spec as they see it.

The answer to the original question is yes in some cases its cheaper. Many people have answered stating this but because of "your" experience you assume its not. However for me and many others, our experience is that yes we have built bikes from scratch which are cheaper then an off the shelf bike.

As I said before for some people they can build themselves and others buy off the peg, that's the great thing about choice and options, it doesn't mean any one is specifically wrong, nor does it mean that anyone is specifically right.

harringtonp · 28-09-2020 10:32pm

Has anyone here ever bought a complete bike, stripped of parts they don't want and sold them on as new with a slight discount on shop prices. Would be thinking wheels, bar, saddle

El Tarangu · 28-09-2020 10:36pm

So long as you you value your labour as €0 per hour, than maybe yes

(though I say that as someone who has several disassembled bicycles in my living room currently)

If you enjoy fixing things on the bike generally, I'd say go for it.

iwillhtfu · 29-09-2020 8:51am

harringtonp wrote: »

Has anyone here ever bought a complete bike, stripped of parts they don't want and sold them on as new with a slight discount on shop prices. Would be thinking wheels, bar, saddle

I'd imagine nine times out of ten you'd be losing if you were to go down that road. People want a bargain and which usually means for half nothing. If you got the complete bike at the right price it might work or if its a mtb forks and shocks will hold a reasonable value.

magicbastarder · 29-09-2020 9:09am

it's probably doable if you bought a secondhand bike for half the retail price, but very few people will buy secondhand for a 'slight discount' on shop prices.
e.g. if someone was selling a pair of wheels for €300 you could buy new (with guarantee etc.) for €400, would you jump at that?

joey100 · 29-09-2020 9:17am

I've done it a few times, mainly cos I usually have some parts lying around and end up changing stem, bars and saddle on most bikes I would buy. If you have some parts already it doesn't seem as much a cost, but I'm not sure I actually save any money, more I get the parts I want in a size I want without buying a bike and stripping some parts off.

You will always end up stuck with parts too, especially bars/stem and saddle. Most bars that come as stock aren't great and are usually too wide for me, I'd normally give them away cos they never seem to sell, and even if they did the hassle sometimes isn't worth the 10/20 euro you might get.

If your not in a rush for the bike and have the time it can work out well though. I've built few bikes now in specs you can't buy. Recently built a giant TCR advanced pro disc brake with Di2 for around 3100. Full Ultegra and some nice finishing kit on it. Pretty much everything got on sale though, but all new.

Seaswimmer · 29-09-2020 10:08am

I always wanted a Mercian bike. So with retirement approaching I saved up for the frame only over a couple of years. It cost around 1700 euro at the time whereas the full Mercian was over 3k sterling. Over the next couple of years then I picked up various parts on sale ect. The complete bike did probably cost over 3k but spread out over such a long time that I didn't notice. I had other bikes at the time so couldn't justify handing over that kind of money up front.
I expect it to see me to the end of my cycling days!!

harringtonp · 29-09-2020 1:19pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's probably doable if you bought a secondhand bike for half the retail price, but very few people will buy secondhand for a 'slight discount' on shop prices.
e.g. if someone was selling a pair of wheels for €300 you could buy new (with guarantee etc.) for €400, would you jump at that?

I was thinking of wheels in particular given how easy (comparatively speaking) they are to move on. To answer your question, if they were the wheels I wanted and 400E was the cheapest online, I'd jump at 300E for a brand new set without guarantee.

Is it worth it to build a bike vs buy it?

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