# How hard is it to build a bike?



## newmexrb1 (Aug 16, 2009)

Much to my amazement I'm wanting another bike. I love the old steelie, but too many hours here have me lusting for a new carbon bike. (I'll have to look up the post--it was one of my first where someone suggested this would happen, which I immediately dismissed as nonsense :blush2 )

Its these darn 350 buck 1000 gm E-bay wonders that have hooked me. No way would or could I I consider 2000-3000 or more for a high performance bike. But if can get frameset for 400, wheels for same, and 700 for a rival group, it's real tempting. Hell the wheels I have already bought. 

So the question is am I getting in over my head? I'm not particularly mechanically inclined, but can usually get the job done in time. I have a friend who wrenched in Austin but has no experience with composites. I have things a lathe and floor standing drill press, but nothing bike specific, not even torque wrenches. I'll like to get the frame with BB30 and it takes an integrated headset, so no specialized tools needed here, right? Basically a build as far as I can determine consists of:
1) mounting derailleurs
2) routing cable/housing
3) cutting the seat post and steering tube
4) seating bearings for the crank and steering tube (headset)
5) mounting stem, handlebars, and brifters
6) tape
7) saddle
8) wheels and drive chain--getting deraillleurs adjusted, chain on, etc
9)pedals

Besides torque wrenches, cable cutters, chain tool, anti-seize compound and lube, what am I missing? I have a whip saw and belt sander which does a great job cutting tubing. 

BTW, I'm not expecting to become considerably faster as a result. Just looks like fun to custom build a bike no one has, including decals and the detailing, and the few CF frames I have ridden were posh rides. I'll be verry happy with sub 18#.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Not that difficult to assemble a bike. Just take your time. More info than ever online including video instruction.
I get the LBS to press in my headsets as I do not want to invest in the tools.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

newmexrb1 said:


> Much to my amazement I'm wanting another bike. I love the old steelie, but too many hours here have me lusting for a new carbon bike. (I'll have to look up the post--it was one of my first where someone suggested this would happen, which I immediately dismissed as nonsense :blush2 )
> 
> Its these darn 350 buck 1000 gm E-bay wonders that have hooked me. No way would or could I I consider 2000-3000 or more for a high performance bike. But if can get frameset for 400, wheels for same, and 700 for a rival group, it's real tempting. Hell the wheels I have already bought.
> 
> ...


I made an assumption and fixed it for you.


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## newmexrb1 (Aug 16, 2009)

PJ,

Thanks, that is why I posted and just the kinda mistake I am hoping to avoid.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

You'll likely need to chop the steerer tube to size, also seating the HS bearings....those are two jobs I'd leave to pros. Ya biff them up-you can trash the frame or fork or both.


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## newmexrb1 (Aug 16, 2009)

Marc, Thanks, I got a chop saw but like the handheld whip for cutting carbon tubing. From your remarks and Merlin's it sounds like the press fit headset bearings is better left to the pros--see as inexperienced as I am I would assume one could tap them into place to start and use a long clamps with some kind of plate to seat them. This is exactly the feedback I need to keep from making a budget bike into a money eater...


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

The only press fit is going to be the crown race on to the fork. About a 2 minute job at the LBS. I carried my fork in, bought a headset to fit the bike and asked them to press it for me...no charge! Actually it was more of a tap fit, not a press fit.

Building a bike is a great way to learn the bike inside and out. Once you do this you will never need to take the bike to a shop for repair again...unless it is someting unusual or catastrophic.


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## mbcracken (Sep 18, 2006)

If you are not already familiar with wheel truing and spoke tension, I might also take the wheels into a trusted LBS to give the wheels a once over. I love knowing that everything on my bike is put together correctly. Most important part is to have fun during the build...

Cheers,
Mike


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## newmexrb1 (Aug 16, 2009)

andulong said:


> The only press fit is going to be the crown race on to the fork. About a 2 minute job at the LBS. I carried my fork in, bought a headset to fit the bike and asked them to press it for me...no charge! Actually it was more of a tap fit, not a press fit.
> 
> Building a bike is a great way to learn the bike inside and out. Once you do this you will never need to take the bike to a shop for repair again...unless it is someting unusual or catastrophic.



That's exactly my hope--maybe it was PJ--but someone remarked last time they needed the LBS for maintenance was 1985. Nothing against the shop owners, but part of what I love about cycling is the self-sufficiency aspect. 

OTOH I believe it is important to recognize ones limitations and while I hope to DIY my own wheels one day and gonna try my hand over the winter, this is not the time or frameset to be learning on.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

newmexrb1 said:


> That's exactly my hope--*maybe it was PJ--but someone remarked last time they needed the LBS for maintenance was 1985. *Nothing against the shop owners, but part of what I love about cycling is the self-sufficiency aspect.
> 
> OTOH *I believe it is important to recognize ones limitations *and while I hope to DIY my own wheels one day and gonna try my hand over the winter, this is not the time or frameset to be learning on.


Yes, that was my comment. After that $100 "tune up" I decided to go it my own in the maintenance department, but after tearing down/ building up a couple of my bikes, it was a natural progression to just start with a new frame and build up my bike from there. In some ways, it's easier! 

You make a key point about limitations, though. I decided I'd do all the build up but leave cutting steerer tubes, pressing headset cups and truing wheels (all of which are seldom required) to a small, one man shop that I like and trust. It's not so much that I don't think I _can_ do these things, more I don't care to buy the specialty tools and/ or have little interest. And I like to patronize his shop when possible.

From having an intimate knowledge of your bike to the satisfaction derived from a job well done, there are countless positive aspects to doing your own wrenching. I can't think of a negative, except that it takes time, but it's quality time.


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## Kai Winters (Aug 23, 2009)

What you describe for the build are the easier parts. What can be tough is mounting the bottom bracket and the headset. As has been stated having your local shop install these two parts can be a life saver.
I've not done a frame up build in a long time...but have done it as a shop wrench and service mgr as well as in my home shop...and am not sure what "facing", etc. may be needed on a carbon, etc. frame today. Back in the day, with steel, etc., we had to face everything and clean all the threads.
Cutting the fork's steerer tube can be tricky but with todays threadless headsets it is a lot easier than cutting a 1" steerer.

There are some very good books that clearly describe how to do it and what you need for all parts of a build. They are worth the money, if you don't do it every day. Buying some of the tools that are more commonly used are also a good investment if you like doing the work yourself.


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## newmexrb1 (Aug 16, 2009)

Point taken, Kai. And in looking at a lot of vids at sites like Park Tools, Cane Creek, it seems that the BB and HT ideally should be faced and possibly reamed, latter depending on care taken to keep epoxy and clear coat where it don't belong. So that will be left to the LBS as well as seating the crown race, though with the right diameter sleeve, not exactly rocket science. But why fool around. For 15 bucks, I can get a jig for cutting the integrated seat post and steering tube which looks simple enough. 

I'm not sure how much head tube is too much--have to confess my gut gets in the way of too deep a drop, and neck/core too weak to maintain a traditional racing posture for long. So thinking the first cut will be somewhat high and add some spacers to get more stack. Any advice on the limit here?

May also try one of the angled stems run upwards to reduce vertical drop. 

In any event, the rest seems within my reach and am psyched on a lot of levels. Thanks forr the encouragement and words of caution.


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## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

MerlinAma said:


> Not that difficult to assemble a bike. Just take your time. More info than ever online including video instruction.
> I get the LBS to press in my headsets as I do not want to invest in the tools.


Most of the 300-400 buck carbon frames on e-bay use IS headsets, not external bearing cups, so you should be able to do them yourself. However...getting the right IS headset gets a little tricky. If you're lucky, those ebay specials will come with a headset, and if you're really lucky, they'll even fit correctly without adding internal shims. I bought one of those 3 years ago, and I had to add 3 or 4 washers/shims because the head tube insets were 1-2mm too deep for the internal bearings that came with the bike. I suppose I could have faced the top and bottom of the headtube, but that was more work and potentially more risk than I wanted at the time.
If you need to press an external bearing headset, you can either go to the LBS and save a ton of time and hassle for a small fee, or if you plan on building a lot of these bikes, make your own headset press. Just get one long hexhead bolt (half inch diameter), matching nut, and several pairs of washers (each pair 1/2 inch larger sequentially so that the largest washer will sit flush on top of the external headset cup and completely cover the cup with some extra to spare). The LBS owner showed me how to build this home made headset press for the next time I needed one, and it will only put you out about 8 bucks.


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## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

andulong said:


> The only press fit is going to be the crown race on to the fork. About a 2 minute job at the LBS. I carried my fork in, bought a headset to fit the bike and asked them to press it for me...no charge! Actually it was more of a tap fit, not a press fit.
> 
> Building a bike is a great way to learn the bike inside and out. Once you do this you will never need to take the bike to a shop for repair again...unless it is someting unusual or catastrophic.


Make your own crown race press. Buy a suitably long piece of steel pipe (1 and 1/4 inch diameter pipe if you're using a 1 and 1/8 steerer fork), make sure one end is cut perfectly square to the long axis of the pipe (and sanded and polished on the same end). The pipe needs to be a few inches longer than the steerer tube. Fit over the steerer tube after fitting the crown race as far as you can by hand, turn upside down and bang that pipe on a hard concrete or asphalt surface. 2 hard taps usually seats the crown race (the LBS owner showed how to do this, except his home made version was made from a length of aluminum top tube cut from an old Cannondale bike).


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## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

newmexrb1 said:


> Just looks like fun to custom build a bike no one has, including decals and the detailing, and the few CF frames I have ridden were posh rides. I'll be verry happy with sub 18#.


It is fun (and aggravating too) to build your own carbon bike. I've built 6 (seven if you count a titanium and carbon hybrid) myself over the last 3 years (2 for me, 1 for my wife, and 3 for friends, all for fun). The lightest is 15 lbs even, the heaviest was 16 lbs 7 oz. You should be able to build a sub 18, if you're starting with a 1000 gram frame frame, sub 400 gram fork and a wheelset under 1700 grams. Depending on the tires and tubes you choose, add anywhere from 460 grams (continental supersonic tubes and tires) to a more average 650 grams (continental grand prix 4000's with generic 125 gram tubes) per set. Not familiar with Rival drive trains, but you should still be able to get in under 18 lbs with a Rival drive train, and average carbon bars and stem.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

" _... I'm not particularly mechanically inclined, but can usually get the job done in time ..._ "

Then contrary to what some others are saying, you may want to reconsider, because carbon-fiber frames and components are _less forgiving of assembly errors_, than is steel.

All the talk above about "press fitting" headsets and crown races into CF frame, suggests to me that responders have not actually assembled a CF frame. CF frames don't use press-in races like the traditional steel bikes (none that I've ever seen).

And, most (all?) name-brand CF frame mfrs expressly forbid "reaming" or "facing" bottom bracket shells and head tubes.

Read Park Tool's guide to bike assembly -- before you commit to this project: 
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=132


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

I've built 4 bike over the past 2-3 years...always a good time...generally.
steel bikes with older components can be challenging due to the necessity of tools most don't have...crown races, square taper BB tools, etc.

cutting a steerer tube (CF or steel) really isn't that tough..just be sure to measure 3-4 times and cut once. Internal cable routing can be a b*tch, especially if you drop the cable guides or down think it through...new derailleur adjustments can be challening, but worth the time to learn...

have fun...make it yours and be patient. its a process. oh, one more thing...it will ALWAYS cost more than you initially think it will....


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## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

tom_h said:


> " _... I'm not particularly mechanically inclined, but can usually get the job done in time ..._ "
> 
> Then contrary to what some others are saying, you may want to reconsider, because carbon-fiber frames and components are _less forgiving of assembly errors_, than is steel.
> 
> ...


Well, I hate to differ, but prior to 2008, Trek Madones used press fit external bearing cup headsets  I know, I built my own Madone from frame up 3 years ago. Interestingly enough, Trek's aluminum frames used IS headsets-go figure. 
About crown races- Yes, crown races pretty much have to be forced into place on the steerer base (I've yet to build a bike where I haven't had to pound the crown race to the base of the steerer using appropriate tools), and I've built my fair share of bikes over the last 3 years. I've never had to face any frameworks yet, but I've got a custom aluminum frame that will need it, which is why I haven't built it up yet-too lazy to learn something new.


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