bicycle building

[7window]

Is this an easy task or only for professional? Say I find a frame, can you just buy cheap used bikes and take the parts off from other bikes? sort of like mix n match.

 

[Dirigible]

It is reasonably easy with the proper tools. There are some exceptions, like some suspension parts.

Not all parts are interchangeable so mix and match is not guaranteed. Check the park tools web site for how tos.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

There are a lot of bicycle specific tools needed. If you already service your own bicycles then you should have most of what you need already. If not you'll need quite a bit so expect at least $500 in tools.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I built a road bike up from a bare frame. Only things I had a professional do was install the bottom bracket and the headset.

 

[Humpy]

The actual performance of building a bicycle is about as simple as it gets.

The only difficulty that I've encountered is choosing the right specialized tools for bikes manufactured in different eras and standards. Fortunately you only need a couple for most newer bikes. Making sure all the parts are compatible with each other can sometimes be a challenge also if putting something together from a variety of used bikes/sources.

The good thing is that every possible issue has already been dealt with by someone else and the solution can be found on the internets.

 

[Humpy]

There are a lot of bicycle specific tools needed. If you already service your own bicycles then you should have most of what you need already. If not you'll need quite a bit so expect at least $500 in tools.

That's a bit excessive for most builds. More like $100 unless they all have to be blue.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

That's a bit excessive for most builds. More like $100 unless they all have to be blue.

So what's a good stand cost?

 

[Humpy]

So what's a good stand cost?

I'd say that a stand is a luxury and not at all required to build a bike. Relatively few of the millions and millions of the bicycles in the world are clamped into a stand during assembly and maintenance.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I'd say that a stand is a luxury and not at all required to build a bike. Relatively few of the millions and millions of the bicycles in the world are clamped into a stand during assembly and maintenance.

lol. So does having cone wrenches, bottom bracket tools, freewheel tools, cassette tools, chain whip, pedal wrenches, cable cutters, crank puller, etc.. count as luxuries as well?

 

[Humpy]

lol. So does having cone wrenches, bottom bracket tools, freewheel tools, cassette tools, chain whip, pedal wrenches, cable cutters, crank puller, etc.. count as luxuries as well?

Of course not. Except for probably the cable cutters and pedal wrench. And most people would rarely need a separate freewheel tool and a cassette tool.

Decent versions of all of those tools can be bought for 5 or 10 bucks each.

 

[7window]

There are a lot of bicycle specific tools needed. If you already service your own bicycles then you should have most of what you need already. If not you'll need quite a bit so expect at least $500 in tools.

Can't get by with a craftsman tool?

 

[7window]

Trek or fuji frame use mongoose or some other brand wheels and chains. Don't know if these are interchangeable but I figure its pretty universal. 26' wheels. Not a bike expert obviously but I have been buying trek used mt bikes that is whole and rideable. I want to attempt and build a bike just to experiment.

I also have a mongoose mt bike frame laying around. I don't know but just throwing it out there.

 

[PottedMeat]

Not a bike expert obviously but I have been buying trek used mt bikes that is whole and rideable. I want to attempt and build a bike just to experiment.

i'd just put together the lightest frame + best components. if these bikes were all generally in the same price range new the parts should be interchangable.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Can't get by with a craftsman tool?

There are specific tools just for working on bicycles. Craftsman doesn't make the tools you would need.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'd say that a stand is a luxury and not at all required to build a bike. Relatively few of the millions and millions of the bicycles in the world are clamped into a stand during assembly and maintenance.

Um, having a stand is pretty much a necessity if you plan on doing any wrenching on your bikes.

 

[Humpy]

There are specific tools just for working on bicycles. Craftsman doesn't make the tools you would need.

The Craftsman brand of combo wrenches, allen wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, files, hacksaws, hammers(!), etc. might all be needed and will work just fine for working on a bicycle. Add the 4 or 5 specialty tools you need and you're all set.

Um, having a stand is pretty much a necessity if you plan on doing any wrenching on your bikes.

I've always had 3 or 4 bikes around that get ridden year round, maintained consistently, with complete tear-downs every couple years or so. I've done 100% of my own work on them for 30 years without a stand and they run as smooth and quiet and reliably as my friends with a full-on Park Master Kit or whatever and all the various stands and presses in their garage. Sure, there are times I wish I had some stuff I didn't have but I got over it as soon as I was out riding again.

I get it. I like cycling and have known a lot of cyclists. Spending a lot of time and money riding high quality bikes makes it easy to justify the equipment needed to make working on them quick and easy.

But they are still just bicycles and most are incredibly simple machines to work on. Very little is actually required to work on them.

 

[thedarkwolf]

There are a few specific tools you need but a lot of them can be improvised/rigged. There are vids on youtube showing you how to do a lot with very little. A stand isn't necessary but now that I have one I wouldn't want to not have one lol.

 

[Ns1]

ITT you have bicycle gearheads and macguyvers. pick the advice which is more appropriate to your style.

 

[FleshLight]

The only specialized tools you need for your average modern road bike are a cassette lockring tool, bottom bracket tool, chain tool, and a chain whip which all can be had under $50. The press-fit BB (if you have one) and pressing the headset should be done at the LBS unless you are feeling adventurous

 

[Rumpltzer]

I've gotten by with this set for more than 12 years: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_524452_-1___

I can pull cranks and swap bottom brackets, but it doesn't include tool for headset. I also have a full complement of sockets, box wrenches, allen wrenches, and screwdrivers because I do car work. Some of the wrenches in the Nashbar kit a terrible (thin and narrow), but I own if for the specialty tools.

A stand and a truing stand would be nice to have, but I've clearly gotten by without. My last campus had a bike shop where they had many stands, they'd loan tools and give advice, and I would use it to true my wheels. It was pretty convenient.

 

[thedarkwolf]

The headset tools are ones I would definitely make myself. There are plenty of youtube vids on how to do that. Something you don't use often at all, expensive to buy, and very easy to make yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrde8nyGyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEczBjf8aKI
Second is the one I'd go with since I already have the "tools" to do it.

 

[Pacfanweb]

It's dead simple. When I raced BMX years ago, back in like 8th grade we used to build our bikes from scratch. And tear them down between races and clean everything.

 

[CraigRT]

Depends on the type of bike, you need specialty tools as already said, but not tons.

If you are installing a new fork for example you need a pipe cutter to cut the steerer to the right size, as they are universal fit until sized to the frame.

It can be confusing, You can't just use any old wheels, (rim brake, center lock, 6 bolt) or any old chain guides, (ISCG standards) or any old forks. (brake bosses, disc brake only, tapered or not) Just do some research if you want to build one up from scratch.

 

[Tormac]

Hello 7window,

The best answer is really “it depends”. (For reference, I worked my way through undergraduate school working in a bicycle shop both as sales and a mechnic.)

It does not take a professional bicycle mechanic to put together a huffy bmx bike. Anyone who is mechanically inclined can to a good job at that level, as long as the wheels are ok out of the box.

However if you are building a three thousand dollar bicycle to ride across the country with from scratch, you want to pay to have a professional assemble it for you.

So to give you a good answer I need more information, both about the bicycle and you. Are you putting together a full suspension Santa Cruz mountain bike from the frame up, or a Little princess single speed for your daughter? Are you the kind of guy who rebuilds the carburetors on his old ‘cozzie when he’s bored, or are you afraid to change the oil in your car because you might strip out the oil plug?

A cheap single speed department store bike can be but together with an ok set of craftsmen tools, but there is no way anyone is touching my Waterford bicycle with a crescent wrench. To do a good job with a nice bicycle you will need several hundred dollars of specialized tools.

Where do you and your bike fall in this spectrum?

 

[JulesMaximus]

The Craftsman brand of combo wrenches, allen wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, files, hacksaws, hammers(!), etc. might all be needed and will work just fine for working on a bicycle. Add the 4 or 5 specialty tools you need and you're all set.



I've always had 3 or 4 bikes around that get ridden year round, maintained consistently, with complete tear-downs every couple years or so. I've done 100% of my own work on them for 30 years without a stand and they run as smooth and quiet and reliably as my friends with a full-on Park Master Kit or whatever and all the various stands and presses in their garage. Sure, there are times I wish I had some stuff I didn't have but I got over it as soon as I was out riding again.

I get it. I like cycling and have known a lot of cyclists. Spending a lot of time and money riding high quality bikes makes it easy to justify the equipment needed to make working on them quick and easy.

But they are still just bicycles and most are incredibly simple machines to work on. Very little is actually required to work on them.

So, what you're saying is that you're a cheap bastard? :sneaky:

I paid $160 for the Park stand that Lemond frame above is sitting on. It folds up into a pretty compact package for storage and I've never once regretted spending the money on it.

As for tools, I have a cassette tool (necessity), chain whip (necessity), some cone wrenches (most wrenches are too wide for bike maintenance) and Park cable cutters (regular wire cutters will crimp a cable housing and make it difficult to feed a cable through) along with a few other misc tools. I never said you need a master mechanic's tool set but there are certain tools made specifically for bicycle work that are very handy to have around. I've acquired them over the years as needed.