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New AM bike or complete bike build
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi,
Just wanting to know people's opinions on buying a new AM bike compared to buying a frame and components yourself.
From experience, have people found it more or less cost effective to source all the components yourself, including forks, dropper, tubeless wheelset, XT groupset? My guess is that it would work out the same or more expensive unless you found great deals on all components.
Thanks
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Generally speaking it will be a cheaper option to buy a complete bike off the shelf unless you get a really good deal on a frame and or running gear.
My mate recently bought an sb66 frame for like $1500.00 or something so in that case its pretty awesome. I think all up he built it for $3500.00-$4000.00 opposed to 5-6k off the shelf.
Hope this helps,
Jono.
Top end of the market, however, S-Works FSR Stumpjumper costs 9.5k to buy off the shelf. An S-Works frame cost 4.5k. Just did a quick fit out on a frame and it cost about 4k with top end components sourced from the internet, CRC etc. Is it worth it? Both positives and negatives I guess. For me even if it did cost a little more I like the idea of putting a bike together to my specifications.
For an XT level build it will likely be cheaper to buy off the shelf.
Yes.. bits on sale and then it totally depends on how long you want to wait till all the required bits are on special and what kind of bike your after.
For low-mid level bikes you'd probably have no chance of building them for the price you can get for a complete bike, where as the higher end (I'd call that over $5K) if you can get a good discount on a frame (you'd be amazed what pops up if you keep your eyes open) then you are off to good start. Then if you hang out long enough you can get 50% or more off a lot of components and build what you want.
I have built two bikes from a lot of sales parts, perhaps saving a couple grand.. but they have been from 1-6 months in the making and this can involve some borrowing bits of other bikes till I can get something on sale to replace it.
I often scan the online shops and sort from highest discount to see what I can use later.
The other way to do it is buy a low spec bike (the frame is usually common to the range) and then keep an eye on sales (cranks, brakes, wheels, shifters) to replace bits as they wear out or break.. but then again you probably will still not beat the end of year sale for a complete bike at the LBS.
Or buy a Giant or BH cheap and swap the bits over to the frame you want and flog the other one off. Just don't tell the shop you did it or you may void the OEM warranty
I haven't bought a compete bike since maybe 98 or 99 and I have wasted so much money, I break too much stuff to purchase big ticket items OS so most bits were bought locally which bumps the price way up.
Agree with all the comments... A high end frame can be sourced at a heavy discount as can components... One thing to note, however, the frame warranty is often hinged on an authorised dealer assembling the bike and using suspension travel ranges to the frames recommendation.
I like the idea of a self build but couldn't afford the risk of a frame defect not being covered because a dealer didn't assemble it.
Buy the frame from a shop and build yourself if you want to save thousands.......I did. Massive savings on the parts.......
so here is an example of what I would look for:
Frame $900
http://www.jensonusa.com/Mountain-Bike-Frames/Ni...
I think that I could probably get away with around $2k on the rest if I looked around, so thats about $3K for the build if I could wait for the bits to turn up.
No warranty though..
A custom build if you can't buy what you want complete. Otherwise the buying power of the brands is hard to compete with.
I did a custom build AM bike that was unavailable complete and got good value by fitting last years components with the spec I wanted on a current frame. By good value it was about the same price as a complete bike but with what I wanted on it.
The bike is a AM 160mm travel hard tail that can cop a beating around Oxy and Red Hill. Route 66/ Ya Mums etc.
For brand new, hard to beat some 50% off deal for 5k bike these days. The problem I found is u can't test ride because of online only. If u know what u want plus good mechanic and good budget, go for customize.
Thanks for all the helpful information. Im not sure if it would be worth not having a warranty on the frame. Does anyone know any good websites for frames (santa cruz, yeti etc) other then CRC, jensonusa?
Not every website will post to australia. For yeti, it is worth to check local dealer:http://www.pureyeti.com.au/Catalogue/ex-factory-bikes-frames
Happy shopping.
http://northernbeachescycles.com.au
Also helped with putting headset in and cutting down steerer tube then handed it over for me to build.
Their help was very worthwhile and made up for extra cost especially when you add in postage.
For other regular components the usual suspects are well priced.
If warranty is a concern then could maybe get the same LBS to give it a once over / service after you've done the grunt work?
.......Is more than riding your bike. Building and knowing how your bike goes together, not only gives you a great satisfaction, but also the ability to get what you want,use what you want.
I bet there isn't to many who bought a bike of the shelf and haven't changed one thing. I know people who have bought complete bikes and change everything but the frame.Don't see to many Giants getting around with the original wheel sets for example.
I agree that you need to get a good price on the frame, to make it a viable option. Look out side the main stream brands. Usually small boutique brands in Australia off load there end of season frames at ridiculous prices.
I have built a Banshee Paradox and a Devinci Atlas, both great bikes. Canadians know how to build a bike frame.
I just enjoy building as much as riding. My lounge room looks empty without a half built bike on the stand.
I think at this stage I'll keep my eye out for a 2014 Santa Cruz heckler frame and go from there. I've been looking at a range of all mountain bikes and it seems like the heckler ticks most of the boxes and means I can put more money into the components. Thanks for the help
do some pretty awesome prices on santa cruz and yetis and have ellsworth frames for about 1300bucks!I bought my banshee wildcard with a dhx 5 air shock for a thousand bucks off torpedo 7 ,if you look around and have a my us.com account you can get anything from the states.,Ive been eyeing off a yeti SB66 with xt components for about $3800 delivered to oz,youd pay $5500 at least if you bought that locally i reckon...
Any good websites? The best I've found so far is cambriabikes which seem to have the heckler frame for about $1300 which seems like a steal, tempting to just get the full bike for under $2700.
Watch out for the $1000 limit and a full bike gets more import tax than components alone(I'm pretty sure anyway). There will be more info on Rotorburn, this stuff used to get asked almost daily.
From what I've read it'll be 10% gst and then possibly 5% duty but I'll look into it further. That would bring the complete bike a lot closer to retail here so leaning toward frame only.