czar97

I can say this; after all this research (internet reading, YouTube, bike manufacturer websites, etc.), I know what I want.
-hardtail
-1x drive train. (1x 10 ish)
-bright color frame (burnt orange, green, etc) - this seems like the only thing you can't change without incurring cost... repainting / powder-coating a frame seems costly.
-29er (not critical but I don’t see this as a huge “ask” seems fairly common)
-hydraulic disc brakes
-slacked out head tube (tapered if at all possible)
-budget/starter fork
-fill in all remaining components with budget/starter

My wife seems comfortable at $400 as a budget for a bike. With the bike market crazy HOT right now everything decent posted for sale goes in minutes. Just 2 days ago a Trek X-caliber (5...6?) was listed on FB Marketplace at $429 (it looked amazing with all stock reflectors in place... said he rode it 5 times and I believe him). Rhetorical questions: Why can't I find a Diamondback Hook from a few years ago (the orange model) at $400 used (I'm sure the disc brakes are mechanical, but that's fine)? That's just an example of what I'm looking for. But every time I've been disappointed with a search (more of a "hunt" really) with everything... not just bikes.. I go back to the same conclusion... why not build what I want?

Here’s what I’m wondering.
I have MANY examples of things I’ve wanted in life that nobody manufactures at my price point. And EVERY SINGLE time I bought just the parts I wanted...just what I had in my mind and EVERY SINGLE time it was far more cost efficient and far more satisfying and gratifying to go that route.

Can’t I buy everything above and do it cheaper than finding those items on a bike already done? Just converting a 3x drivetrain to a 1x is a waste. Hydraulic breaks....that option is only on bikes that start at $1200 yet just buying a set of those brakes (MT200 - M315: $90) by themselves isn’t THAT expensive (I was surprised at how reasonable it was to buy them by themselves).

I am mechanically inclined, but have never built a bike. A friend of mine who has since moved out of the state helped me do a complete tear-down and rebuild of my Ross in the picture below (back in 2005) and it was a blast. Can I not build my own bike and save on cost over all?

Thoughts? Suggestions on websites or places to find frames and parts and everything I might need. Any good YouTube videos specifically that you might recommend on building your own bike?

Thank you so much for any guidance,
-Matt