lkngro

So I've been looking at getting a new bike for casual long riding, possibly a sprint tri, *maybe* light touring, just kind of an all-around road bike. I was almost set on buying one from a LBS until an interesting prospect came up.

I was hanging out with my friend who I'm living with this summer, who also happens to just have punched his pro card for triathlons, and he is willing to sell me a brand new 105 groupset for $400-450. He said he's getting a Dura-Ace groupset for his new Orbea and has no need for his 105.

Now, I have a very rudimentary working knowledge of bike maintanence and functionality, so doing a bike build would definitely be a challenge. But my friend said he would help me out and that it wouldn't be hard to come in under $1000 for the whole thing.

He has all the tools and necessary knowledge to do something like this, and I think it would be a fun spring/summer project.

The bottom line is that I would need a frame,wheels, seatpost and saddle, stem, bars, tires, and possibly some minor groupset components depending on how many new components his sponsor sends him, though it will most likely be a full DA set. I really have no idea where to look for any of this stuff, what's good, what's not, and how I can make it all under $1000 (including the $400 I spend on the 105 groupset). I was thinking ~$300 for a frame and thus ~$300 for wheels, tires, and contact point components. Is this even possible?

Thanks in advance!

tekhna

Just FYI you can get a new 105 5800 groupset for 330 or so, and a bit more if you need more options.

It's possible to do for sure, but frame and fork are going to be the real limiting factors. Get some Fulcrum Racing 7s for your wheelset, that's an easy choice at 175. You can get some Continental GP4000IIS tires for 75 bucks. You could probably get bars, stem, seatpost for 100 if you'e not overly picky.

Fair warning--building a bike isn't hard. Fine tuning it can be maddening if you don't know what you're doing.

rpenmanparker 

You can get the 105 group a little cheaper from Merlin in the UK with free shipping. And you won't have any choices already made for you like crank length or bottom bracket. But considering the help of your friend the small difference is likely not worth it. I think you are underestimating the cost of the cockpit items significantly as well as the wheels and tires. More like $600 unless you want junk. Not sure what you are thinking for a frame. Used? Steel, aluminum, carbon. You can get a fairly heavy Al frame from Nashbar or Performance for $100-200, but even no-name carbon will cost you $500 new. A good place to look for cheap frames is the Bike Island web site.

If I were you, I would budget $1,500. Don't forget computer, water bottle cages...

Good luck.

CafeVelo

Very judicious ebaying and a good relationship with lots of well established (will have a parts room) bike shops can get you $1000. I built a campy chorus equipped bike with a used carbon frame for $900, but it took a lot of looking, months of ebaying, and a trip to a bike co-op. I don't recommend the process to someone who's new to the process. If your friend can help (a lot) and has the tools and knowledge, you could try. eBay or Nashbar for wheels, unless your lbs or friend has a good set for cheap. Go to a bike shop that does a lot of fitting, and see if you can get bars and stem that way, they're going to have take-offs.

tekhna

Cockpit doesn't need to be super-expensive. You can get cheap aluminum Deda, FSA, Ritchey bars'n'stems'n'post for about 30 bucks each. They'll be totally functional, just heavy.

datlas 

No. Not worth the hassle based on what you say.

It's like asking if I should build my own bookcase with lumber from Home Depot and borrow my buddy's saw versus buying a completed one from IKEA. You could, but you are likely going to mess it up.

rpenmanparker 

Saddle, tape, cages, skewers, tubes. It all adds up. Let's be very conservative and say $125 for all that. The final price really depends upon what the frame costs. But right now without frame and getting the group for the minimum $400 with no costs to replace something that isn't right for OP's size and frame choice, we are at

Group - $400
Wheels - $175
Tires - $75
The above list - $125
Cockpit except saddle - $90

And pedals, what about pedals? - $75 (and that is verrry conservative)

Right now you are at $935 without a frame. And there is sometimes shipping on the goods and tax. Besides just not being able to get exactly the prices you thought you could. Maybe $1500 is a bit high, but $1000 is just not feasible.

rpenmanparker 

That's why a fully built, new, stock bike from a shop is usually the best bet at the bottom of the market.

tekhna

Yeah, that's fair. I'd throw some Shimano R540 pedals on for 30 bucks but then you need shoes.

rpenmanparker 

Ya know, another idea is to get a screaming deal at Performance on a complete bike, say a decent Al frame and Tiagra mixed with other crap for the brakes and crank and perhaps the cassette and chain. It doesn't matter, because you aren't going to keep all that stuff. Under $1000 for sure. I'm betting the "new" 105 group set is 10-speed. Switch out the parts and sell the Tiagra on ebay. Probably a $1,200 out-of-pocket deal when all is done. Much better bike with the full 105 and a much better frame than you will get the other way.

dtrain

Tell you friend you'll pass on the group. Just too cheap new from the UK to even consider buying used here. He'd have to knock another $150 off.

You might not learn as much, but you'll typically save money buying a complete bike.

rms13

Nice friend. Is the "new" 105 group even the actual new 11 speed? And is he including chain, bottom bracket etc?

As others said, you can get a full 105 group for $330-370 including shipping from UK

tekhna

To be fair to the friend, it's likely he's basing the price of the group off US prices and may not know how absurdly cheap groups from the UK have become. Prices from the UK right now benefit from exchange rate, no VAT (or any other tax), free shipping, and lower prices to begin with.

CafeVelo

Even people who work in shops and can buy parts at cost will tell you they don't save much over the cost of a prebuilt bike. The price point where savings becomes significant is at the top end. If you buy used and clearance items exclusively it's possible to save a lot, but your choices are dictated by cost rather than getting what you want, the whole advantage of doing a build really lies in customization rather than savings.

dtrain

+1, I doubt the friend knows. A quick peek at completed ebay sales shows many folks paying considerably more than pricing available via the UK.

Loveless4577

Buy your first bike and take your time building your own so you get exactly what you want and not feel pressed to take something you may not want due to cost.

Absolutely correct!

lkngro

Yes, the 105 set is the 11-speed 5800 version. He got a new bike recently with the groupset on it, but is immediately upgrading the components. I'm sure the price is relatively negotiable since he's a friend. Oh, and I already have pedals and shoes so I don't need to include them.

But whoever said that the frame will be the limiting factor is right. After some preliminary searching, the only half-decent frame I can find that has gotten good reviews is the Scattante XRL Comp, which is PerformanceBike's house brand from what I've gathered. I really wanted a half-decent steel frame, but it doesn't seem like too many people are selling them.

Let's go to the 'bay and see what I can find.

rpenmanparker 

I'd go with the Scattante after checking to see what a full Scattante bike would cost. There is no advantage to steel for you.

lkngro

UPDATE: After scrounging around Nashbar, PerformanceBike, and JensonUSA, I can definitely do a sub-$1000 bike. However, there are some things that I might need a review on.

IF I do this project, I will definitely go with the Scattante XRL Comp frame. It's gotten very good reviews and it's cheap. For the saddle/post/stem/headset/bars I can spend around $150 and get decent parts. So after frame, the wheels are the next most expensive part and definitely more important (in my eyes) than the other components. So I don't want to go bargain-basement for these. I can get Vuelta Corsa Pros for $150, but are the any good? What are some other wheel choices I have?

dtrain

Fulcrum Racing 7 (or 5; also from the UK). Maybe B-dop's build kit if you really want a summer project.

rpenmanparker 

Unless you are a Clyde, you want their Lites or SLRs, preferably the SLRs. Cheaper than the BDop kit, and you don't have to build them. I am assuming you don't currently know how.

lkngro

Why do you suggest the Fulcrums? Just curious.

dtrain

They get great reviews, I like the width of the new 'LG' model (~23mm), and the price is right:
Fulcrum Racing 7 LG Clincher Road Wheelset -2015 | Merlin Cycles

lkngro

Good enough for me. I think this build might end up being pretty good.

Also, I'm in the US just so everybody knows.

Velo Vol 

No.