Most expensive part of a bicycle is the frame, and that's factory produced unless you want to weld pipes together.

>>2019755
I've never spent more than $600 on a bicycle outright, and that's on working condition. I just see how little things are actually worth vs how much they cost and refuse to buy anything at msrp. This is true of anything I do but especially bikes. Tell me how I can get a beautiful aluminum rim brake road bike for $309 that used to cost $1500 back in the day? Yet when I ride it, it is still fast and light? What is the 2024 bike truly adding?

that kid isn't building a bicycle, he's repairing a bicycle.
That is the practical, smart move. Get a bicycle and service it. If you want to get really involved, strip it, and fully overhaul it (bearings, cables, wax the frame, etc).

full custom 'builds' are not cost effective at all, especially for beginners who do not already have parts bins, contacts, knowledge or tools. And they're very rarely executed well by people with no experience. It's much better to start as that kid is, by fixing things, learn a lot, and if you want a full custom bicycle, build one when you're actually good at wrenching, and have developed some personal wants that are based on a lot of riding, and not on following trends or your arbitrary desires as a casual, who does not ride much.

>>2019770
>What is the 2024 bike truly adding?
wider standard gearing options
wider tire clearance
improved braking
a guarantee of condition for a person unable to gauge condition, overhaul stuff, or uniterested in running the gammit of 'good condition' used listings which are not in good condition (most)

but yeah you're right also, nothing really.

When you buy a $1000 bike at retail you're paying for someone else to deliver and support a finished product that requires skill and training (and the infrastructure of the whole industry behind them) to bring to customers. And the bike you purchase is ready to use immediately, you don't have to invest time in finding and fixing a used bike before you can ride.

>>2019759
pretty sure my current wheels cost more than my frame but I'm a fred who upgraded a mass market carbon bike with meme racer wheels

>>2019771
most custom bikes that I've seen were bought by middle aged or older who needed something easy on the back who could have gotten by with a commercially sourced frame but it would not have been something "cool" that impresses their bike hipster peers so they don't even consider it, instead they spend $6500 on a custom geo frameset so they can ride it around with their hi-viz vest and helmet mirrors twice a month, not that there is anything wrong with any of that, just that to achieve the same result they could have spent less but this is generally the same crowd that will buy a chris king part because it might be 0.00025% better under certain conditions. curiously the majority of these people are women who seem particularly susceptible to the "your body is unique and special" memes, older male freds would just buy a pinarello X and spend the surplus on booze to maintain their ample bellies

>>2019774
>you're paying for someone else to deliver and support a finished product
Recently paid 900€ for a new bike (upgrading from a 12yo MTB) and I regret it.
Had to go have it looked at at the bike shop twice now, even though it was supposed to have the higher end Deore XT shit, and I have to raise the handlebar because my hands are getting numb.
Should've bought a newer used bike and customized it to my liking for less than half the price.

>>2019772
And yet, the older bike still rides. Are these minor details worth an extra $800???

>>2019809
I unironically love most old male freds. They either smoke me on their 3x8 speed steel frame from the 80s if they’ve kept up the training or if they haven’t I’m passing them as if they’re standing still on my single speed commuter while they struggle to make it up a 10% grade on their $14k s-works or whatever. Either way they’re always friendly and say hi. Female freds seem to just get cuntier as they age for some reason.

>>2019755
Because putting like $20 in replacement parts on a bike I got for $10 is cheaper and more effective than buying all the parts

>>2019770
I guess not falling apart from metal fatigue

>>2019770
>Tell me how I can get a beautiful aluminum rim brake road bike for $309 that used to cost $1500 back in the day?
If new I want to know where
If used I already have one and agree (it's also lighter than the 2024 equivalent)

>>2020392
You would probably agree that 120 PSI is more than 60 PSI yet you would insist that your medieval torture device is just as comfortable as a modern road bike

>>2020393
>120 PSI is more than 60 PSI
I mean, yes, obviously. Did you forget an adjective?

>just as comfortable
Obviously not, but not so much less as to be bothersome, at least to me.

>>2020399
What adjective did you think I must have forgotten? Are you going to call me "ESL" next, since I have a different opinion on bikes?

>>2020401
I don't see how 120>60 is relevant to comfort. I'm perfectly willing to accept that my older bike is less comfortable than my new one, but I spend more time on the old one anyway because I like the light weight, ease of maintenance, effectively disposable price point, and at least for me it's comfortable _enough_ for 15hr weeks and that's about as good as I can do with a day job anyway.

>>2019755
Because doing mechanic shit is my least favorite aspect of owning a bike and if the local bike shops didn't keep such shit hours I would rather pay them to do most things if it didn't take weeks to get my bike back due to them always having a backlog.
So functionally I have to work on my bike to keep it working.

I ain't building a bike from fucking scratch. Hell, buying a decent set of welding gear would cost more that a decent brand new bike.

>>2020437
this is utter BS.
I TIG and I braze. If you want to be dirt cheap: Buy a second hand oxy outfit, get a bottle of propane, one or two propane specific tips and a cheap adjustable propane reg. All of this will be less than 100 bux if you're not stupid. Get a bottle of oxygen too ofc. Get flux and brass, another 50 bux for those materials.
As for TIG: While I happen to have a high end TIG for unrelated reasons, looking at how IGBT inverters absolutely plummted in pricing somewhere in the last two decades I can not delate to your BS.
A cheap frame is cheaper than either a cheap welding or brazing outfit. A good feame is pricier. Let alone an entire bicycle.
No excuses. If anyone WANTS to build frames they can just get an old oxy outfit, switch to propane, take a few old lugged frames, take thosr apart and start practicing. After a few joints you're ready to build a frame from mild steel tubing and it will be safe to ride. Go from there. Don't fall for the bicycle specific tubeset meme. They have their place, but stick to Benteler brand CrMo first and much longer than you think, IMO. Not chinese CrMo.

>>2020448
NTA but I've been planning to do exactly this. You just wire wheel the paint off the lugs, take the bike apart, and try to put it back together? With anything I've tried to learn to build, mastery turns out to be about as tough as you'd imagine, but getting to a product better than most people will ever own is totally obtainable, within a year or two even. I don't see why frames would be any different

>>2020533
This is a good way to get some practice in but: Lug brazing is more trivial and easier than brazing fillets. So you can also take apart old bikes and build a slightly smaller bike without the lugs. Either way you'll generate hands on experience and get a feel for things, learn how things should look like and if you even enjoy the activity.

I have more money than patience so yes, buying complete working bikes is absolutely worth it, as is getting them serviced. Most I'll do in my own labour is bolt on some mudguards or replace the grips.

I'm thinking about ordering a frame and assembling my own bike from used parts, maybe mechanical brakes first time round.
My reason is that my LBSes are goofs and I wouldn't dare let them touch anything bike related, so I don't have much choice than to learn how to work on my own bikes.
Also in my novice opinion manufacturers assemble their bikes from cheapest headsets and wheels available, so you may not really get much "bang for your buck" anyway.

a typical alu road bike with carbon fork, thru axles and hydraulics are around 2000€ and you can ride home care free, if the shop hasn't fucked it up or screwed you over.

I have a hard time wrapping my head around shop prices, because one full alu bike with QR's, GRX-something and no mounts on the fork blade also costs 2000€. To me it seems like anything with a GRX or 105 slapped on will cost around 2000€, no matter what or how rest of the bike is made. On top of that you may have to pay extra from brand name and add another 200€ for buying it from the shop, and first time service from the shop is not even included, and their service won't mean jack shit.
Buying used is an option. People sell 1-3 year old bikes, often because they're wrong size because shops are bad at selling bikes. However they're asking 200-300€ less than brand new but I mean it's used. You lose warranties as a second owner and I have no idea how the guy has handled the bike. I'm a little paranoid but I'm seriously terrified of a steerer tube snapping on me.

But yeah building your own bike from frame up will cost more if everything is bought brand new.
Let's say consumer prices online are :
Frame and prep work 1000€
Groupset, wheels, stem, headset small stuff etc. 1000-1500€
tools 300-500€.

stealing is cheaper

>>2019831
not to poors like you

File: bamboo-bike-1.png (3.13 MB, 1620x1080)

3.13 MB PNG

Not sure how practice a bamboo bike would be, but seems like a fun project. Anyone have experience either riding or building these things?

>nobody will ever build a cool polygonal trike out of aluminum sections with a roof
why even live

>>2021768
where's its bamboo tires?

0/10