Hi, I have seen a few threads about this so I figured I would share my experience with everyone. I just completed building my first bike from the frame up and I would definately recommend it to anyone interested in giving it a try.
I'm sure the first question is how much did I save? It is hard to actually give a definate answer as I didn't build it to any specific bike setup but instead built it to my own requirements. I also purchased a few used components which were the Stem, handlebars, and shifters. However all the used components are in excellent condition and the bike shop which helped me was only able to identify the handlebars as used because of the scuffing from a previous stem and tape residue. Regardless using the bike shops price lists and there general opinion we figured the bike I built as configured would be around 2500.00 to 3000.00 and I was able to purchase everything for $900.00
First before I started buying I did a lot of research on differnt parts/components so I knew what I wanted and needed for the bike to work.
Understand how a bike works and what you will need for the build up. If you don't know how different components function together and what headset you will need for your frame and what bottom bracket size/threading you will need and what cassette will fit your wheel then stop and do the research first before you waste a lot of time and money.
Before you begin shopping on Ebay let me say one thing, BE CAREFUL. I always follow a few rules when shopping on Ebay.
First-I only buy from sellers with feedback. This may limit me somewhat but it also protects you from fraud.
Second-Only buy from sellers who use paypal and never send a check or cashiers check to a seller. Paypal will refund your purchase if there site is used to commit fraud.
Third-Determine a price you are willing to pay for a component and stick by it. Don't get caught in an auction that is being overbid. Sometimes people will overpay because they want to win. It reminds me of gambling a little.
Fourth-Know your seller. There are two main sellers on Ebay. One group is an expert who specializes in a certain area like cycling. The second is someone who is just selling something they came across. This second group is where you can get the most savings but also where you will run the biggest risk.
Fifth-Ask questions!!! Contact the seller and ask any questions they didn't anwser in the description. You can also ask for more photos to confirm info. As an example I had sellers send me a photo of the rear derailleurs model number stamped on it to confirm it was a Durace 7800 and not a different model.
You must also be willing to spend the time checking Ebay for items, bidding on those items, and if you lose continuing the process. From start to finish it has taken me four weeks to purchase everything for my bike. Once I had everything I used my local bike shop to help with the assembly which saved a lot of time and headache. I talked to them about it ahead of time and explained I wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about bikes and how to work on them. They let me do most of the work and provided a hand when needed. They also only charged me 30 dollars for this which seemed extremely fair.
I know this is rather long but I hope some of you may find it useful if you have wanted to use ebay but have been a little worried about starting.
I'm sure the first question is how much did I save? It is hard to actually give a definate answer as I didn't build it to any specific bike setup but instead built it to my own requirements. I also purchased a few used components which were the Stem, handlebars, and shifters. However all the used components are in excellent condition and the bike shop which helped me was only able to identify the handlebars as used because of the scuffing from a previous stem and tape residue. Regardless using the bike shops price lists and there general opinion we figured the bike I built as configured would be around 2500.00 to 3000.00 and I was able to purchase everything for $900.00
First before I started buying I did a lot of research on differnt parts/components so I knew what I wanted and needed for the bike to work.
Understand how a bike works and what you will need for the build up. If you don't know how different components function together and what headset you will need for your frame and what bottom bracket size/threading you will need and what cassette will fit your wheel then stop and do the research first before you waste a lot of time and money.
Before you begin shopping on Ebay let me say one thing, BE CAREFUL. I always follow a few rules when shopping on Ebay.
First-I only buy from sellers with feedback. This may limit me somewhat but it also protects you from fraud.
Second-Only buy from sellers who use paypal and never send a check or cashiers check to a seller. Paypal will refund your purchase if there site is used to commit fraud.
Third-Determine a price you are willing to pay for a component and stick by it. Don't get caught in an auction that is being overbid. Sometimes people will overpay because they want to win. It reminds me of gambling a little.
Fourth-Know your seller. There are two main sellers on Ebay. One group is an expert who specializes in a certain area like cycling. The second is someone who is just selling something they came across. This second group is where you can get the most savings but also where you will run the biggest risk.
Fifth-Ask questions!!! Contact the seller and ask any questions they didn't anwser in the description. You can also ask for more photos to confirm info. As an example I had sellers send me a photo of the rear derailleurs model number stamped on it to confirm it was a Durace 7800 and not a different model.
You must also be willing to spend the time checking Ebay for items, bidding on those items, and if you lose continuing the process. From start to finish it has taken me four weeks to purchase everything for my bike. Once I had everything I used my local bike shop to help with the assembly which saved a lot of time and headache. I talked to them about it ahead of time and explained I wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about bikes and how to work on them. They let me do most of the work and provided a hand when needed. They also only charged me 30 dollars for this which seemed extremely fair.
I know this is rather long but I hope some of you may find it useful if you have wanted to use ebay but have been a little worried about starting.
