Ordering A Bike Online.. A La Carte



dshardpolerwas

New Member
Jul 1, 2015
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Is there a place one can order a bike, and then replace or swap out things like seats, wheels, tires, stems? Not having any luck searching the web.
 
Swapping parts on a lower end bike doesn't make economic sense for either buyer or seller. Profit margins and discount pricing are based on production volume.
 
when you look at frames, for the most part it will be high end...usually people buying frames are really into cycling, much more so that your average bike buyer and are looking for that special something...
they buy the frame then the parts that they want...high end bikes are usually cheaper if you just buy the whole thing assembled... you buy frame and parts because you want what you want and not what most folks want...so yes, your choices will mostly be high end products...you can turn a 3400 dollar show room bike into a 5,000 custom build by choosing the wheels you want, the tires you want, the handlebars you want, the stem you want, the crankset you want, the brakes you want....you get the picture...
but then you have the bike YOU want.
 
There are plenty of custom bike builders out there that allow you to pick and choose the component spec. Example, Rivendell. Trek is offering a similar service at their high end.

But, in those situations, you are generally paying full retail for each bike part, with maybe a slight discount for the bike maker's preferred build kits.

For mass-produced bikes, you pay closer to wholesale for those components because the bike maker orders them by the truckload.

It sounds like you want custom-bike choices at production-bike prices, and that's not going to happen. That's why most manufacturers offer different build kits for each model, so you can retain some selection.

That's why it's popular to buy a production bike, strip it for its component kit, and sell the frame. You get a full build at a cheap price for whatever frame you choose.
 
Not sure how much you intend to invest ?
check out the competative cyclist web site, I believe they have some ala carte choices.
also, consider a Gunnar dealer and select the parts you want - Plus you get the advantage of a fitting vs. an on-line vendor ?
 
Excel Sports Boulder builds frames to order, although you'll pay more than if you buy the group from an online UK retailer and assemble yourself. I spent $2200 doing that in 1997 with a Litespeed titanium frame, Look carbon fork, and Campagnolo Chorus/Racing-T/Athena mix. Obviously I got exactly the gearing, wheels, saddle, bar, tires, tape, etc. I wanted. With inflation that sort of thing will run at least $3500 today.

Small builders will also work with you.
 
thepieeatingjay said:
Excel Sports Boulder builds frames to order, although you'll pay more than if you buy the group from an online UK retailer and assemble yourself. I spent $2200 doing that in 1997 with a Litespeed titanium frame, Look carbon fork, and Campagnolo Chorus/Racing-T/Athena mix. Obviously I got exactly the gearing, wheels, saddle, bar, tires, tape, etc. I wanted. With inflation that sort of thing will run at least $3500 today.

Small builders will also work with you.
And Litespeed was started by Lynskey who then sold the Litespeed to AGB group, your's was one of the Lynskey built ones, since the sale of the company Litespeed has dropped in quality and especially customer service. Lynskey has opened a new plant not far from Litespeed simply called Lynskey and you can get a TI bike from them for $2555 with Shimano 105. But Lynskey will not do a la carte, they have a contract with Adrenalin Bikes for anyone wanting that kind of service.