Choosing parts for a DIY build is a process that involves questions like: 1. What parts do I own that would be appropriate for the bike’s purpose?
What parts can I source locally?
How much do I want to spend total/per part?
How many different places in town have which parts?
How modern do I want my bike to be?
Someone will make fun of my bike. How thick is my skin?
As a bike shop owner, I have noticed that everyone’s bike gets made fun of. Now that I know that owning a cool bike is just as much of a “Keep up with the Jones'” game as real life is, I can make choices without being afraid of getting mocked.
Yeah, right. I would be horrified if I got called out by a fellow MTB’er for riding a 26″ wheeled bike.
Even as a bike shop owner with access to wholesale deals and a knowledge of “Who’s got what”, MTB equipment is expensive. What we were satisfied with yesterday is nowhere near what we want today.
Component advances in the other niche markets, like road bikes, are not improving or distinguishably changing like the MTB market. Reading about advances in suspension and disc brakes for mountain bikes feels like vistiting outer space.
How much does a certain part cost versus another and how much are you gaining or losing in terms of money, performance, weight or durability? Choices you make on one part will affect every other component choice on the bicycle.
For an amateur DIY mechanic, the choices can feel astounding. Four years into this business, my head is swirling with finding new parts at a value price point, lightness where I can afford it and design it into, and performance for the utility of my bike.
