Tuturial - How to build a custom bike setup ?

It is now 8 custom bikes I gave you on this blog. Even if those are perfectly theorical for me, they could be real for some of you one day (I hope at least, this is why the blog was created for...). So this is what you should think about and how you should proceed to build your custom bike from nothing to the first ride !

I will here proceed with what I would call chapters. Indeed chapters of the birth of your bike. Each spoiler will reveal a step. Enjoy !

Before anything :

Before even thinking about your bike, you should get prepared : here are most of the tool that you will need to build your custom bike... Click to reveal !

First of all, you should before anything start by the tool list : What type of keys do you have ? Which ones you dont have and you will need ? All that stuff.

Here you will find the list of the things you will need, i will probably forgot a few things but this is the principal things.

   - A full set of Allen keys : A 5mm and a 9mm are a good base (If I remember well, most of bolds are 5mm), but a bigger range is allways good. Aproximative cost : 15€

   - You dont see them as often as Allen bolts, but you will also need a few Torx keys. A T25 is the minimum, but again, a wider range is better... Aproximative cost : 10€

Then, it will depend of your bike, but for your Bottom Bracket, you will need :

  - If it is a threaded one :an external botom bracket tool like this one, better if it has the Shimano locknut remover : Aproximative cost : 12€

                                                                           OR

If it is a pressfit bottom bracket, a bearing press. A real one will cost around 25€, but you can build a cheaper one with some washers and a threaded bar... For not much more than 5€

   - A pedal wrench. A flat normal wrench is ok, but if you dont want to damage your crankarm while fitting your pedals, I think its better to have one... Aproximative cost : 5€

   - A few plastic tyre levers, and if you want to run tubeless, some sealant and tape. Aproximative cost : 1€ if tubetype, around 10€ for tubeless.

   - A chain breaker, to cut it properly, and a cassette tool : aproximative cost : around 20€

   - Having the corret torque on your bolts is essential : add a torque wrench to your list : approximative cost : 35€

   - And the most important : GREASE ! A bike is nothing without grease, so take a good amount of good quality grease... Aproximative cost : 10€

To this list, you can aslo add some lock tight and a few zip tie. You should now have a good base to start. Total aproximative cost - preparation : 120€, 140€ if you choose to take a specific press fit tool instead of the homemade version...

Budget :

Budget is allready a very important thing to when you want to buy a bike, but it is even more for a custom bike... Click for more info !

Once you have all of these, you can now determinate how much money you have to make your bike. Even if you can go lower, and of course higher, I think that 1000 or 1500€ is a good base. I would say that if you dont have more than 700€, then forget the custom. This budget will derterminate a lote of things : First if you can even think about a custom setup, what material will be used for the frame, and if you will rather have a Shimano Alivio groupset or a XTR DI2...

Frame :

Frame determinates what your bike will be, and how it will ract on the trail... This is why it is very important to choose the right one, adapted to how you ride. Read more down here !

Ok so now. Its time to choose your frame. For that, (at least to do it well) you will need to consider a few things.

   - First : What material ? Well, that will mostly depend on your budget : you wont buy a carbon frame with 1000€, or maybe the frame only will waste all your money. I would say that you can think about carbon fibre when you have 3000€ or more. Lower, alluminium is the best choice most of the time. You can also consider steel, since there is now a few brands who are doing steel frames as light as an alluminium... Personally, I dont like how steel frames are looking like... But you really should take a few time to think about that point, because a good alluminium can be better than a carbon frame. Remember : CF is not allways the best.  

   - What type of terrain are you riding will determinate how much travel you will need. My method is not perfect, but I am used to say this :

From 100mm to 120mm are XC bikes : mostly flat places, or for big climbs, these bikes are for performance.

From 130mm to 140mm  are All mountain bikes : as the name tells you, these bikes are not bad for anything, but not good for anything eaither. I mean that a AM bikes is for both climbs and descending. A big XC, a small enduro... If you are riding some mountains but not much violent downhills, you need a AM bike !

 From 150mm to 170mm (superenduro are sometimes up to 180mm) are Enduro bikes. Enduro is what I would call the fun bike. They are good for the bike parks (not as much as a DH of course...) but are still ok for climbing, even if they are way better descending. You live in the mountains, are an engaged pilot in a violent terrain.

 Finally, from 200mm to higher (it doesnt go much bigger, but you can find some 210mm frames or 203mm forks...) are DH and Freeride bikes : they suck at climbing because of their huge travel (and aggressive geometry), but as long as you stay on the downhill, they are damn awesome. You only ride on bikeparks or with a car to bring you back on top of the mountain...

 - Wheel size : There are 3 main sizes of wheel : 26", 27.5" (aka 650B) and 29" (aka 29er), even if nowdays the 26" tends to disapear. Brands recently addes 650B + and 29er + sizes. These two are basically 650B and 29er with bigger tyres than usually, which makes the 650B+ has the same diameter as a normal 29er, and the 29er+ has something which looks like 30". Theses plus bikes are rather for fun and sand/snow trails.

The larger the diameter is, is more stable, fast and forgiving your bike will feel, but the lower it will be handly and easy to launch. This is all a matter of choice : most of XC bikes are 29er (remember ? efficiency before anything...), while DH are all 650B. Enduro are both, depending of the rider's preferences and where he rides if he's a pro.

   - Suspension : Full suspension or hardtail ? This all depends of what you want. A full suspension bike will be more comfortable and more stable, while a hardtail (no rear suspension, like the bike on the picture) will be ligher and more efficient.

Now that you determinated what kind of bike you want, its time to check what will come with it when you order it... They most of the time come with the rear shcok (for full suspension bikes) and the headset, even if you will sometimes also have the fork or the steatpost included.

Anyways, it allways worth to check on the manufacturer's website, so you know exactly whats included.

Ok so now we have our frame, we can start with the components.

Components :

From there, and with your remaining money, you can start completing your bike. Click to see what do you need !

I will now consider that I took a frame that came in with only the rear shock and headset.

Proceed with categories. There are so many pieces on a bike, and the best way not to forget any is to get to a brand website (the Canyon list of components doesnt laks anything, you can also use the Scott's list, which seems to be easyer to use). Its only about to have a good list of the components you will need.

          Start with suspension. Rear shock is allready on, but you still need a fork. For this, there are different things to check : the steerer tube that your frame has (1"1/8 or tapered 1.5"-1"1/8. Most of modern frames are now 1.5"-1"1/8. Its easy to check : look at the front of the bike to the headtube : is it straight or makes a cone ? Cone is 1.5"-1"1/8.); the crown type : double for DH bikes, simple for others. you will also have to watch the travel : use the same as your frame has, ar look at what the manufacturer used to put on it and the axle : 9mm, 15mm (boost ? predictive steering ?) or 20mm. Most are 15mm. You should also consider if you want a remote locking system for your fork or not.

          Then, switch to transmission : Do you want a single chainring on front (meh, i hate it :D), or a dual/triple system ? Do you want 9,10 or 11 speeds on your cassette and chain ? Do you want electronic shifting ? And even do you want a triger shifter system or a grip shift ? Also think about the gear ratio you will use for your cassette and chainrings. Still about the transmission, you should also remember to take some lubricant for it. If you are riding a Am bike, think about taking a chain guide, which might save you a few times in the trail. If you are riding Enduro or DH, then dont even think about it, just take one.

          Move out to the drive train. Obviously start by selecting the correct wheel size, and exaclty like for the frame, choose the material you want : Tubeless or tubetype ? Disc braking or rim braking ? (yes it exists :D) Carbon, or alluminium ? If you want some carbon, I'd say that you'll need around 1000€ for the pair of wheels.Be carefull to use the correct wheel : a DH wheel, even if it can seem better wont perform as good as an XC wheel for climbing...

Some custom wheel brands are also allowing to chooses your hubs, which is a great way to tune your wheel's design and price.

Now go for your tyres (and air chambers if you have some). Again, Tubeless or Tubetype ? What type of terrain (mud or dry ? Rolling or rocky ?) ? And how wide ? For this you will mostly have from 2.00" to 2.20" for XC, from 2.30" to 2.40" for Am and Enduro and 2.50" for DH, but it mostly depends on your riding conditions.

          Time to switch to breaking, since you now have wheels ! If there is something to consider before anything before buying brakes, it is clearly what type of fluid they'll use : Mineral oil lasts longer, which means less work to do on them, but DOT (same as for cars and motorcycles) will be better against heat, which is a good point when going downhill...DOT needs more work on them (bleeding more frequently). That will help to determinate which brand : Shimano and Magura for Mineral oil (these are the most famous, but there are other brands) and Sram/Avid and Formula for DOT.

Second thing will be your rotor size :The bigger the diameter will be, the more resistant against heat it will be, and the more powerfull it will be. Bisically in XC : 160front/160rear, or 180front/160rear, AM : 180front and rear, enduro : 200front 180 rear and even sometimes 200front and rear, and DH : 200 front and rear, you might also find some 203 but there is not such a big différence. Also consider than if there is a bigger diameter, there is more material, which means a biger weight... About your disc rotor : dont forget to get the correct adaptators (size and IS or PM).

         

           Finish with the periphérics : seatpost : dropper post or normal ? (dropper is a mandatory for enduro), carbon or other ? What diameter ?  Saddle : wide or fine ? Carbon rails or other ? Gel or normal ?   Stem : what length ? (longer is better for XC because better position for pedaling, but less handly, shorter is better for Enduro and DH), What material ? What angle ?   Handlebars : What rise ? How wide ? Again, what material ?   Grips : how wide ? Lock-on ? Foam or other ?   Pedals : flat or clip ? Big plateform or minimalist ?

You should also have a look at a seatclamp : they dont allways come with the frame...

Assembly :

Having pieces of bike is cool, but having a fully working bike is better : click to see how you should build the bike.

You should now have all of your components. So lets build the bike !

Start with the seatpost : Grease it and put it on the frame. IF YOU HAVE CARBON for frame, seatpost or both, dont use grease, but carbon assemble paste.

You can now put your future bike on a workstand, which will make the rest easier. If you have a dropper post : root the cable (internally if your frame and seatpost allows it, else it will be outside), and if you have a hydraulic dropper (exemple : Rockshox...) cut the cable to the coreect length and bleed the system.  Continue with your fork : take the headset, grease it and put it on your frame. Slide the fork on it. Add the spacers and the stem. Take a pen to mark where does the pivot arrives : This is where you will have to cut the steerer tube.

Be carefull while cutting if you dont have the specific tool, you can use a metal saw, but you need to be super carefull to make a very clean cut...

Once you are done with that, put the star nut in place in the steerer tube, grease the fork tube a litle bit and then install the fork and the stem on your bike.

You can now install your handlebars : if they are both not carbon : apply a litle bit a grease where they are touching each other. If carbon, do the same with carbon paste.

Grease your bottom bracket bearings and install them on the bike, with the chainguide if you have one. Install your crankset, and the front mech if you have front gears. Root the cable properly.

Keep doing with the rear mech and its cable.

Get away from your bike, and install the cassette on them, with the tyres and the disc rotors. Install them on the bike.

You can now mount the shifters on your bars and set the mechs, as much as installing the chain (after cleaning it well) . Be carefull to cut it properly with a cahin breaker.

Time to take care of your brakes. Put the caliper on, and figure the good wire length you will ned, cut the excess and bleed your brakes. Put the pads on the caliper. You can now add the grips on your bars as much as the saddle on the seatpost.

Put your pedals on and set what you didnt yet : shifters and brakes position, remote position, maybe derailleur indexation, saddle hight, if you have clip pedals, spring tension, and put some lubricant on the chain...

And you are ready to go !

Conclusion :

So here are a few tips to build your own custom bike. Let me know if i said something wrong, or forgot something ! And if you build yours, share some pics with me !

PS : sorry for all the spoilers, but without you'd have a huge uggly page...