I was wondering what you talented people could do to create a great bicycle at a limited price. Much like cars, one can spend as much as desired on a bike. My question is could you make a grassroots bike that would compete with a new $2,000 road or mountain bike? How cheap could you do it?
Of course we could.
Go on Craigslist, look for a late-model Trek 5x00 or Litespeed bicycle in your size.
Then bolt on a set of secondhand Spinergy wheels and some used aero bars. Spend $60 for the newest, best tires you can find and another 50-100 to get it tuned up at the bike shop.
You'll have a bike that's so fast it's illegal.
The 200X challange does not charge for labor, so, someone skilled in Carbon Fiber could craft a frame for only the cost of materials. This would be far less than purchase (with labor charged) prices.
Here's my MTB I built up over the winter for ~$550. It's a mix of new & used, sourced from ebay, friends & the LBS.
To retain the spirit of the Challenge, you'd have to adjust the limit.
$2000 for a car is cheap. $2000 for a bike is not.
Let's see, there's a particularly irritating commercial running for a new import appliance car going for $8888. Round down to $8000. That makes the $2Kx limit about 1/4 the price of a basic new car.
Make the spending limit about 1/4 of the price of a typical Walmart bike, and we'll talk.
slantvaliant wrote: Make the spending limit about 1/4 of the price of a typical Walmart bike, and we'll talk.
I can scrounge Ebayslist and the local garage sales all I want, but Im never gonna be able to build anything competitive for $11
I worked at a indipendantly owned and operated bike shop for 5 years. The base "MTB" bike(read: cheapo, as in " my kids too big for a bmx and too irresponsible for a decent road bike, so I'll buy em this cheapo thing") has hovered between $180 and $230 for a reasonably reputable brand bike which isnt much different from any other brands offering in that range(until you get to ~$800, most - not all - bikes are mass produced in taiwan anyway). So I would say that a $2xx challenge would be appropriate.
I give you this example:
My 1986 lugged Bianchi - got it in not working condition for $50. All parts came from the local shop, so I could probably drop the price even lower if I went online. Came with Biopace double, and a suntour 6 spd rear. Decent no name hubs w/ bad hardware including a broken rear axle, Crumbly cables and dry rotted brake pads.
Thats only $165. Leaves me $44 (if we are playing $209 challenge) for a pretty competitive bike. I had a lot of luck finding a bike like this in the condition it was in, and Im also fortunate to still be in good with my former employer, as he lets me rummage around their used bins for junk to keep her on the road. But like I said, I still have 44 bucks in my budget, that would prolly score me a better set of Rings (biopace is yucky) or a better set of hubs If I wanted to lace em into the wheels I have now.
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
This is more like what I had in mind, but wouldn't a bike like this be kind of heavy?
Right now I have a late '90s Cannondale R600 that I bought from a local roadie for $290. It has been upgraded to Ultegra brake shifters. I am going to eBay off the Ultegra pedals and the expensive but old and stinky shoes that came with it. I am hoping that will leave me enough to buy a clearance seat and set of tires off of Bike Nashbar. At that point, I will still be under $300 for a modern shifting very nice bike that probably still weighs 21-22 lbs. I was thinking you guys could go better with your mad skills.
I actually paid for this bike through two other transactions. First, I bought a new triathlon bike off the internet for $675, rode it in one sprint triathlon and the next week sold it on eBay for around $800. Second, I bought a used road bike off of CL for $800, rode it for a month or two. It was a little small. I got creative and parted it out on eBay for close to $1000.
Do we need to add another class to the Challenge?
4cylndrfury wrote: Came with Biopace double,
I remember biopace. I had a Specialized that had it back in the day.
I just bought new tires for my road bike that has been neglected for 6 years while I sat around and gained weight.....decent bike stuff isn't cheap.
David S. Wallens wrote: Do we need to add another class to the Challenge?
i think 1/4-mile drags on bicycles would be awesome!
I have about $110 in my Schwinn. It's old and heavy, but it rides so well. Yay for fillet brazing!
my full carbon Trek Mountain Bike OCLV 7300 only cost me $300. add another 50 for seat, grips, and pedals and another 50 for a home built LED headlight system that can blind oncoming cars enough that they flash me with their highs (if I misaim them) and I am set for about 400
My 10 speed Peugeot cost me $15 at a pawn shop. I could fix it up for less than $50 using garage sale parts. You guys spend way to much. 
While an interesting exercise... what exactly is the point?
"Performance" of a bike is determined more by the person riding it than the actual bike itself. Lance on a $10 used Huffy is going to be faster than any of us on a brand new $6000 carbon fiber flash machine...
In reply to Ian F:
What is the point? I ride bikes from time to time and I'd rather pay $200 than $2000 for equal performing bikes.
So far it sounds like people can make a decent commuter bike but nothing that will keep up with a decent new road or mountain bike.
Simple.
They don't seem to build quality, lightweight, cross-country mountain bikes in America or Japan anymore.
Everything nowadays seems to tip the scales at 25lbs+ and have 4 inches of travel and comes from Taiwan or China. I already have a Norco Wolverine that does that.
I went on eBay and bought a new, 1993 Univega Carbolite M7.3 from a bike shop that was clearing out their attic.
A sub-20lb mtn bike for $300.00 = win.
Leave me to my delusions that an awesome bike will let my 260lb fat ass beat Lance Armstrong :)
Shawn
Otto_Maddox wrote: In reply to Ian F: What is the point? I ride bikes from time to time and I'd rather pay $200 than $2000 for equal performing bikes. So far it sounds like people can make a decent commuter bike but nothing that will keep up with a decent new road or mountain bike.
That's because bikes don't work like cars. A 14lb full carbon aero framed, deep rim, low spoke count Triathlon bike will be faster than anything you can make in your garage period.. unless you can make that bike. Assuming the same rider on both bikes (fixed Watt output for given rider weight), bike aero and weight directly impact all aspects of performance. With bikes 99% of the time YOU will go faster on a higher dollar bike. There is no megasquirt, and take off tires in the bike world. Once you are as fast as You can be equipment is the only option. However you have to decide how much money you want to spend for what level of performance you want. I've got a $800 trek 1500 and ride with guys that have $2500-4000 full carbon bikes and I keep up.
Strangely probably the only exception to this is the world of Land Speed Biking. There because aero is the largest limiter and you put some Freak guy behind the pedals that can put out 700+ Watts, weight doesn't matter as much and Aero rules all. That's not to say $ doesn't buy happiness, but there have been guys that have built low buck LSR bikes and done well. I believe the current world record is ~70mph..
Daniel
I'm all hot and bothered for a freeride / dirt jump bike. It's a bike that's got the wheels and (sometimes) gearing of a mountian bike, but the low seat height and top tube of a BMX bike.
I've got an old Trek 830 that I never much loved, and it's been collecting dust for the last decade or so. Yesterday it occured to me that I should try chopping the top tube out of it, cutting about 6" out of the seat tube height, re-weld the top of the rear triangle to the now lower seat tube, and then weld in a new top tube. Once that is done, get a European bottom bracket for my Flight Cranks, and make it a one speed front. Then put some BMX bars and big fat tires on it. If I can, find an older front shock that will still fit the 1" headset.
Basically, try to chop and weld this -
into this -
for a few hundred $$$
Might even throw some dimple-die gussets in there to strengthen it, since I ain't a little guy.
very true. I went from a pawn shop schwinn mountain bike to my trek. First impressions of the trek... "why was I beating myself up on my old bike for so long" "damn is this thing fast"
I do about 100 miles a week depending on weather.. sometimes I do 140+ some weeks I only get 20 in.. on the schwinn, I would get off the bike all sorts of sore and beaten up. On the trek, I am still sore, but I am not beaten up.. and if I jump back on the schwinn (I kept it for beach riding) I average MPH is 3 slower
mad_machine wrote: my full carbon Trek Mountain Bike OCLV 7300 only cost me $300. add another 50 for seat, grips, and pedals and another 50 for a home built LED headlight system that can blind oncoming cars enough that they flash me with their highs (if I misaim them) and I am set for about 400
petegossett wrote: Here's my MTB I built up over the winter for ~$550. It's a mix of new & used, sourced from ebay, friends & the LBS.
Aw man this makes me want to get back into MTBing...
DILYSI Dave wrote: I'm all hot and bothered for a freeride / dirt jump bike.
That can... and has... been done... however... speaking as someone who plays in the freeride/dirtjumping world, I can assure you that frame will not live long... especially if you are as you put it, 'not light'... and an purpose made frame can be had for relatively little money: $300 or so...
For one... the 1" headset will limit you to early Marzocchi Bomber forks from the late 90's which had replaceable crown and steering tube assemblies and were available in 1" versions. This isn't necessarily bad as Marzocchi still supports these forks (and the above mentioned crown may even still be available if you are unable to find one on eBay).
An even cheaper option is to buy a used Specialized P1 or similar... which can be found ready to ride for well under a grand and will easily hold up to anything you can throw at it.
Ian F wrote: An even cheaper option is to buy a used Specialized P1 or similar... which can be found ready to ride for well under a grand and will easily hold up to anything you can throw at it.
It was riding a buddies P1 that convinced me that this is what I wanted. I never clicked with traditional mountain bikes, but I instantly felt at home on a P1. I'd love to get into a DJ for a few hundred, but that might just be unrealistic.
Otto_Maddox wrote: In reply to Ian F: What is the point? I ride bikes from time to time and I'd rather pay $200 than $2000 for equal performing bikes. So far it sounds like people can make a decent commuter bike but nothing that will keep up with a decent new road or mountain bike.
My "decent commuter" keeps me up there with the shiny happy Treckondales all day long. And Im no roadie, my background is in BMX for over a decade. My Bianchi is a bit heavy, but \ not too crazy ~21#s
Cycling being what it is, the rider is at least 75% of the equation of overall performance. The bicycle itself only makes up a small percentage, and a majority of that is in the drivetrain components. So we are trying to test wether the functionality of a $200 can be made equal to the functionality of a $2k utilizing some scounging/shadetree skills. Most of the "Keepup" part is up to the rider anyway. In reality, all we are trying to see is if all the talk coming from owners of ZOMGcarbotaniumSUPERspeedsters is just posturing or if the money actually gets you what you think youre buying.
DILYSI Dave wrote: I'm all hot and bothered for a freeride / dirt jump bike. It's a bike that's got the wheels and (sometimes) gearing of a mountian bike, but the low seat height and top tube of a BMX bike. I've got an old Trek 830 that I never much loved, and it's been collecting dust for the last decade or so. Yesterday it occured to me that I should try chopping the top tube out of it, cutting about 6" out of the seat tube height, re-weld the top of the rear triangle to the now lower seat tube, and then weld in a new top tube. Once that is done, get a European bottom bracket for my Flight Cranks, and make it a one speed front. Then put some BMX bars and big fat tires on it. If I can, find an older front shock that will still fit the 1" headset. Basically, try to chop and weld this -into this -
Why not just build your own???? I welded up a jig from some scrap steel & wood I had, ordered some 4130 chromo tubing & associated bits from one of the vendors online & put something together. Unfortunately, I don't have a good enough welder - or the skills - to finish weld it myself so I gave it to a friend to do. He's got it done, I just need to get it back one of these days, braze on all the little bits & paint/powder coat it. It was under $200 for the materials.
DILYSI Dave wrote: It was riding a buddies P1 that convinced me that this is what I wanted. I never clicked with traditional mountain bikes, but I instantly felt at home on a P1. I'd love to get into a DJ for a few hundred, but that might just be unrealistic.
Check the marketplace on MTBR , Ridemonkey or one of your local/regional forums. You might be surprised at what you can get for a few bills.
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