Home-brewed MTB?

[GreenBikeGuy]

It's been a while since I posted to this forum, since my plans to start bikepacking have gotten sidetracked.  So, maybe this'll get some discussion going: what about building your own bike?

Lacking either a dedicated MTB or the means to buy one, I'm thinking about volunteering at our local Yellow Bike Project shop, in exchange for "building a bike."  This is likely to be a REAL simple bike, of course, rather than any sort of dream machine.  Almost certainly it'll have 26" wheels instead of 29", it could well be singlespeed, and i wouldn't be at all surprised if i have to use things like a cruiser frame, or a frame & fork in different colors!

Has anyone ever tried a project like this?  Have you any stories to tell?

[mattinaustin]

I built my own frame by taking the UBI frame building class in Oregon a few years ago.  It was an amazing experience and while the bike isn't perfect, I ride it regularly and it performs just fine (its not my bikepacking bike, but I have done some road touring on it).  I would highly encourage you to build your own frame.  You can build a steel lugged frame (MTB or road) with just a hacksaw, a couple of decent files, a cheap oxy-acetylene rig and some tubes.  Jigs to hold everything while you weld can be made for cheap if you aren't worried about getting things too perfect.  There are some great resources on the web for building your own frame.  Just do some googling.  You can read all of the old posts at Frame Forum http://www.frameforum.org/forum3/index.php or hit http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/forum.php there are lots of other resources.

The UBI school is hard to beat, but it will cost as much to do it as it would to buy a new custom frame from a good builder.  Some of the best builders out there never took a class and taught themselves everything.  It's easier than it looks.  Just takes time.  However, if you take the class you will end up with a decent bike frame in 2 weeks without having to buy any tools.

Also...looks like you are in Austin.  Check out the Texas Custom Bicycle Show this weekend. http://bikeframebuilding.blogspot.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Custom-Bicycle-Show/135642486262?ref=ts

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[GreenBikeGuy]

Sadly, frameBUILDING and custom bikes are completely out of my price range.  For that matter, neither do I have access to the proper tools; I'm going to have to go through Yellow Bike, one way or the other.

[jimfab]

Do it!

I have built myself 3 frames now. i took one i made the divide last year. There is no better feeling than riding your own gear. Despite what others may tell you, there is no real secret or tricks to frame building. It is just like anything else you make with 2 hands, the drawing board is where all the magic happens. fitting and welding is the easy part (although i spent most of my life with metal so my opinion my be jaded a bit, Hence the online handle jimfab, jimfab was my metal biz for sometime before switching profession). I made myself a cheap, easy and effective frame jig. Bought my butted tubbing from nova cycle supply, made my own drop outs and bent all my own tubbing. You can TIG weld or braze a frame. Brazing is much cheaper and easy. Dont limit yourself to a bike you dont want, it is just as easy to build one you like. There is a fair amount of online resources for ideas and pitfalls. Aircraft spruce is also a good place for non butted 4130. My divide bike cost me about 130$ including powder paint to finnish and it is exactly what i wanted. I will try to add a photo of my 29er divide special and my homemade fat bike if i can find it. Feel free to Pm with any questions.

Rock- JF

[GreenBikeGuy]

With all due respect, guys, I said, "no": I cannot and will not attempt to weld a frame.  That is taking it too far, in my opinion, and I frankly consider it fool-hardy without proper skills or equipment.  It's off the table.
I am only talking about making a "clunker": a simple, even crude MTB made from pre-existing parts.  I am talking about assembling a simple, even crude bike on a negligible budget, to be put into use immediately, without pushing my luck with skills or equipment that I neither possess, nor have access to.

[Mike Brown]

Greenbike guy- I know a few people who have built a mtb from parts scrounged at Asheville Recyclery.  They end up with pretty cool bikes- if it was 1997.  I loved my bike in 1997, so that's what you'll get.

If you go singlespeed with a geared frame, one thing I highly recommend spending money on is a good single-ating device.  Rennen Rollenlager's work awesome and they're bomb proof.  The key is to get a device that bolts on for tension rather than one that relies on a spring. Spring loaded devices do not work on rocky trails.

[GreenBikeGuy]

Thanks, Mike.  I've already been figuring that single-speed is only going to be practical if I get a frame with horizontal dropouts.  However, while I've heard of "single-ators" before (Surly makes one, for example), I don't understand the difference between "tension" and "spring-loaded" devices.    In fact, I've never heard of anything BUT tensioners before!  Could you explain?

[wdlandparker]

I believe he is referring to a bmx-type chain tensioner, like the surly tuggnutt, but for that you need horizontal dropouts. THerefore, to go SS with vertical dropouts, you need a "spring loaded" tensioner like the singleator.
Good luck on your clunker! be sure to post pictures

[Rockin]

I believe he is referring to a bmx-type chain tensioner, like the surly tuggnutt, but for that you need horizontal dropouts. THerefore, to go SS with vertical dropouts, you need a "spring loaded" tensioner like the singleator.
Good luck on your clunker! be sure to post pictures

You can also use a derailuer fixed to the middle of its travel range.  Road ones are lighter.

[Mike Brown]

I am referring to this. Designed to work with standard dropouts.

http://www.rennendesigngroup.com/rollenlager.html

Position to maintain tension. 
Bolt into deraillerur hanger. I replaced the big ass 15 mm bolt with a same thread pitch and size 6mm hex head, works way better and don't need to carry an extra tool.
Never moves- hundreds and hundreds of miles, no dropped chains.
I tried the performance version of this, it sux, do not buy.
Misfit Psycles also makes something similiar. 

I cannot say enough about how much better this works.  Think about it- most single-ators pull the chain away from the cog, the same thing that your derailleur does to shift.  This pushes back around the cog, increasing chain wrap and making it work more better. 

That is all.
Have fun! 

[wdlandparker]

You can also use a derailuer fixed to the middle of its travel range.  Road ones are lighter.

very true , very true!

[delete this account]