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pylon · 06-18-2011, 12:52 AM

I guess tips are important too...lol.

For buying parts, you simply cannot beat www.JensonUSA.com . Everything is quoted duty, brokerage, shipping and tax in, to your door price. I ordered what would have amounted to about $1500 worth of parts to upgrade my mountain bike here, for around 600 bucks to my door, NEXT DAY for most shipments too.

One of the absolute best investments I made, was buying a mechanics bike repair stand for $140 bucks at MEC, and the park tool ak-37 tool kit. Park tool is kinda like the Snap-on of the bike tool world. I literally stripped my mountain bike down to the frame, and rebuilt it from scratch using the tool kit, and a few youtube vids. It was literally a custom build. Every single component was swapped out. The only things I kept were the wheels, and frame. Headset, bottom bracket, derailleurs, shifters, hydraulics, everything..... new.

Took my okayish $1000 Trek 6000, to a race ready $3000 XC hardtail (Trek 8500 level), by shopping savvy, and buying bits and pieces that were on sale over a couple months. For example I picked up a carbon seat post, riser bar, and stem, one weekend they were on sale, and got the whole shebang for about 120 bucks. Here?? Good luck pulling that off for less than $350. Clipless pedals you'll pick up for 1/3 to 1/2 price, and forks/shocks are criminally priced here at LBS, expect to save 1/2, and drivetrains, at least half.

However, DO NOT buy built wheels, you get crushed on the duty on them. Buy a truing stand, and buy the spokes and rims separately, and build your own. It is the last thing I am learning, is wheels truing. I have about 3 or 4 old wheels I keep building, tearing down, and purposely warping, just to get the hang of it. Once you have the right tools, wrenching bikes is super satisfying, and fun.

I got the park tool ak-37 kit on sale for $220 at Jenson, and the stand for $140 at MEC, and I will never have to pay for a bike tune ever again. So it is a super solid investment. However, if you are not mechanically inclined, you might want to stay away. Shifter/derailleurs/drive train can be a witch if you you don't get how gearing and levers work.

06-18-2011, 12:52 AM	#10
pylon NOT Chris Butler Join Date: Jul 2007 Exp:	I guess tips are important too...lol. For buying parts, you simply cannot beat www.JensonUSA.com . Everything is quoted duty, brokerage, shipping and tax in, to your door price. I ordered what would have amounted to about $1500 worth of parts to upgrade my mountain bike here, for around 600 bucks to my door, NEXT DAY for most shipments too. One of the absolute best investments I made, was buying a mechanics bike repair stand for $140 bucks at MEC, and the park tool ak-37 tool kit. Park tool is kinda like the Snap-on of the bike tool world. I literally stripped my mountain bike down to the frame, and rebuilt it from scratch using the tool kit, and a few youtube vids. It was literally a custom build. Every single component was swapped out. The only things I kept were the wheels, and frame. Headset, bottom bracket, derailleurs, shifters, hydraulics, everything..... new. Took my okayish $1000 Trek 6000, to a race ready $3000 XC hardtail (Trek 8500 level), by shopping savvy, and buying bits and pieces that were on sale over a couple months. For example I picked up a carbon seat post, riser bar, and stem, one weekend they were on sale, and got the whole shebang for about 120 bucks. Here?? Good luck pulling that off for less than $350. Clipless pedals you'll pick up for 1/3 to 1/2 price, and forks/shocks are criminally priced here at LBS, expect to save 1/2, and drivetrains, at least half. However, DO NOT buy built wheels, you get crushed on the duty on them. Buy a truing stand, and buy the spokes and rims separately, and build your own. It is the last thing I am learning, is wheels truing. I have about 3 or 4 old wheels I keep building, tearing down, and purposely warping, just to get the hang of it. Once you have the right tools, wrenching bikes is super satisfying, and fun. I got the park tool ak-37 kit on sale for $220 at Jenson, and the stand for $140 at MEC, and I will never have to pay for a bike tune ever again. So it is a super solid investment. However, if you are not mechanically inclined, you might want to stay away. Shifter/derailleurs/drive train can be a witch if you you don't get how gearing and levers work.