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Hi! Could anyone help please? What's the typical cost of labor in workshops to build a bike from components? If I bought a frame and all the necessary components separately, how much would it cost to install crankset, brakes, derailleurs, shifters, all cables, cut a fork post, press headset cups etc? And can you recommend inexpensive, but still good bike workshop in north-west suburbs, that works on Saturdays or Sundays? 

Thanx

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I'll stick with using good ones...

Drewbacca said:

Only if you are buying the best. A decent press can be found in the $50 area. You can build your own for $10 (although I wouldn't recommend that for most people).

notoriousDUG said:

Considering a headset press is almost $140 you are probably not going to be better off buying all the tools you need to properly assemble a bike.

Not in your area, but I wholeheartedly recommend Turin on Damen near Lawrence. They're open on the weekends. Seriously nice and helpful people. They helped me prep a Soma ES frame and fork I built up in June, and they were great.

Most bike shops charge $100-200 for a build, plus any missing bits or unexpected snags. You usually get what you pay for.

Someone should also mention West Town Bikes:

http://westtownbikes.org

A fully equipped bike workshop/ donation-based.

Show up reasonably early on a Saturday and you should be able to get it done before close.

The cost of building a bike can be up front or spread out over time. Wheels that are non-destructively pre-stressed to 150 Kgf round to +/- 0.03mm tensioned to 100Kgf Front- 120Kgf Drive side Rear. Will keep quality spokes from fatigue breaks for 10 to 15 years of hard use. Or you can spend $20 each spoke to replace them as they break in a few years. Ten broken spokes are more than the cost of labor to have an excellent wheel built, minus all the time you would spend on each visit to the bike shop and the frustration of a bike not being reliable. 

Seldom does the least expensive product or service, take care of the needs of a cyclist. When you want a reliable ride, invest your time and resources. You will seldom be dissapointed

Or the Recyclery near the Howard station.  I pressed in the headset and cut the fork for my bike there.

Website seems to be down; maybe they're gone.

Putting a whole bike together takes a number of hours so $200 is pretty reasonable for a mechanic's time.

h' 1.0 said:

Someone should also mention West Town Bikes:

http://westtownbikes.org

A fully equipped bike workshop/ donation-based.

Show up reasonably early on a Saturday and you should be able to get it done before close.

Yep, and you get all sorts of things that most people never notice or even realize.  All the cables get stretched.   Wheels checked for tension and destressed.  Everything greased and all the threads chased.  All the little details that come with a pro-build like all the housing being oriented so you can read it and such.

Tricolor said:

Putting a whole bike together takes a number of hours so $200 is pretty reasonable for a mechanic's time.

Hi,

This is Linda from Village CycleSport in Elk Grove Village. A "pre-assembled" bike build is generally $40-50. This is a bike in a box that has been pre-assembled from the factory or for shipping like for an event.

A bike build from the "frame up" is approximately $180.00.  We have 3 stores in the NW Burbs, all open 11-4 on the weekends; Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and Barrington. Click on our site for directions and phone numbers. Our service dept will be happy to assist with any further questions you have about getting your bike built up. www.villagecyclesport.com

Thank you!

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