Hey XBiking Community –
Just got back into biking after a long hiatus since college, and I’m looking to just have fun and learn about building up bikes. I bought the above-pictured Trek 720 from a local-ish seller in NJ on the advice of a friend, and now I’m looking to source parts.
My goals with this bike are simple: build up a bike for the first time. Don’t make things too fancy so as to make the bike stand out and more likely to be stolen. Get it nice enough that I can use it for my daily ~2 mile commute to and from the train station to my house. Maybe have wide enough tires that I can also take it on the local towpath for some rides with my wife.
All that said, once I started looking around about parts, I got a little overwhelmed. Bottom bracket sizing. Chain line. Headset conversion. Whoaaaaaaaa.
And, so far the advice I’ve gotten from folks is, “Well just look around. There are plenty of resources on how to do what you want.” The thing is…that’s true, but there are almost too many to parse, and it’s really difficult to tell what would actually apply to the frame I have.
Would a kind soul be willing to lend me some sage advice on where to begin? What’s a small win on this that would get me going?
by brycerton
8 Comments
Here’s one I find useful: [https://whatbars.com](https://whatbars.com)
If you’re that far out of your element that you don’t know all these things, this is gonna be one of those projects that will sit in a corner for years. It’s gonna cost you ALOT to build it up piece-by piece. Start with [www.sheldonbrown.com](http://www.sheldonbrown.com)
That frame takes 700c wheels.
You are way better off starting with a whole bike instead. Now’s the time to look online and get something cheap. Deals like this are not uncommon.
https://preview.redd.it/8zki56xu7dze1.jpeg?width=1627&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0fc56a2a21f8d32b4c09e9457acc138df33b3d8
A good place to start would be looking at other Trek builds on here, this will give you some inspiration as well as a chance to see what components others have used in their builds.
I think the best way to learn is to get stuck in, there’s an element of on the fly problem solving which can’t be avoided when building bikes (especially at the beginning). You’ll need to buy some specialised tools or find somewhere that will let you borrow them (local bike shops or co ops).
You’re going to make some mistakes and buy some parts that don’t fit and have to spend a bunch more money but you’ll learn something in the process. Take your time and come back here if you can’t find an answer to any questions you have.
Edit: Check out: [https://www.reddit.com/r/MultiTrackGang/](https://www.reddit.com/r/MultiTrackGang/) also.
68mm width square taper bottom bracket then go from there.
I usually don’t agree with tiregroove but you have a long way to go to get this built up. Parts are cheap but you need a LOT of them.
That is a very pretty frame and worth building up. I assume you don’t have a parts bin to pull from. So your best bet would be a bike Co-Op, if you don’t have one of those your next best bet is is find a donor bike. Take it apart, clean all the parts with a warm soapy water and an old tooth brush, then move them over.
You could easily have $500 into this build. So I guess prepare yourself for that.
Tbh, ChatGPT can be pretty helpful and can cut down on hours of research if you’re researching compatibility issues. I’ve used it on builds before to find good derailleurs.
I’m in the same situation as you are. The weather is getting good here so I finally decided to buy a bike. But like you I wanted to make something that I could call my own. So I bought two bikes, costing me a total of £105. One bike that is in working order (£70), a hybrid I’m using for commuting and bike rides. The second bike I bought (£35) is an absolute mess but I liked the frame, it’s ridable but it’s something I can work on bit by bit. I’m like you, I got overwhelmed with all the lingo and measurements you see on reddit so I’m just doing the small things first like maintenance, and dismantling the bike to see how the parts work and fit together. I’m a total rookie when it comes to do anything like this so just learning from my mistakes and watching a lot of YouTube. Good luck!
Do you have a bike shop near you that sells used parts?
there are a few youtube channels that refurb bikes like max the mullet, bikefarmer, garys.projects that should give you some ideas. my one suggestion is not to over do it and try to force too many modern components like cartridge bottom brackets with 1×12 speed, not to say its impossible, but it adds complexity and cost. if you stick to components of the same era as the bike it will make things smoother and keep costs down.
if you can find a coop, its just as valuable for advice as it is for second hand parts!