Just got in from a club ride. The local wrench reckons 1.5 hours to build a current 29er from scratch with new parts. Cost - depends on whether you source parts from the LBS or not! Turn up at the shop with internet sourced f&f/components - that'll be £100, please (guilty!). Let the shop source your specification and try to price match - £60-80 approx if you give them a fair chance to price match. In other words, they mark up their labour rate by 25-50% for online builds.     

^^ Thanks for investigating. Good insight and seems obvious now that you point it out.

My bike shop in the midwest charges $60 bucks for a year tuneup so I would imagine to build the bike it would at least double. 

Quote from: Sitar_Ned on June 12, 2014, 03:17:11 PM

Quote from: RS VR6 on June 08, 2014, 11:02:49 PM
What fitting did you get charged 40 for?

Well I didn't actually pay for it, but it was a road bike from BikesDirect... Was just wanting a professional fitting done (stem length and rise, seat height)

A legit fit should cost about 200-250. Depending on what is done. I got fit on my road bike and it took about 1.5 hours.

For me the most important part of the fit was my saddle position. I was getting lower back pain on my left side. During the fit...he found that my saddle was too low and too far back. He also added shims that canted my knees in. The lower back pain was gone on the first long ride out. I can't count the amount of people I see riding their bikes with the saddles too and their knees bowed out.

So I just took those measurements and used them on my 29er.

Friend had a tuneup done on an older bike with a few parts replacement - totalled $220.00
parts were tires/tubes...so 200.00 for 'complete' tuneup
I was quoted 25.00 for putting in a BB30 crank.

Here is what a local shop charges for his services.


Bar tape install $8
Bike frame swap – old parts on new frame $100
Bottom Bracket Adjustment $12
Bottom Bracket Install $20
Bottom Bracket Overhaul $20
Brake Adjustment $12
Brake Cable Install $15
Clean bike $25
Clipless Pedal Setup $20
Computer Install $10
Derailleur Adjustment $12
Derailleur Install $20
Derailleur Cable Install $15
Disc Brake Bleeding $20
Disc Brake Install $25
Disc Brake Line Install $22
Drive Train Soak $35
Freewheel/Cassette Install $8
Freewheel/Cassette Removal $8
Grip Install $6
Headset Install $35
Headset Overhaul $20
Hub Adjustment $12
Hub Overhaul $20
Mountain bike – Hard Tail Build $60
Mountain bike – Full Suspension Build $80
Replace tube $6
Rim Brake Install $20
Road bike - Build $60
Small adjustments $5
Threaded Headset Adjustment $12
True Wheel $18
Most installs $5-10

Those are some really cheap prices RS VR6, every bike shop around Atlanta would charge 2x-4x that amount.

My LBS quoted $100 just to install my Scott twin-loc remote lockout.  I think the going rate is about $60-$80/hr for shop service these days.  Your shop is stuck in about 1984 which is great for you!

This guy is a straight up one man operation. He's also a Cat 3 racer. I was really surprised by his pricing.

On the flip side...there is a better known and larger shop a couple towns over and they charge 300!!

Just to add to the market benchmarking.  I am in $75 to finish my build - headset, cutting steer tube, shorting and routing brake lines, chain length, rederailer setup, and final once over. 

I've spent well over $400 USD on proper tools but I built 5 so far.
Different types of grease, anti-seize, brake fluid for shimano, hydraulic fluid for RockShocks lockout.
$500 for a build is fair. At the end an experienced builder will help you avoid issues with things that are not placed properly.
You miss a bearing gasket and you ended up replacing a bearing earlier. You leave your chain to long and it will be jumping out of the chain-ring.


Now if you want to race I would recommend you do your own build. This way you will know every little detail of your bike. Specially for race day when you need to identify and fix something fast.

Quote from: charlesrg on June 22, 2014, 08:11:10 PM
I've spent well over $400 USD on proper tools but I built 5 so far.
Different types of grease, anti-seize, brake fluid for shimano, hydraulic fluid for RockShocks lockout.
$500 for a build is fair. At the end an experienced builder will help you avoid issues with things that are not placed properly.
You miss a bearing gasket and you ended up replacing a bearing earlier. You leave your chain to long and it will be jumping out of the chain-ring.


Now if you want to race I would recommend you do your own build. This way you will know every little detail of your bike. Specially for race day when you need to identify and fix something fast.

Hello Charles, what are the grease and anti seize that you use?