How To Buy Retro Bikes And Parts Without Breaking The Bank

[@MonkeyShred]

I'd say ALWAYS worth buying a complete bike for budget builds. Sell off unused parts keeps the cost down. My most expensive builds have always been frame only starts :(

[@ReCycledCycler]

Frame only builds are the best though I think, a blank canvas, no need to keep it period correct etc

[@yardsalecycles]

Has to be a very special frame for me to do a frame only build .. all the random parts needed will kill your budget in no time

[@janeblogs324]

Shhh don't tell everyone

[@mojojojo6852]

Absolutely agree. It seems so innocent at the start though..

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

😂 love the replies here. Yep I’d agree with Mark. Buying complete is the way. I have the luxury/curse of big parts bins but to my own point around keeping cost down completes are the way!!

[@chrissyj.6783]

I've returned to building bikes after a long time away and I've struggled to find reliable suppliers for parts, especially at the low cost end. All my local bike shops look at me like I'm crazy for wanting things like Aheadset ball bearings (in their retainers), freewheel bearings and half-links. If it wasn't for chaps like you I'd be stuffed. Appreciate your work 😊

[@Ey_up]

Those Nukeproof nylon pedals get terrible customer reviews because the end bolts loosen. I...tighten...them...up! Bad reviews keeps the price down; loads of colours. I've never had a pedal loosen and I have 3 sets on 3 bikes. There...vented! Great vlog. I learned some stuff.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Yeah I’ve had the same! Good point though, hadn’t thought of it in that way.

[@rcbprk]

Great video, and some sound tips for us bike building nerds. Just wanted to add that, depending where you live, local bike recycling charities can be a great source of parts. We have a place called Recyk Y Bike up in Newcastle that refurb donated bikes and sell them for accessible prices to those who need them, but they also part things out and sell off frames, wheels, tires and components for very reasonable prices. Obviously if you’re planning to build up a 100% NOS period piece it might not be your spot, but if you want some functional 90s mtb bits they’re worth trawling through.

[@adammillsindustries.]

The music is so good. I want an old Raleigh to make single speed for commuting.

[@polthedestroyer]

Excellent video, dude! What to buy is great, but I'm so glad you talked about HOW to buy. That's wisdom right there. You're a real champ.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Cheers mate!! Really appreciate it!

[@sbrown1953]

Besides the wealth of very useful information for retro bike lovers on a budget, the soundtrack in the background is so chill. Perhaps list the musical choices?

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Great shout!! I’ll try and add the tracks in the description. 🙌🏼

[@noisepuppet]

Love this video, would watch this stuff all day 😊 very useful

[@sterlingpratt4901]

Instant subscribe, love this, love detail, I'm a beginner, so I love being talked to with like, granular detail. Super stoked to watch more! 🖤👌🏻

[@robertlewis4555]

I brought my NSR giant bike of face bay for £20 an man iv been watching a load of your videos lately. Keep up the good work my man

[@johannesr8709]

Bought a 50€ bike today, I’m so stoked to get into it. Very nice Tipps! Will keep em in mind

[@scottwistinghausen1888]

Another tip is having some friction shifters on hand. If you have friction shifters you can basically run any groupset

[@johnsheetz6639]

It's probably the one component I bought off early that worked. 😊

[@irenecraggs6123]

love your channel love how you save the old bikes nice job look forward to seeing more builds and thank you for all the great tips building a commuter as we speak got rid of the crappy heavy ebike👍

[@oheso]

Extra effort ... er .. you polish the hell out of these things

[@MarcoRuschkowski]

Great video and since I'm more team single speed I'd love to see that version of this video. Pretty please 🤩

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

I’ll see what I can do!

[@andypicken7848]

Very informative. Thanks for posting

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

No worries! Thanks for commenting!

[@bobwyattfpv9847]

Super helpful. Cheers 🍻

[@RobBastien]

Hey bud, what do you do with all your builds? Is there a market for those, once they are build?

[@madisondeans5566]

Oh man,what a great video! Thanx for all the info love it!!!😉👌

[@alaricpaley6865]

I have cheap taste for grips: the Aliexpress Oury knock offs have turned into some of my faves. It's like, $4CAD for the lock on sets. I wouldn't trust a lot of the other components on there tho.

[@the_nondrive_side]

well today I picked up another old 26" mostly because I needed the MRX gripshift and the crankset.. otherwise I liked the tires and the brake levers which are two finger and switch between V and C. as well as came with proper AVID V brakes. and a riser stem I immediately swapped onto my Rocky Moutain. bought it for the Michelin Country & Rock tires. future builds in mind will love the RD and wheels. current bike needed the front shifter and the crank looks like a better range. garbage bike for the Commuter. oh yes I fought for hours with one bolt to take off the rack.. the frame is rusted so it's going in the bin fork and all but you've seen my Surly fork that's been on a Norco indie 4 and now a Trek 7300fxdisc.. came from a giant iguana with all Deore and no wheels.. BB7 calipers.. $30 canadian.. saved a broke bike and upgraded 3 of my group... hardware.. yeah spend the money at a local shop and just take your bolts in and find new ones. a couple months later and the "parts bike" trek 930 is now all 1998 XT 750 and riding on a Manitou sx.. 720 35 rise and riding on a 27.5 disc wheelset... so disc swapped.. the Rocky Mountain is sold off and there's $170 profit there paying for the upgrades. my CBBO bike is still stuck BB but we gonna try that today

[@danielhofff9002]

In the Pacific Northwest we have whole bile shop you can build what ever you want tons of bone yards around here

[@johnsheetz6639]

No offense, I live up here in the Pacific Northwest and I know we love our bikes up here. Bike thievery is rampant up herr that's why you find old frames laying around everywhere I found an trek 900 frame just the other day. Tweakers are steal bikes just so they have something to disassemble while they're high. What really gets me mad is all these guys riding around on little bmx bikes you know they stole them from a kid.

[@Donovangulya]

Cst is a sister brand of Maxxis so if you look close some of the tire are very similar in tread and quality.

[@janeblogs324]

Chen shin tyres. Been making OE tyres forever. Rubber compound is key.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

No way! Had no idea.

[@ianwilde1800]

i tried out charge spoon because so many people said they good iv had seats that 125 quid a charge spoon under 30 and way more combatable there my go to seat now

[@Dave_Bike]

check out Vittoria Tattoo Light 26 x 2.3 - seem to be some good budget tyres that still look decent

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Nice I’ll check them out. Haven’t tried them before.

[@offgridsyndicate9466]

Do you have any suggestions for wheel sets available in the United States?

[@7_camric504]

Great tips

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Glad you like them!

[@lewisyoung6040]

Good tips, in the UK FB market place is the way forward for cheap whole retro bikes. This year I've had a Rockhopper FS for 20 quid (it was the ex husband's I just want shot. Here, take my £20 madam), a mid 90's Ridgeback with mint deore LX 560 on it for 25 and a trek 5500 ovlc road bike for 100. 1st thing Saturday or Sunday morning seems to be good for a scroll and catch the "just listed" stuff.

[@Rascross]

Mavic CROSSRIDE are awesome wheelset !

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Nice! I haven’t tried them yet but I’ll add them to the list.

[@tonypotter9578]

Liked and subscribed 👍

[@pokeypaul78]

Great tips. I've bought several wheelsets off eBay, but the cones on all of them were toast. Do you have a source for replacement cones? The eBay ones I found were some bizarre dimension. Also most of the retro cracks I find are 175mm is there a reason they're so long?

[@OliverWallaceStories]

Any tips for inexpensive stem clamps?

[@MiraHarrison-uh1fm]

Can anyone give me advice on how to determine what crank, cassete and and handle bar sizes i should be looking for? doing a first time build on 1989 specialized hard rock. stripped it to the frame and am now a little lost

[@moodycxnt]

The longer the video went on the less it was about not breaking the bank haha but good content nonetheless mate

[@iklein81]

Great vid as always, but wished you talked about handlebars too!

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Can’t believe I missed it but I did record a section about bars. It goes live at 12pm GMT today 🙌🏼

[@iklein81]

🙌

[@Lukewilla]

CST tires is the parent company of Maxxis…

[@scotty-837]

Chen Shin Tyres, I think they used to be owned by raleigh

[@husky0877]

Love Charge Spoons. After trying many saddles, wouldn't use anything else now.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Preach!!

[@dstroud666]

I’m judging the sparkling water more! 😂😉

[@TM54561]

Have you come across KX wheels? Any opinions on them?

[@johnsheetz6639]

I just got ripped off on a giant iguana. I should have inspected started cleaning it up in the frame is bent 😢. I might get a suntour crankset and the front araya rim the back when I'm going to have to use for a practice wheel build. I call this a Johnny 5 bike. DISASSEMBLE!

[@2hiperkemanci]

How did you even find Sarikiz (Turkish sparkling water) in there?

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

There’s a Turkish delivery app called Getir and n London. I use it all the time!!

[@2hiperkemanci]

@@2NDLIFEBIKES Awesome :) Greetings from New York

[@floppywonka]

i got tan billys on bikeinn about a five weeks ago. took a month for them to arrive (bikeinn is slow to ship to the us), but they were cheap af.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

They take some time getting to the UK so I’m not surprised!! Great website!

[@oliver-m7ocl]

Have the charge spoon saddles been discontinued? I've seen shortages from a lot of retailers.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

I think they have been for a long time but there was a lot of stock until now. Won’t be long before they are gone I reckon.

[@oliver-m7ocl]

Ugh. I loved the crazy colours that used to be available, I can't seem to find an alternative brand. Got any other favourites yourself? @@2NDLIFEBIKES

[@gallowglass1594]

Are you actually drinking Sarikiz Soda? The main manufacturing facility for those is just a couple hours away from where I live in Turkey.

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Haha yes I was!

[@chrisrmstrng]

Cheers! Thanks for doing this. The Julian Assange of bike resto mods

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Yeah maybe I should have kept some of my secrets!

[@cgfootman]

I'm glad i'm not the only person wasting their life scrolling through 15k "bikes" 😂

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

Oh you’re not hahahahah! 😂

[@johnsheetz6639]

Your stickers are selling like crazy I can't get any I need me a proper crusty and save old bikes.

[@CrustyMolluscTV]

CRUSTY BIKES ARE THE BEST BIKES

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

LONG LIVE THE CRUST!!

[@shaunoconnordotnet]

Hi 2LB I’m curious to know why you call the used bikes that you rebuild ‘retro’? Retro is generally used to describe new model bikes that are modern reproductions or throwbacks to classic models often with updated technology, materials or parts where needed.

[@Jay_Noir]

He's building new bikes using old and new components, in an old style. I think calling it retro is fair, feels more appropriate than vintage.

[@91722854]

too late, already sleeping on the streets

[@rosetastone15]

Unpopular opinion, but Billy Bonkers are overrated. I might even say that they kind of suck. They do look really nice though. Edit: Saddles are objective to the individual as you've mentioned, but Charge saddles are pretty great. They really are worth a try considering how cheap they are.