I Lost £100 On This Bike Build - Real Costs Of Building A Retro Mountain Bike Commuter - Cannondale

Ever wondered how much money we spend on bike builds? Well here is the answer. I built this Cannondale as a retro mountain bike commuter and lost £100!
Instagram: m0nkeyshred
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Bike Spec & Product Links
Frame : 1994 Cannondale M900
Handlebars : MX Style 22.2mm x 800mm
Grips : Clarks Lock On : amzn.to/41EWIqz
Shifters : SRAM X5 10 Speed : amzn.to/47dg3jK
Brake Levers : Clarks V Brake
Stem : BMX Stem
Headset : Ritchey Logic V2 1 1/8" : amzn.to/3GZQEPE
Fork : Unbranded 26" Rigid
Brakes : Clarks V Brake
Brake Pads : Clarks V Brake
Wheels : Hubs - Shimano
Rims - Mavic
Spokes -
Nipples -
Tyres : Ritchey Speedmax 26" x 2.0"
Seatpost : Kalin 27.2mm
Seat Clamp :
Saddle :
Rear Derailleur : SRAM GX 10 Speed : amzn.to/48BIZTD
Crankset :
Chainring :
Chainring Bolts :
Bottom Bracket : Shimano BB52 : amzn.to/48BJ3ml
Chain : SRAM PC-1051 : amzn.to/3vhmSDB
Cassette : Ztto 11-42T : amzn.to/4aDbFx4
Pedals : Wellgo M273 : amzn.to/4aynEMC
Cargo Net : Silverline : amzn.to/3RWARHD
Front Rack : Basil : amzn.to/3RYjhTR
Bottle Cage :
Decals : Original
Paint : Original
Weldtite Grease : amzn.to/3eAyMhn
Jagwire 4mm Outer Gear Cable : amzn.to/3ixMkcS
Jagwire 5mm Outer Brake Cable : amzn.to/3dXHdiP
Jagwire Inner Gear Cable : amzn.to/3dZcMJ9
Jagwire Brake Cable : amzn.to/3dYk2am
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[@davidrobinson9507]

When I was working as a bike mechanic, stainless steel spokes were 30¢ each. Now they start at $3.00 each. One part of a good rebuild that I believe in is making sure the wheels are ready for another 30 years. That sometimes involves re-lacing them. It's going to cost me $216.00 just to buy spokes, then there's the labour of doing it. But vintage bikes are a passion. Choose your battles. Make them really good so they show everyone how great the old bikes are.

[@MonkeyShred]

That's crazy - you're getting ripped off is they're just regular plain gauge spokes. It's £1.79 for a pack of 6 plain gauge stainless spokes where I get them. A pack of 37 double butted Rohloff spokes only costs £24.99 too!

[@JohnPilling25]

Thinking back I picked up 2 mid '90s Specialized hard rocks last year. I fixed them up - no painting just cleaning and polishing - had to put on new tyres, cables, some parts from my parts bin, new chain and, unfortunately new shifters. I added up the total cost including the $50 that I paid for each frame and the total was around $250 each. I ended up selling one to a friend of my wife's for his son and one to my neighbour for his daughter, both Christmas Gifts, for $100 each. They looked and worked better than new and will last them well. The looks of joy on these two teenagers faces when they got them was priceless.

[@MonkeyShred]

Good on you John!

[@vernerjuliussen2071]

Truly a one-of amazing resto mod. 90s-mtb. In my opinion "better" and more user friendly then ever. But as you say, we (who tinker with/ salvage old gold) must see this as more of a hobby than a steady income. I love my hobby and will continue to restore/ rebuild bikes in the future. The world need's cool and practical transportation and there is no better mean then a bike. 😎🤙

[@MonkeyShred]

True words. I don’t see it as anything but a hobby but I realise how appealing it might seem to many without knowing the costs. That’s why I’m going to start including them so it gives a better picture

[@demonstructie]

If you think about it, your target market is extremely niche. It's people who: - Care enough to want a something a little bit special because looking at it and being seen on it is part of the fun for them - Can appreciate a 30 year old bike not as an old piece of crap, but as a piece of quality kit over a brand new bike that's built to sell cheaply - Can differentiate between a stock bike of the time thats been ridden into the ground, and a fully restored bike with all new parts, while the paint is stilldinged and scuffed - Despite all of the above aren't inclined to build one themselves, either from scratch or scope one out online thet only needs minor modifications to get it up to snuff Looking at it that way, it's unfortunately only a tiny portion of a tiny portion of a tiny portion of people who would be interested in buying a bike like this.

[@MonkeyShred]

Nope, that's pretty damn accurate for anyone building bikes and deciding to sell it later.

[@andypicken7848]

Thanks Mark, the post has confirmed what I have long suspected, even with discounted parts, many old bikes are effectively beyond economical repair

[@MonkeyShred]

If your aim is to resell, it’s sure looking like that , but as a reliable ride for yourself I do still think it’s worth it

[@ronmatthews1738]

I couldn't disagree with this more. The person that built this bike threw money at it - the fork and bar set up more than doubled the price of the frame. Buying new bits gives the profit to the seller. Anyone doing this regularly has a big pile of bits. Top them up with boot sale buys and parts from scrap bikes. Buy at the right price, manage the build properly and you can still make a profit.

[@MonkeyShred]

@@ronmatthews1738 you’re new here. I have close to 40 bikes and a big pile of parts. If you don’t have the specific parts you want, you have to buy them. Of course I could have thrown any old bits on. That’d make a cheap bike… but crap bike compared to this.

[@ronmatthews1738]

@@MonkeyShred If you are building a bike to please yourself, then it is up to you what components you fit. I have bikes that had cost-no-object builds. But if you are building a bike to make a profit you have to economise. I could have saved you the £100 you lost on this and still built a good bike. But your business isn't selling bikes, it's making KZbin videos.

[@MonkeyShred]

@@ronmatthews1738 it’s really not Ron 😂 I make videos because I like to share content. Of course a bike could have been built cheaper. A complete bike to start with negates most of the cost. The new parts were cheap and it still adds up 🤷‍♂️ Granted I costed the drivetrain at full price when it was used so in reality the cost there was exaggerated but it cost what it did.

[@waelisc]

imo, resto-mods are too niche and expensive for the halfords bike crowd and retro enthusiasts either want original spec, or deals on parts they can refurb themselves, so aren't interested either

[@joefish6546]

I rode a 96 topanga I found at the side of the rode yesterday at my local dirt jump park. It was awesome fun and I felt great riding something from that era. I wouldn't ride a collector's bike and a modern bike would be just as enjoyable, but not for $1000+. The same bike will be taking me to work this year.

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah it’s true! The folk buying £250 Halfords bikes generally won’t understand the work or quality of an older refurbed bike and the retro collectors. We like original don’t we 😅

[@waelisc]

@@MonkeyShred a bike being almost as old as they are isn't a selling point for some people 😂

[@waelisc]

@@joefish6546 Same here - I found a neglected '96 Saracen Powertrax last year and am having a lot of fun scooting about on it

[@Shaz8389]

I never think about reselling when I build up a bike. I do it to relax, recently I've got a couple of friends interested so I build their bikes and they just buy the parts. I get to build a bike and I don't have to worry about what to do with it later.

[@simonmandrakejones]

I just stumbled across your channel over the last couple of days and I am really enjoying your content. I used to cycle years ago but started again 18 months ago to drive a little less and save money on petrol. At the time, I thought a) it would be easy to fix up my old bike (a 2004 Land Rover Freelander city bike) and b) that it would be cheaper than buying a new bike from Halfords or Decathlon. I was proved wrong on both counts. My local bike shop needed to fix up things that I messed up. And I got some really good tyres. So I am sympathetic to the costs here. Ultimately I have a solid beater bike. It doesn't look great and it has a few spots of rust (although the wheels and frame is sound). However it is really comfortable to ride, the breaks are great and the gear shifting is fine. I like that I am still using something that still has a lot of life in it.

[@MonkeyShred]

Glad the old bike has been kept alive. Generally I'd always say it's worth putting £200 or so in to a solid used bike than buying a new one from Halfords. I doubt a £200 Halfords bike would last veyr long at all.

[@andyc972]

Thanks for sharing this Mark, it's always great to see what you do with any bike, that bottom bracket was a nightmare, it fought you all the way, glad you got it sorted in the end ! I guess we've all been there with costs not being reflected in the value of the end result, for most of us this is for our own use though which is easier to live with if you love the bike. As you show it is so hard to make any money from doing all the required work and replacement parts. If you tot up all the replacement costs of the components on a new bike they're often way over the cost of the bike even excluding the frame so impossible to compete with this ! How much better for the environment to keep them going though !

[@MonkeyShred]

It's going to be crazy when I publish a couple of full restorations I've done recently (or soon to finish anyway) and reveal how much they've cost. Oohhhhh boy. One is at least - just for me so I don't mind too much the cost.

[@jackcarter233]

Loved my Cannondale MTB M700 in 92. Those beefy aluminum frames were cool.

[@MonkeyShred]

I've got a 92 Delta V 1000 waiting to be built too - that should be fun!

[@ashpunting]

I can definitely see Gary's project influence in that build with the handlebar style and front rack ✌🏽😊

[@MonkeyShred]

It is where I first saw those bars!

[@ashpunting]

@@MonkeyShred I put some low bmx bars on a 90s 26" gary fisher bike then I noticed Gary did the same more or less and that's when I started to follow him then I saw what you did and jumped on board with you 😊👍🏽

[@riskyrax]

Sweet steed. Not easy to glam up an old steed for profit these days when market is saturated. Always nice seeing an old one come back to life with steez 👍

[@MonkeyShred]

Thanks! I did really like how it looked and rode!

[@silvalining]

Love watching your videos! You often see restored bikes on some of the auction websites for between £500 and £1000.... they go round and round and unless they are rare or truly sought after (or both) they rarely seem to sell. Many people's reaction to these is that the price is 'crazy', but having built a dozen bikes myself, some of them rare, with period parts, the asking price is often actually a fair reflection of the costs involved with renovating and restoring. Thankfully, I'm not looking to sell any of my builds, but there is no way I would return a profit on mine! For me though the joys is in rebuilding and riding bikes I could only dream about when I was younger, even if they are 30 years old :-)

[@MonkeyShred]

Right! A properly restored bike costs so much. I've got a couple of full restorations almost complete and the prices of those will seem crazy to most especially when compared to the cost of new bikes at the moment!

[@joffbrown]

Keep up the great work I’m half way through building my old 26” hard tail mtb cos of your videos just got to watch the travel agent brake thing for v-brakes and just watch the barrel adjuster video.

[@MonkeyShred]

Hope the build goes well for you!

[@davidhagerty4625]

dude couldn't agree more....I've had a theory for a while that people either a) don't know the real value of bikes b) not prepared to pay for quality but with an older frame (unless they are a real bike repair /maintenance peson...ie into doing upgrades etc). keep it going that is some proper quality work to my mind 👍

[@murphyco88]

I think you have grab parts from where ever you can …. I think we need to inform buyers when we sell that these bikes are much better than a box store bike and will last so much longer ….keep it up bro. 😎

[@MonkeyShred]

Hopefully the buyer would care about that too!

[@EveryTongue]

Great build, really aesthetic and functional. You gave the guy a good deal.

[@jonlouis2582]

That was good content and fun to watch. I used to rescue nice vintage bikes for fun, sometimes from the dump, and give them away. I can't afford that any more, and the two shops here in New England where I got parts both went out of business. Online parts are hideously expensive.

[@MonkeyShred]

Thanks for watching. Shame about the local shops going out of business.

[@bobwilliamson5574]

I wish I could change a tyre as fast as you do .

[@Alex-mt6fe]

Nice looking build. Unfortunately, its a hit and miss . Sometimes theres $ made and Sometimes not. More of a labor of love. The hope is that the bike will have a positive impact on the new owner and improve their life. We are the bike clergy in a sense sharing our love of bikes to the masses. Keepnup the good work. Your doing great.

[@huggcycles1545]

Sad times for people like you and myself, who just want to re-cycle cycles. I aim to replace what needs replacing with a full strip down and regrease/oil. I try to reuse parts for cost efficiency, tyres are the killer for me! How ever cheap I can get a good base bike, its now getting close to costing me! Keep up the content and good recycling when possible!

[@MonkeyShred]

Recycling is always best. Tyres can get ridiculous too. That’s why I try and save as many as possible.

[@JohnPilling25]

I wholeheartedly agree on your comment regarding tyres. Virtually every decent frame I find here in south Florida has dry rotted tyres. Decent tyres are $30 to $50 each here I n the USA. So there goes any chance o f making a profit.

[@Jay-Ninja]

Lovely build. I’ve flipped a few bike’s recently and it’s hard to recover your time costs. You’re right, the market is flooded with cheap bikes. I think the only way to make a profit is buying decent condition bikes from sellers that just want shot of them, then simply giving them a good clean, replace cables, chains and other low cost parts then reselling as a fully serviced working bike. The downside is that can limit your creative ambition.

[@MonkeyShred]

Pretty much! It might a bit better now it’s getting towards summer but it’s still tough out there.

[@thedude2178]

Appreciate the honest finances Mark.

[@MonkeyShred]

You’re welcome.

[@oheso]

I've got two bikes -- a gravel / tourer and a daily commuter -- that I've essentially rebuilt from the ground up, to the point that the only original parts are the frame and fork. There's no way I could have done this in an economically justifiable fashion. I knew what I wanted and I bought new. I can't imagine scouring Ebay for good deals (or recognising one when I found it), and I'm absolutely certain I couldn't flip a bike at a profit. I love your build videos, but I can't ask you to continue to go out of pocket for them.

[@MonkeyShred]

Oh I've been doing this for years to the (honest) point where I'm covered in bikes parts but my bank is pretty much empty. I'm planning on putting all my effort in to making some really detailed builds with what I have left and clearing out what I don't need and resisting the urge to buy more! Torvi needs some more steak treats.

[@C345OFR]

Stunning paintjob, though - imagine it in the Californian sun, phwoar!

[@MonkeyShred]

It'd be gleaming!

[@jorgitoisabelino]

Verdaderamente la pasión y el placer de esta actividad va por delante de lo económico obviamente no pensamos en un negocio pero has revitalizado un cuadro que está y quedó impecable Felicitaciones 💪🏻💪🏻

[@MonkeyShred]

Gracias por las amables palabras amigo

[@zbigniewgawel4796]

People who really like these old bikes, good parts etc, are ready to spend money (and time) but also want fun of putting their own project together, not just the end product of a bike. I have a feeling that people who buy ready bikes just want something that resembles bikes they have seen on instagram or pinterest for as little as possible. You did that guy a favour by selling it for a low price and good karma will eventually come back to you 👍

[@MonkeyShred]

Nope, that's pretty accurate. I think I'm eveen guilty of that - seeing a bike I would really want but thinking - nah, I can build that cheaper.

[@Dutcharmytent]

Great build and video content. Facebook Market place killed off the bike market here in the South . Bikes for £40 or even free are the norm today. My alloy "Salcano" mountain bike cost £60 and is worth £30 now I expect , Just brought an alloy rack for £5.

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah there’s so many cheap bikes are there and parts. Some insane bargains and unfortunately a lot of them are the bikes bought during the lockdowns that people no longer want. It’s flooded the place.

[@fishyfool]

The secret to building bare frames is having parts. I bought a Trek 6000 WSD frame for 5 bucks at a yard sale. I had a Rock Shox fork, bought year correct xt components on ebay for a song and I had a pair of Trek wheels. Complete build, under 100 us dollars

[@JamesSeale2575]

Very honest video mate, it’s sad about the market recently

[@MonkeyShred]

Sure is! Especially after hearing yesterday that Orange bikes are going in to administration too 😩

[@JamesSeale2575]

@@MonkeyShred oh no wtf

[@bearded_borg]

I feel you on this. It’s hard to build with profit now. Also if I look at the prices people have on their bikes now it to much for a project bike.

[@MonkeyShred]

I’m not always in it for a profit to be honest. Just to break even would be great. At least then someone has a nice bike and I’m back to square one!

[@jp93309]

Don’t get into this restoration hobby thinking you’ll make money. You won’t. You’ll learn a lot, acquire a bunch of very specific bike tools, and lose a piece of yourself when you sell off a project.

[@MonkeyShred]

I've been doing this for years so yup, this is an accruate statement

[@donaldixon4036]

Lovely rebuild, even though you made a loss you have put back on the rd a good bike. I didn't see how the chainset and pedals locked together. Maybe another video

[@MonkeyShred]

Thanks! The pedals just thread in to the cranks the same as usual. 9/16” thread

[@BucketOfCrust]

Those Clarks budget v-brakes can be so hit and miss. When they work it's perfect but sometimes you have to do such an insane amount of fiddling to get it right! That paintjob is something else though!

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah they are a bit fiddly but I've used them on a few bikes with some decent results. For £20 - I kind of expect a bit of tweaking!

[@gerryedwards9738]

Great vid, again! I've been after a set of bars like that, that didn't break the bank. Where did you find them?

[@MonkeyShred]

eBay!

[@ferdinandmelchor4242]

awesome build!

[@MonkeyShred]

Thank you!

[@mtbboy1993]

The old Cannondale bikes had really nice welds. 10:15 But BB shell was not faced, not optimal.

[@ToddNZMTB]

Haemorrhoid purple looks quite good 🍇 I really like those handlebars actually, wouldn't fit on my bike without changing stuff though.

[@MonkeyShred]

I’ve never heard it called that colour before 😂

[@ToddNZMTB]

​@@MonkeyShredmore snappy than - Granddad's forehead vein after sitting through a 2 hour kids movie on Christmas day then all the kids announce they want to watch the sequel too 😄

[@mtbboy1993]

The market is not flooded in Norway yet, it remained the same, only slowed down at the parts shortage period. But now it's back to normal, but still lack of bikes as it usually is during the winter and early spring.l But what I see more of now is kids bikes.

[@thisquietplace]

I generally only buy complete bikes for resell. Even with swapping parts between them and only replacing consumables, the profits are low, but it's a fun hobby with a bonus now and then. Once in a blue moon, I'll find a bike that needs minimal work and I can double of even triple the resell price of with an hour or two of work. A good thing is that there is still a pretty active market for used frames, wheels etc (at least here), so my stockpile of parts I am not interested in for myselfy is pretty low.

[@ianwilkes4434]

My tip on building bikes if problem with bottom bracket or seized seat post fix first

[@MonkeyShred]

Or even... check those things first.

[@JohnPilling25]

I avoid Walmart/Halfords bikes as the basis of refurbs. The supply of sub $30 quality frames has dried up here in south Florida. The last one I found at a flea market a GT Karakoram with no wheels but full LX group set and I had to haggle for ages to get the seller, who refurbishes beach cruisers, down to $20 even though the combo brake/shifters were not working (they were trashed inside and beyond repair) and you know how hard it is to find those parts at prices less than new equivalents (impossible). I decided to repaint it, and will never get that money back. After the rebuild and a test ride - using a wheel I already had I discovered that the freewheel was worn out - another expense, new cables and it's been for sale for a mere $150 and no interest for the past 2 months. I have a Gary Fisher F4 which I refurbished, powder coated, all new suspension front and rear and new tyres, which I haven't been able to shift even at $250 for over a year. So yes you are right, the costs can add up quickly and these days people don't have any money to buy anything. I have to look at it as a hobby. During Covid I could turn over bikes in just days and for a small profit even after painting 🙂. I've been inspired by your and Gary's videos and just want to restore/refurb/restomod these excellent old bikes. It keeps me busy and provides great satisfaction when I compare the before and afters. I'm just getting into the GT's they make a great base.

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah I definitely avoid the cheap end of bikes too. That's a shame those bikes have been sitting around for so long - especially for a GT. I would have thought that'd bee easy to shift.

[@JohnPilling25]

Update: after another year the Gary Fisher Joshua F4 finally sold for $200 to a local teenager who came round with his dad and his saved up pocket money. He loved it! Just the GT remains, but as I am heading back to the Isle of Man next week it's going to sit in the garage for another 7 months! In the mean time I picked up a trek FX7.2 hybrid, refurbished it and sold it within a day for a small profit and about 2 weeks ago picked up a Cr-Mo steel framed Trek 930 from the mid 90's with a broken free hub. That will have to wait!

[@lonza92]

hi! nice build! i love this restomod! can you remember where you buy the handlebar?? i reseach this handlebar, but on the store if i buy sometimes, i'm not found enything.. ( sorry for my english but i'm from Italy!)

[@46FreddieMercury91]

Like old cars , often the repair is worth more than the market value of the car, but it's what the car or bike is worth to you

[@MonkeyShred]

Oh sure - if it's 100% a keeper then money isn't too much of an issue but this was more an insight in to the other end of things.

[@christopherguzzi1316]

Is there a reason you didn't use a bit of heat on the bottom bracket to get it off? I was waiting for something to snap when you were cranking on it with a long bar. ☺️🤗🤔

[@MonkeyShred]

Yup - I didn't want to burn the paint

[@Emz_Jhaye]

Nice build! ❤

[@MonkeyShred]

Thank you! 😁

[@yardsalecycles]

Bikes sale are really bad right now I haven't sold one in a while hopefully it picks back up around March but with all the discounts on new bikes I might be holding on to all of mine for a while

[@MonkeyShred]

Right?! I was going to sell off a brand new 12 speed SRAM NX group I've got but I've just realised loads of places are doing them for super cheap now too.

[@yardsalecycles]

@MonkeyShred ya if I didn't have a garage full I would be buying left and right just because there's so many deals

[@JonnyNorthmore]

eBay fees really are high!

[@MonkeyShred]

Basically the same as they’ve always been when it was separate between eBay and PayPal but yeah around 13% is a kick.

[@TheSamwhyte]

Think the rack and bars weren’t the way to go for selling on - they make it too niche/frankenbikey and reduce its mass appeal I have been flipping bikes for 2yrs (90s Konas are my speciality) and I’ve always made profit - from £40 up to £200 up in some cases. The key thing about any build is keeping “mass appeal” in mind.

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah in some respects I agree. There’s is a trend at the moment for bikes like this but for the mass market… yeah I think a big standard 700c hybrid or a hard tail would be the way to go.

[@johne1956]

Yes I tend to stick with 90's Konas, Stumpies, Rockhoppers, Marins and high end GTs these days.

[@qtronicqilt8898]

Can I ask where you sourced that Ritchey 1 1/4 headset from, or was it on the bike when you got it?

[@johna6968]

Heat on the bottom bracket tube is the answer to stubborn bb's

[@MonkeyShred]

Not if you want to avoid the potential of burning the paint.

[@florinb4668]

If you have knowledge and time can you do a video with/about pannier, rear rack and front ones and how good are they.And some recommendations please.

[@MonkeyShred]

I've technically got 3 different front racks I could compare so it's a possibility.

[@florinb4668]

​@MonkeyShred that will and if you know about others that are good even some picture inserted in video will do.

[@theretrobikeshed3392]

Beautiful bike buddy, but i can agree this hobby definitely isnt the most profitable, ive been fairly lucky really, ive made losses but nothing like 100 quid i must admit i think the biggest loss i had was about £40 although the bikes i have made profit on havent been massive profit either. The way i find to do flip bikes is to by them complete or needing very little fb market place and eBay are great for this as theres a lot out there for very little money…. Anyways good to see you back on the vids buddy keep them coming 👍👌

[@MonkeyShred]

Oh yes. Buying complete bikes is always the best way to go. Frame up rebuilds always cost a lot. I’m probably about to lose £300-£400 on my S Works and Kona Chute if I decide to sell them 🤷‍♂️ original spec builds are a BIG loss in frame up builds.

[@Mandydoesdomes-tb3jy]

Hi did you make that g clamp thing for getting cotter pins out

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

7:13 Sorry. What F$€¥ing witchcraft was that?!?!? Teach me your tire skills 😂

[@MonkeyShred]

It’s the spinning. You need to get the precise rpm or it won’t work 😂

[@2NDLIFEBIKES]

@@MonkeyShred Got it! I’ll keep practicing 🙌🏼

[@johne1956]

Great video Mark. I have been buying and fixing up bikes for about ten years now as a hobby out of a desire to keep good old bikes on the road. I have noticed in the last two years or so though that old bikes, even if good quality like Specialized, Kona, Marin etc, are getting very difficult to sell for a realistic price. Anything above £50-75 takes ages to sell. Some bikes go for really silly low prices, I had to sell a mint condition Pashley Princess (£999 new) for £120 a couple of months ago just because I needed the space. I hardly ever use any new parts since as you note it makes the whole process uneconomical, just tyres, chains and grips are the only new items I use, the rest are recycled old serviceable parts. The upside to the current market is that you can buy bikes for silly cheap prices, eg I just picked up a GT Zaskar unfinished project ,complete except chain and seat, for £30! Complete with some rigid carbon Pace forks. I'll be surprised if I can't make some money on that, although I will probably keep it since it is my size. Keep up the good work, your builds are always excellent but perhaps you will have to rely on more second hand parts in future. I have been lucky in picking up job lots of old parts from gumtree and eBay, my best find was a job lot of about a dozen decent XT and LX rear and front mechs for £50 a year or so ago, that was incredibly useful for so many builds. John

[@MonkeyShred]

WOW! £30 even with the RC30s?! Those forks are hens teeth! I had a set on a late 80s "Offroad" (Proflex) that I decided to sell as a whole. I sold the bike for less than those forks would go for a what do you know.... I saw the bike broken and bits up for sale seperately within weeks :(

[@mattyfrommacc1554]

I think doing this in reverse would see a better return, parts often go for a lot more than a complete bike

[@chuffa1130]

Whenever I find those Cannondale frames from that era I pick them up sounds like you got a good price for that one also Gary Fisher chromoly frames can't go wrong so versatile and creating commuter bikes so underrated thank you for sharing

[@milododd]

That's the thing about 'classic' vintage bikes. The people who recognise it tend to either have no money or can build their own.

[@andrii_i_ua]

what is that bike rack you got on this bike?

[@em_aitch]

Very nice frame, can you please share the link to the headset reducer for this frame? Thank you.

[@MonkeyShred]

It was something I found on eBay bud. Mr Control was the brand.

[@gza4704]

I'm looking for the same fork for v brakes, threaded but for 1 inch steerer tube. Do you know any particular place where I can find it?

[@MonkeyShred]

You just want a 1” threaded fork with V brake / canti mounts? Yeah loads about on eBay.

[@gza4704]

​@@MonkeyShred sorry I forgot the must important part: I'm looking for a 0 rake fork

[@supafrancis]

My god... Was that frame pulled out of a river? I've pulled over a hundred of those square taper 90's Shimano BB's and have NEVER seen one that rusted

[@MonkeyShred]

That’s not rust my dude. It’s an aluminium frame and you know aluminium + steel = galvanic corrosion. Really welds it in there. Just like an aluminium seatpost in a steel frame that hasn’t been moved for decades.

[@supafrancis]

@@MonkeyShred I was referring to the BB itself. Specifically the section between the threaded cups. That is steel and the one you pulled out of that frame was the rustiest Shimano BB on planet earth

[@MonkeyShred]

@ ah I see. I just had to rewatch it and I see it was covered with the light brown corrosion. Honestly a lot of that is just the corrosion from the aluminium though.

[@gregtaylor6146]

I really like this resto, been a while since I've watched any of your vids ...... blame YT's algorithms. I trust yu and cat are both well, 2 questions, did you manage to secure the purchase of your 'premises and, have you magaed in the interim to steer clear f that awful powdercoating nonsense? Vis a vis the money making aspect of bikes, I urge anyone interested in such an undertaking, have a look at what Halfords charge for the most rudimentary jobs, I think maintenace, rather than restoration is the way to make money, not restoration, evidently.

[@MonkeyShred]

Yeah I've recently looked up Halfords costs. £10 to change a tube and all that jazz, damn. All secured with the house now yep - just a massive decorating mission now. The only things powdercoated have been a couple of fluro yellow flex stems - the thing now is Cerakote - which is basically a wet spray anyway.

[@byc1013]

where do you sell your bikes I want one

[@JonathanBays]

Good on you for posting the truth about fixing up old bikes for resale. This is a hobby where you slowly lose money to enjoy a pastime. Sad fact is old steel bikes last forever and there are millions of them so supply is high demand is low and people have less money to spend so prices are going south. Costs of new parts and even second hand parts and basic tools and consumables is rising fast. I stopped selling off my old bikes and became a bit of a hoarder to be honest. Just too sad to sell off a quality used bike to an idiot for $100 who wants to convert it to a fixie and ride it to the pub once or twice.

[@janeblogs324]

10:08 can't you see there's no drainage hole? All the water flicking ff the rear wheel trickles down the seat post and floods the BB, its an absolute guarantee it will happen again in 10+ years

[@MonkeyShred]

I haven't had my eyes checked in years.

[@SystemParanoia]

Subbing as you're from the UK and I'm purging Americans from my timeline 👍🏾👍🏾

[@MonkeyShred]

Hahaha thanks squire.

[@SystemParanoia]

@@MonkeyShred 🏆🏆

[@BernieHoule]

Bikes aren't moving like they once were. On my channel I attempt to find old, mid to lower end neglected bikes and fix them up. I normally find them for around $20 or $30 USD, and try to reuse most of the parts. Most of the time I just end up replacing the chain, cables and housings. I turn around and sell the biles for around $120 and end up making around $50 profit and have content for my channel. FYI, I"m not posting under that channel. Good video and keep up the good work. For what its worth, my channel is "The Value Bike Advocate" if anyone is interested.

[@MonkeyShred]

I think I saw one of your videos pop up the other week actually. The Fuji with the bugs inside? Don't remember seeing the finished bike at the end of the video though.

[@StasStas-r7e]

please tell me how to install such a large cassette?

[@MonkeyShred]

To install the cassette is the same as any other cassette. Undo the lockring, slide the old cassette off, clean and grease the freehub, slide the new cassette on and do up the lockring. You need a derailleur to match though.

[@StasStas-r7e]

thanks for the reply but I still need a drum because I have a 7x cassette @@MonkeyShred

[@stockton350]

If you start with only a frame set, you'll likely make little to no profit because complete bikes are not worth as much as the sum of their parts. It's odd and counterintuitive but if you're after profit, flipping a complete bike is the only option practically speaking.

[@adisetiadi1904]

I gave up on BB part when I did something like this

[@MonkeyShred]

Never back down.

[@timhudson8927]

I have been in the used bike business for years and find the issue you're having all too common, it is however multifaceted. 1. With the loss of manufacturing, many people are unfamiliar with materials their attributes and costs, also they have limited engineering knowledge. 2. There is a plethora of cheap Bicycle Shaped Objects (BCO's) and unfortunately people tend to base their understanding of bicycles on them. 3. Cycling is still viewed as mostly recreational or sporting, therefore useful things such as mudguards or racks, particularly front ones are deemed weird! I prefer Dutch bikes, and when you consider they offer an all round urban transport solution, they just don't get it, and low step thru frames are deemed ladies bikes! It's almost as though you have to offer a full educational download to people, such as steel is strong but heavy (typically) and aluminium blah de blah as they just don't know! I ride a Pedersen and people stop me and say." Oh is that a Penny Farthing." Well they have two different size wheels and this bikes has two wheels the same size, oh and I think you meant an ordinary. Total blank look follows. I like and own vintage French bikes and I hear people say. "My Mountain bike is new and has 650b wheels." And I say, yeah so does my 1950's French bike, they're 44-584. Anyway keep up the good work, if you know you know and if you know you appreciate what you do. 😅

[@MonkeyShred]

BSO are definitely one of the bike factors eh! The regular person searching for a bike see a £250 new BSO or a £250 refurbed used bike and don’t know the difference 🤷‍♂️

[@Animaduniversum]

Just work with parts from the trash or temu :)

[@MonkeyShred]

I’d rather not. Quality parts for me.

[@janeblogs324]

I just buy entire bikes and strip them for the valuable group sets and wheels, £50 buys a top of the line 2008ish MTB these days with hydraulic brakes and hollowtech cranks. I'm yet to lose money on a single build.

[@MonkeyShred]

@@janeblogs324 yeah that’s always an option but if they’re high end you’re just trashing one bike to build another.

[@tomalcolm]

You are a content creator. Remember, that’s your product.

[@MonkeyShred]

I'm a lot of things. This video is a "product" sure - but it isn't the product.

[@Willdlans]

I am building a 1998 GT using 27.5 wheels with a 1 by 9 drive train i hate to think what it is costing me.

[@MonkeyShred]

I keep pretty accurate records of what I spend - just in case - but the other day I added up how much I'd spent last year and almost fainted. No more. Eeeeeesh

[@hughjaars2285]

If I started being honest with myself about the costs……..oh that’d be a bad day

[@MonkeyShred]

Yup - It's never good looking back at costs.

[@the_nondrive_side]

you gotta get more parts bikes and less new parts.... I have six bikes right now and I'm invested only about $1k total.. some cost me $30 and others I paid $200 for personal use..

[@MonkeyShred]

I have almost 40 bikes and tonnes or spares 😂

[@the_nondrive_side]

@@MonkeyShred I live in a room rental.. it looks like everybody who lives here has a bike.. they're all mine.. 6 bikes worth of parts in closet and under bed..

[@samdushin317]

Resto mods are fun to make but I wouldn’t buy one either. It’s largely aesthetics over functionality and not coming from a shop were you’d know it’s for certain reliable. Cool build but I don’t know why you put a 10 speed on a commuter bike.. overkill and only inviting more things that could go wrong. Might have more success trying to restore it to its original shape or modding it to be a gravel bike for some annoying guy

[@MonkeyShred]

It would definitely cost more to restore to original! What's wrong with 10 speed on a commuter? People commute all sorts of distances, over all sorts of terrain.

[@scfg759]

music is highly distracting, too loud/bad beat timing

[@MonkeyShred]

That's a shame

[@scfg759]

made it hard to hear you, is all.

[@Peo_Sahlin]

That gear ratio is ridiculously low. Why have one like that on a commuter bike. It's just stupid. 😂

[@pk93cov]

No money in bicycles these days imo

[@MonkeyShred]

If you’re buying them for parts maybe but yeah bikes as a whole, it’s hard

[@pk93cov]

@@MonkeyShred yh that's the only way iv found aswell mate, you'll get one gem every do often you'll make a proffit on but on a hole like you said it's more of a labour of love, same thing with the mopeds I tune up, can spend loads on performance upgrades but won't ever get the money back for them come sale time, Top channel tho and happy new year

[@user-in2bw8xk6i]

Now try cars...

[@MonkeyShred]

I have. From 2005 to 2013 I was pouring every penny I made in to cars.

[@joshuabuilds3051]

When you have a girlfriend like mine, you need videos like these to keep from homocide.

[@MrSamBowers]

What was the tool you used as a thread chaser for the bottom bracket threads?

[@MonkeyShred]

It’s either Cyclo or Cyclus. Bottom bracket die set.