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You got emails back!? Here, in NYC of all places, I have 0 returned emails and even having cast a wider net. Of course there's plenty of cheap e-bikes with ju

You got emails back!? Here, in NYC of all places, I have 0 returned emails and even having cast a wider net. Of course there's plenty of cheap e-bikes with junky components.

whalesalad 6y ago
It took a while for some of them. I actually just got one reply yesterday and this all happened before Xmas.
- busterarm 6y ago
  My problem is mainly with looking for specific components. I want a decent commuter with belt drive and higher end components. Disc brakes. I can get the cheap versions of this all day but not really the best stuff unless I possibly order it built by Maxx or get a Riese & Müller e-bike. Still looks like waiting until at least April though.
  - Filligree 6y ago
    I got the Riese & Müller, and I don't regret it. Just make sure you get the high-speed version. 25 km/h is not very fast.
    - busterarm 6y ago
      Trying to justify an $8k bike in the bike theft capital of the world is...difficult.
  - whalesalad 6y ago
    If you are comfortable/familiar with wrenching - it is often cheaper to build a bike yourself. It can be a pain - but in this situation I think it is the next best option. One of the bike shops I had contacted suggested it, since a lot of shops around the country have a good stock of parts and you can usually find a nice used frameset online.
    - petre 6y ago
      There's also a problem with component availability. If you just want a fixie or a frankenbike it's okay but for anything else be prepared to wait and compromise. I just managed to order the last components I need for the bike I'm building this year. I had to compromise a bit, mix hubs drivetrain components from several Shimano lineups, past and current. The frame was preordered and paid in full in June, it should have arrived in August, finally got it in October.
      - busterarm 6y ago
        Yes, several of the things that I want are unobtainium at the moment, but do come in some completes.
    - busterarm 6y ago
      It is almost never cheaper to build a bike yourself. Labor cost is not a factor. Completes are 99% built by the time they get to a store for selling. Complete bikes are a highly competitive market whereas bike parts are mostly not. You will get much more mileage for your dollars buying completes that have exactly what you want or with some small delta of upgrades.
jrockway 6y ago
What sort of bike are you looking for? I had these folks build me a custom bike a few years ago: https://www.acmebicycleco.com/ https://www.acmebicycleco.com/ and I loved every part of dealing with them. They also did some custom work on my commuting bike (which involves quite a hodgepodge of fender/brake compromises) which was 10x better than I could do myself.

You got emails back!? Here, in NYC of all places, I have 0 returned emails and even having cast a wider net. Of course there's plenty of cheap e-bikes with junky components.

whalesalad 6y ago

It took a while for some of them. I actually just got one reply yesterday and this all happened before Xmas.

busterarm 6y ago
My problem is mainly with looking for specific components. I want a decent commuter with belt drive and higher end components. Disc brakes. I can get the cheap versions of this all day but not really the best stuff unless I possibly order it built by Maxx or get a Riese & Müller e-bike. Still looks like waiting until at least April though.
- Filligree 6y ago
  I got the Riese & Müller, and I don't regret it. Just make sure you get the high-speed version. 25 km/h is not very fast.
  - busterarm 6y ago
    Trying to justify an $8k bike in the bike theft capital of the world is...difficult.
- whalesalad 6y ago
  If you are comfortable/familiar with wrenching - it is often cheaper to build a bike yourself. It can be a pain - but in this situation I think it is the next best option. One of the bike shops I had contacted suggested it, since a lot of shops around the country have a good stock of parts and you can usually find a nice used frameset online.
  - petre 6y ago
    There's also a problem with component availability. If you just want a fixie or a frankenbike it's okay but for anything else be prepared to wait and compromise. I just managed to order the last components I need for the bike I'm building this year. I had to compromise a bit, mix hubs drivetrain components from several Shimano lineups, past and current. The frame was preordered and paid in full in June, it should have arrived in August, finally got it in October.
    - busterarm 6y ago
      Yes, several of the things that I want are unobtainium at the moment, but do come in some completes.
  - busterarm 6y ago
    It is almost never cheaper to build a bike yourself. Labor cost is not a factor. Completes are 99% built by the time they get to a store for selling. Complete bikes are a highly competitive market whereas bike parts are mostly not. You will get much more mileage for your dollars buying completes that have exactly what you want or with some small delta of upgrades.

jrockway 6y ago

What sort of bike are you looking for? I had these folks build me a custom bike a few years ago: https://www.acmebicycleco.com/ https://www.acmebicycleco.com/ and I loved every part of dealing with them. They also did some custom work on my commuting bike (which involves quite a hodgepodge of fender/brake compromises) which was 10x better than I could do myself.