About 5 years ago someone hit my bike, resulting in a small crack on the downtube. The crack expanded over time and it finally broke about a month ago. Rather then spending the $500 on a new Surly Steamroller frameset, I decided to save some money by buying a Mercier Kilo TT frameset for ~$225, and reusing parts from the steamroller. It took over a month to build, most delays were due to waiting for parts to arrive.
I spent $372.92 to buy the frame plus the parts/tools I didn't already have and in the end, I think I saved about ~190.
| Item | Description | Vendor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercier Kilo TT | 60cm Gold Digger | Bike Island | $224.95 |
| Origin8 Pro Headset | 1" Threatless Headset, Black | Amazon | $32.63 |
| CYSKY Seatpost | 2.54mm x 350mm, Black | Amazon | $19.18 |
| (2) Sunlite Ahead Stem Shim | 28.6mm to 25.4mm | Amazon | $14.90 |
| Seatpost Shim Generic | 25.4mm to 28.6mm | Ebay | $9.59 |
| PVC Pipe | 1.5 in, 10ft | Lowes | $5.72 |
| PVC Cap | 1.5 in | Lowes | $0.78 |
| Threaded Rod | .5in x 72in | Lowes | $9.38 |
| Park Tool TLR-1 | Medium-strength Thread Lock | REI | $15.95 |
| Park Tool PPL-1 | Lubricant | REI | $6.95 |
| Park Tool CT-5 | Mini Chain Tool | REI | $16.95 |
| Park Tool CWP-7 | Crank Puller | Amazon | $15.94 |
- Bike Island - Chrome Kilo TT Build
- Crank Removal and Installation - Three Piece Crankset (Square Spindle, ISIS, Octalink)
- Headset Installation
This was easily the hardest part. I originally tried the PVC pipe method, but I gave up after an hour or two. Even though the DIY headset press was a much better technique, it wasn't easy by any measure. Word of caution, protect your fork! Mine was left with a few scratches :(