Donor bikes in 2024

[Splatter Paint]

BITD you could buy a high spec bike from an undesirable brand, take the bits off and fit to your frame from a more well known brand. For example, I bought an XTR equipped Ridgeback and fitted the bits to a 1993 Kona Explosif frame.

Is it worth it in 2024 on modern bikes or are there just too many ‘standards’ which means swapping bits isn’t so easy due to incompatibility?

 

[d8mok]

I’ve done it a couple times when the deal was too cheap to pass and likely ended up a little better off. But the effort was loads and had so many scammers on new parts. Plus cureently there are many many silly deals around you’d struggle to sell left over bits.

Last time I just bought the parts I wanted in various sales across different shops. Wasn’t much different if you shop wisely.

 

[clubby]

I'd say it's not worth it at the moment. Too many good deals, why would someone not just buy the same bike as you? Not really such a thing as an undesirable bike these days anyway. Still some element of brand snobbery, but not like it used to be. I just did the opposite of what you suggested and bought a cheap spec bike for the frame and forks and put better bits on it. New mech and shifter I bought were 60% of RRP. The lower spec parts didn't go for but sold pretty quickly on eBay.

The whole standards thing is a bit of a non issue, unless you are trying to fit parts more than 8 years old. Boost spacing has been pretty much the norm since then. Bottom brackets are the main PITA but a pretty cheap swap. Stuff like different thread pitch axles is annoying, but you get the right one with the bike so not a big deal. Forks are all tapered, headsets vary a lot but who's swapping out a headset on brand new bike?

 

[Splatter Paint]

Thanks for the input - food for thought.

I’ve found the potential donor on eBay, well specc’d and in an XL so long steerer tube, I just haven’t worked out what I’d buy to fit it too!

 

[clubby]

Take a look at the parts you really want and see what they’d cost separately. I know it’s easy to buy it all in one go, but you could end up with the hassle of parting the rest out though and storing bits for a long time. That is part of the fun of it though. Stock bikes are just too boring.

If you’re not too sure about all the modern quirks of things fitting, I’d be happy to give a second opinion on the eBay bike.
PM me a link to it if you do.

 

[madjh]

TOday there are many standarts and the industry is trying to do a harakiri to himself.

If you buy a 2022 bicycle to be a donnor of a 2024 frame probaly the RD will not fit because now they use a diferent system, the BB the same, many press fit, 68mm etc cranks boost or not, wheels boost or not, fork must fit the axels and boost or not, 3 standarts for head tubes, stem from 35mm to 60 or more ...

It will be a night mare. It is easy to find a good deal and but the part you need.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Thankfully someone has bought the donor! After some thought, and your replues, I think buying a complete bike is a better option.

 

[coomber]

So many cheap deals on parts, groupsets etc even before looking second hand that I'd buy that way instead of a whole bike

 

[minor_LEGEND]

The only reason to do this is if buying a really large XXL bike to split. They can be cheap based on framesizing/desirability.