TT bike build on a budget

[HLaB]

My current TT bars are made from a Pro Missile Base Bar circa £70 IIRC with a cheap pair of clip ons circa £20. I've replaced the extensions almost straight away for some aerocoach 45deg ones but used the bracket & pads off the clip on for a year or so and I've just replaced the pads for some cupped ones from Core Triathlon that were £35.

Another good investment is a disc wheel cover. For circa £100 you get almost as good (perhaps better sometimes) than a heavier disc costing circa £1k. My mates have ones from EZDisc.

 

[rivers]

My current TT bars are made from a Pro Missile Base Bar circa £70 IIRC with a cheap pair of clip ons circa £20. I've replaced the extensions almost straight away for some aerocoach 45deg ones but used the bracket & pads off the clip on for a year or so and I've just replaced the pads for some cupped ones from Core Triathlon that were £35.

Another good investment is a disc wheel cover. For circa £100 you get almost as good (perhaps better sometimes) than a heavier disc costing circa £1k. My mates have ones from EZDisc.

I also have the EZ Disc cover. Cracking value for money

 

[DCLane]

+1 to the EZ Disc cover. I've got one on what's now my 'spare' disc wheel as I use my sons slightly bent disc.

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Cheers about the EZ disc cover.

I was also exploring the option of a DIY disc wheel cover. The dudes from GCN and GTN have done it. Thought it might be fun. Has anyone tried?

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Update on my tt build on a budget: since I'm in no rush to build it, I'm just getting parts whenever I spot them on sale.

I recently got:
- Zipp vuka alumina base bar. New but with huge discount from wiggle. I paid only £17.99 for it
- Shimano BB-R60 Standard English Thread. Also new from wiggle at an honest price of £29

Parts I already have laying around the house and therefore I might use to save a buck:
- Shimano FC-RS510 chainset 52/36
- Clip on aerobars that came with my partner's second hand bike (but I might change them if budget allows)
- A Giant 10cm stem that I swapped for a shorter one on my partner's bike.

Now off I go trying to source an ultegra front and rear derailleur. New they cost £45 and £83 respectively. I'll just splurge on these new if I don't find a good deal second hand.

 

[DCLane]

TT shifters? Don't worry too much about cost for derailleurs; it's wheels and position that will make a bigger difference so basic ones will do

 

[fair weather cyclist]

TT shifters? Don't worry too much about cost for derailleurs; it's wheels and position that will make a bigger difference so basic ones will do

11 speed TT shifters go from Microshift Mega costing new £74 or Dura Ace 9000 also new at £77 from wiggle. Seems like a no brainer

 

[fair weather cyclist]

My strategy is to source components such as derailleurs, shifters, break levers that are good quality even if I don't get the best absolute deal. Then spend the remaining of the budget on wheels. I will have to go 2nd hand on wheels if I want carbon (of course I want carbon)

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Oh, and definitely a positive thing is that I spoke about my project to the mechanic that service my bikes and he offered to guide me and help me if I struggle with something. Very kind of him, I'll get him a carton of beers at the end

 

[Domus]

Ollie did a budget TT bike build on GCN a while ago

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOmLV0EVv_4

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Ollie did a budget TT bike build on GCN a while ago

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOmLV0EVv_4

Oh yes I saw that series. It was really fascinating!

And in the last episode he put that tt bike he built on a budget up against a really expensive top of the range bike (an Orbea ordu I think) and there was only a bunch of seconds of difference between the 2 bikes.

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Quick and probably silly question, but I'm a newbie so please bear with me.

Are there any issues in mixing and matching components? For example, I've found a pretty good deal on a sram rim brakes set,although I'm going to use shimano groupset. Any compatibility issues or is it OK?

 

[DCLane]

It should be fine with brakes. It's shifters/derailleurs where issues can happen.

 

[fair weather cyclist]

It should be fine with brakes. It's shifters/derailleurs where issues can happen.

Cheers for that.

I'm thinking sram only for rim brakes set because of this deal I've found, and shimano for the rest (shifters, front and rear derailleur, chainset). Brake levers I still don't know, I'll check what deals are available.

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Nevermind mixing components. Scratch that. A better deal just came up on a set of ultegra rim brakes. Got them at £70 down from £150 at Merlin cycles. Great deal!

One less thing to buy