In this new series on The Bike Lab, we are going to tackle a bicycle build from the frame up with the general idea being that we do not have a ton of money to spend. This is something we feel that many folks will be wrestling with over the next year or so: Wanting to build up a bike but not wanting to blow a bunch of cash in the process. Here’s the guidelines we’re following……

The Foundation: In any build, your foundation is the frame and fork. Here we chose to feature the Misfit Psycles Dissent which we are featturing over on our sister site, Twenty Nine Inches. The frame and fork MSRP for $475.00 plus shipping. Not a bad deal for a proven aluminum 29″er with up to date geometry. There were other, less expensive choices, but we were not interested in getting the “cheapest” frame and fork, but the one with the most bang for the buck. That and the fact that it looks pretty cool sealed the deal.

The Parts: Again, we realize that there will always be “cheaper” parts, or “better deals” out there. We’re not necessarily having a contest to get the best parts for the least amount of money here. We are looking at this like we do when we build our own bikes. Getting parts we have confidence in, experience with, and getting a good value for the money spent.

In the coming days we will take a look at some of the parts we have chosen and why. We will also feature some tips in building up your own frame and fork from scratch. In the end, we will tally up the totals and give you our impressions as to what we liked and didn’t like about the choices we made. Stay tuned for the next “Budget Build” post for more on some of the parts and preparation involved in the building up of our Misfit Psycles Dissent.