How To Build a Superbike for $2000

Yes, you can. And it’ll be just as fast as your flashy new one.

If you’re like me, and I know you are, you probably scroll through used gear ebay and facebook marketplace with the same ferocity that some people scroll through pictures of food on instagram. There’s TONS of killer used gear out there, so I’m gonna show you how I built MY latest super-ish bike for UNDER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. OK, here we go

Right now, it’s April, 2020. If you’re watching this in the future, I hope the news is much different than it is today…I’m doing my best to take the coronavirus numbers in stride, and I’m praying every day that TOMORROW we’ll see the tipping point and everything will get back to normal.

As a content creator, this definitely made me think about what’s relevant - and I just don’t feel like an over the top review of a twelve-thousand dollar carbon superbike is what you want to hear right now. I mean, it’d be a welcome distraction but if you’re like me you’re probably hunkered down in more ways than one and that’s just not on the menu today.

But we still want the superbike, don’t we?? Yeah. So in light of that, I’m gonna show you how I built MY latest super-ish bike for UNDER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. OK, here we go.

So, why am i REALLY doing this video? Well, because I’ve been asked to put together a killer bike on a budget no less than 1000 times in the past 10 years and i thought it’d be helpful to throw together a quick guide to help you out.

In my estimation, a super bike is a sexy, stare-worthy sub 16 pound road bike you wouldn’t hesitate to grab for your hardest and fastest days...and here’s my latest project. Under the camo green spray paint there’s a Cannondale Super Six from 2011. I used SRAM Rival One-by, SRAM Red calipers, a SRAM Force crank, and a Zipp bar and stem I had lying around. I stumbled upon the Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimates for SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS WITH BRAND NEW TIRES. Talk about your barn finds! I’ve quite literally stalked this very wheel set for going on ten years, and I promise - they do NOT disappoint -- and they also inspired the frame color.

Street value on the frame (which I sanded and spray-painted myself) is about $500, and the RIVAL shifters and RD are around $400 all-in. That brings us to about $1500 and you can find Force cranks under $100 on ebay all day long. So, $1600 total. The narrow-wide 46t chainring is an asian market one-off from ebay, and I already had the 11/32 cassette - which is like fifty bucks brand new. The bar and stem are kinda industry discount outliers in my case, but with the $400 you have left you could almost buy a brand new carbon bar and stem or pick any aluminum bar and stem up for a fraction of that cost. Lastly, I’m not counting pedals in the budget - you’ve already got those and because this is an exercise in being cheap you can spend ten bucks on a pedal wrench instead.

Now, if you want to try this approach yourself let’s start with the gruppo and just concede that Shimano Ultegra 8000 Mechanical is dollar for dollar the best group on the planet, and snatch this one for $699. 105 and Rival are OK, but not superbike worthy IMO unless you mix it up with force and Red like i did. Another great option is Ultegra Di2 6770 - I found a handful of mini groups for 5-600 and you can snag a newer 8000-series crank for another $200. So, roughly the same price, if you’re patient.

Next up: wheels. Seems like 600 bucks can get you just about anything you want in a racing tubular in like...new...barely ridden condition- zipp 404’s are a standout because they’re just the best all-around wheel I’ve ever owned - and I’ve had two sets of the toroidal version with the 88/188 hubs. They’re bullet proof. But if you’d prefer clinchers, then there’s plenty of Reynolds Strikes, Assaults, and I even came across a set of higher end Reynolds 58’s for $585 - and the 58’s are every bit as good as 404’s.

For the frame here’s what I’d suggest: set a target of $800, and search for Cannondale SuperSix, Specialized Tarmac, Ridley Excaliber, or Cervelo R3. If you want aluminum, then the Cannondale CAAD 10 or the Specialized Allez are every bit as good as their carbon cousins. A quick ebay or facebook marketplace search should yeild PLENTY of results, and if they don’t then I guarantee you’re less than 30 days of...um…”stalking” away from the frame you want. Be patient. It’ll surface.

Until then, I hope this is a helpful starting point. Do me a favor, and drop me a note with your ebay barn finds in the comments below! I’d love to hear what you’ve found! OK, until next time..