I moved to Seattle in 2008. At a garage sale I found a nice set of Ritchey Wheels I stole for $35.
I found a Nashbar frame on eBay and gave it a paint job complete with hipster stars.
Caveat emptor! After painting the frame I realized it was cracked and consequently scrapped it.
With the next frame I opted to buy a new one. Interesting fact: A handful of companies make many of world's bike frames. Different brands buy these frames from the same manufacturers and slap their logos on them, and build them up with their choice components (Shimano, SRAM, Campagnalo). So, many mid-tier bike manufacturers act as assemblers and you're dealing with very comparable bikes. You really are paying for the name. Motobecane, once a great French manufacturer, is now Le Taiwanese.
Recycled Cycles supplied all the used components and saved me some serious cash.
Something I've learned: Any do-it-yourself project will invariable take twice as long and cost twice as much as you plan. Several thousand miles later this project is still worth it.
