How many went far over budget?

On your latest build, did you end up going over budget? If so, how much?

  • I actually came in under budget.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, I stayed on my original estimate.

    Votes: 1 3.3%

  • It wasn't too bad. 25% over

    Votes: 4 13.3%

  • Things added up quick. 50% over

    Votes: 2 6.7%

  • I found myself expanding my outlook. 75 % over

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I gave up counting and just kept going.

    Votes: 23 76.7%
  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
Kent

Kent

1 kW
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
384
Location
Vermont, USA
Well on my second build and after tons of reading ES, I thought I had a handle on costs. So I budgeted $1500 including the bike. Well after $1200, I just stopped counting. Why get stressed? I was going to keep on going till I was satisfied.

So this begs the question, how many out there admit to going way $ past then what you originally thought?
 
On my wife's bike, I had a soft budget of around $1500 and with EVERYTHING, including chargers and tools for the job, I'm over $2000.

Some of that is tools and things that can be used for other bikes, like chargers etc.

After it is done though, I wouldn't sell it for less than $4,500. I'm thinking that's how much it would cost to commission a build like that. My DH bike has a soft target of $1200 and I might get in at around $1500 since I'm rethinking the battery box out of carbon fiber.
 
I'm 50% over, but half of that is buying stuff that turned out to be useless, and special tools I may never use again. The rest went on matching my wheels up, which became big tyres and extra wide rims, front and back. Initially I got matching china rims and spokes, but binned all that, it was no good. BMSbattery have wasted a lot sending broken and wrong parts. They are the main reason I'm over budget. My initial estimates were still about 10% to low though.
 
Yeah I guess we have to include parts -and tools- which seemed right for the time yet ended up in a growing unused pile which you look at and think that you should hang on to stuff as backup or for the next build. But then realize that the next build will be at a higher standard in terms of quality of materials and the pile won't get used.

Then you think about $ sitting there.

I am on good terms with the LBS, and he'll take in stuff on consignment. Handlebars, wheels, tires, seats, etc. etc. Its not full replacement value, but at least it is a few dollars back. When I converted my dirt jumper style bike to a more cruiser type riding style, I had a lot of new original parts which I replaced and took the original parts down to him. The narrow up in your crack style seat sold immediately-I guess to a lyrca.
 
This is an odd survey, perhaps shrewd because I did plan the research though mostly it was for accounting purposes... taxes. During the construction I would often encounter components that simply were not up to the task or grossly misrepresented. Several cases:

  • Incompatible Chainrings and freewheels and shifters
  • DH Fork (duh) :roll:
  • My first Meanwell charging assembly :evil:
  • TIRES; I have a pile of them...
  • Blown Controllers (mostly my fault... ok, all were my fault) :oops:
  • TOOLS (1st mistake was subscribing to APP connections)
  • Custom Machining (need deep pockets here) & Plating (OMG-expensive)
  • The industrial walking-foot sewing machine (@#$%-expensive and runs like an unmanaged cow)
  • Mirrors (motorcycle mirrors are 3X heavier)
  • In general, crappy @#$% from China
  • Bogus Throttle Controller from an ES member ($100 down the drain; total shlock)
  • Countless purchases of heat shrink and APP connectors and zip-ties
  • Fixing the rusted hub motors :x
  • Bike fenders and bike bags
  • The heavy & flimsy-made BOB Ibex Trailer w/ suspension; used once. Did my own instead.
But I think the king of mistakes was in the original kit purchase which included two smallish LiFePO4 batteries which shipped out on the coldest week in years, having purchased them from Canada (currency zing + shipping zing), then were damaged upon arrival so I had to send them back at my expense (shipping zing), and instead of asking for a refund (another zing), I took product instead in the form of hub motors which have not found a use except for maybe dynamometer. What a waste. On a positive note, I gifted one boxed motor to AW who certainly had greater need for it than me.

Regardless, my life is as an Engineer, so it's more about having the long vision of where you want to be. To that end, this forum as saved me $$$ in both time and investment. I not quite in the "money's no object" corner, but I'm certainly dancing close to it. Guess I could be doing worse things with my time :wink:

Pursuing my dreams with child-like joy, KF
 
Heck. I thought %25 would be the majority :shock: .
The things that threw me off was taxes, PayPal Fees, fees PayPal charge for converting currency, and shipping.
 
I clicked the "Gave up Counting". lol

I just ordered an ME-1004 for my lawn tractor. The motor just went on it. I decided to retro to electric!
I just can't be bothered to get "GREASY" any more. :lol:
How much will it cost? Who cares....... lmao! I love electric stuff. :)


Tommy L sends.....
mosh.gif
 
I was just going to make a new front triangle, and trade the front fork for some old YZ ones. Then all of a sudden it was a supermoto, and my wallet was empty. Its SO much worse than an addiction.
 
Farfle said:
I was just going to make a new front triangle, and trade the front fork for some old YZ ones. Then all of a sudden it was a supermoto, and my wallet was empty. Its SO much worse than an addiction.
Click to expand...


:lol: :) :) :) :D
 
I started about 2 years ago. Initial budget was $1500 plus bike, then larger motor/ more lipo's, then another bike, then another bike after that followed by an crystalyte 5404. Then another frame and finally i have given up working out the bugs i've bought a stealth Fighter....so factor about 6k over budget. I'll think i'll stop here for a bit :mrgreen:
 
So a related topic may be "How do you justify these costs to the missus?" :pancake:

And how many have forgotten anniversaries and birthdays and have gone out and bought bike stuff instead? :oops:

Lucky are those whose wife's/girlfriends understand. If they don't understand, tell them its better than being on crack.

I think... :?:
 
Kent said:
So a related topic may be "How do you justify these costs to the missus?" :pancake:

And how many have forgotten anniversaries and birthdays and have gone out and bought bike stuff instead? :oops:

Lucky are those whose wife's/girlfriends understand. If they don't understand, tell them its better than being on crack.

I think... :?:
Click to expand...

Do what I did:

Marry a biker (cycles) that doesn't drive and make her bike more expensive than yours :oops: :wink:
 
Tried to be money conscience on my first bike it turned out to be quite dependable and I learned much from the build. I learned from riding it that it was no longer what I wanted. Money meant far less on build two and my comfort meant far more it turned out to be nearly what I wanted. The plush ride of full suspension and tens pounds less weight than the first build. Build three is going to cost me but it will be closer to what I know I want now that I have near 14K miles on e-bikes. Most of my cars, over the years, have cost less than my last ebike build and the next will cost more. Then again I am a sick and addicted man like many who frequent this forum.
 
biohazardman said:
Then again I am a sick and addicted man like many who frequent this forum.
Click to expand...

So nice Not to be alone............ :lol:

Tommy L sends.....
mosh.gif
 
Actually, thx to ES, I'm doing pretty well. I did know it was going to get expensive, but things like using bicycle rims and tires, convert regular frame, buying weak motor, etc. were avoided.
I did waste about $200 in wrong freewheels, one time use tools and so on, but it's all part of learning experience.
 
Tommy L said:
biohazardman said:
Then again I am a sick and addicted man like many who frequent this forum.
Click to expand...

So nice Not to be alone............ :lol:

Tommy L sends.....
mosh.gif
Click to expand...

That is priceless!
 
I started with a free bike and a deal on everything else; so even if I ended up spending a little extra here and there, I came out way ahead overall. YAY! :lol:
Didn't really have a budget to start with or a plan because I had no idea what I was doing. I would estimate that about 25% of what I spent was on stuff that I didn't know I needed. (Double leg kickstand, charger upgrade, better lights, brakes, etc.)
 
I am kind of anal about planning. I set a budget of $1000. I did all of my research first, compiled a spread sheet that included everything including the rubber grommets for putting the wiring through the frame. I stayed on budget and I am almost done putting everything together. I just have a bit more wiring to figure out and I will be able to put a before and after pic in that thread. As I sit here writing this, my total is $810.51 for a full suspension, 36v 250w with 9ah batteries ebike - everything including the bike is brand new except for 2 bosch fatpacks with about 50 cycles and 1 year old. I would have been under $800.00 but I blew $16 on a set of ebay 160 mm rotors and then found out that the rear motor hit the brake caliper so I had to switch to 185mm rotors so i had to buy rotors and brackets. Live and learn :D

I did opt for a cheap front fork w/ is disc bracket instead of getting a used rockshox which kind of makes up the $200 difference.

I have already decided that my next build will be a custom made long tail cargo bike. I am not sure if I will be able to even come up with a budget for that.

later
 
Kent said:
So a related topic may be "How do you justify these costs to the missus?" :pancake:

And how many have forgotten anniversaries and birthdays and have gone out and bought bike stuff instead? :oops:

Lucky are those whose wife's/girlfriends understand. If they don't understand, tell them its better than being on crack.

I think... :?:
Click to expand...

I almost started a thread about this yesterday. over the last year I've brought up ebikes a lot but the missus won't hear anything of it. She already hates my current $400 bicycle because of a misunderstanding about how much it cost... but it'll last a lifetime.

My budget is high... 4k for a KMX framekit, cromotor, cellman a123 pack, might try the Sabvoton controller. I plan on building an abs box for the lifepo4. Eventually I might build a leaning delta frame for everything, or make it her ride and juat do another build :) It'll be happening in the worlds tiniest apartment if I can ever convince her of the utility and practicality.

I even made a powerpoint presentation. I just want something to get around in since she drives the car everywhere... I mean, I can bike- I went 28 miles in under two hours last week, PR!- but I can't do that everywhere because of time and sweat. :cry:

Not sure I'll convince her to let me spend 10x the money on another "bike" unless circumstances necessitate it. like if my work commute gets longer. But it'd be manipulative to volunteer for the downtown openings...

PS: Even if I don't get to build an ebike, damn I need a bent. Carpal tunnel sucks!
 
xenodius said:
PS: Even if I don't get to build an ebike, damn I need a bent. Carpal tunnel sucks!
Click to expand...

Yep, bents rock! Carpal tunnel or not, they're simply far more comfortable in almost every way imaginable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

amberwolf
    • Like
Robotics Project: Snuggles, The Wolf
2 3
Replies
71
Views
1,622
nicobie
nicobie
C
Chimera”... Antique style E bike build, circa 1915...why and how
Replies
6
Views
933
classicalgas
C
E
My "Mark 2" solar trailer
2
Replies
39
Views
5,463
EwanC
E
R
    • Like
A critique of mid-drive riding recommendations (and hub drive criticisms)
Replies
15
Views
5,082
Bullfrog
B
mmkrockaway
Intro and Best/Least expensive Options for Trident Titan w/Nuvinci 380 internal hub gearing
Replies
4
Views
574
amberwolf
amberwolf
Back
Top