Rebuild Cost?

[udallcustombikes]

My powder coater had a customer wheel a basket case girls bike in to rebuild. He farmed the bike work to me. My question for those of you who regularly get paid to put a bike back on the road- What do you charge? I needed to replace the head set, bottom bracket, pedals, and several other parts. Basically a full rebuild minus paint.

The number I am at is just under $450 for parts and labor. Too much, not enough, or right?

 

[udallcustombikes]

Here is the bike in question. I have never hated a color before, but this metallic Peptic Dismal incites anger from deep within. I should also add that I had to replace the skip tooth chain.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I guess it depends on what other parts had to be replaced. I did a 59 murray for someone but used parts from my stashboxes. It took me about an hour to replace all cups and bearings and clean up the cranks and sprocket. Plus about an hour to fully service the hubs, but we're talking a plain komet super coaster. I spent about another hour cleaning the frame and other parts, then replaced the torn up seat. Then about an hour manufacturing some ghetto replacement lenses for the tank light and cleaning the battery tray and getting the light working. I charged about $10 an hour plus about $30 for parts. I think we called it a straight $80. when her husband came to pick it up.

 

[ozzmonaut]

The chain definitely deserves some pay. They would have had to pay $35 plus wait for it to arrive if they sourced it themselves. And that color is gutwrenching.

 

[udallcustombikes]

Here is a list of what I replaced:
Head set, bottom bracket, seat post (I had to drill the old one out), tires (PINK TIRES??? Really?), tubes, pedals, fenders, grips (Yup, they're pink too), front hub, skip tooth chain, spokes, assorted fasteners and I am reupholstering the seat (Pink snake skin vinyl, *facepalm).

Labor:
Tear down (everything was frozen solid), rebuild the New Departure Model D, rebuild the replacement front hub, lace and true the wheels, and reassembly. Plus several trips back and forth to the powder coater (40 miles round trip).

 

[ozzmonaut]

Oh, I thought you meant that the paint job was already done. You had to lace the wheels? I thought you just had to go through the bike and get it going, not do the whole bike for them. To be honest I don't know what to charge these days. I used to work at a friends shop in Louisa, VA called Vintage Velocipedes. I think he charged anywhere from $150-$300 for custom builds, but with paint , not powder, so you're probably about right on the cost, since parts cost more now than they did back in 99-00 when his shop was still operating.

 

[B607]

At least it's a girls bike with that color. Gary

 

[Jpromo]

It doesn't even look like a vintage bicycle anymore; zero character (no insult to your work of course!).. if they wanted this end result it seems they could have picked up a 35$ Bratz bike.. :roll:

 

[jerrykr]

sounds about right to me, don't sell yourself short or you'll be doing a ton of pink bikes for everyone else

 

[udallcustombikes]

Some better pics after a days work. All it is waiting on is the tires and seat material.

 

[scrumblero]

I never make as much on girls bikes as I do boys, they just aren't worth as much. I just can't ask for more than the thing is worth to restore it..

 

[udallcustombikes]

The pink tires showed up today and I got them mounted. It may be justwhat the bike needed. Now as soon as I get the seat recovered I can get it out of the garage.

 

[jerrykr]

the purple grips bother me, they clash with the pink. (mister fashion-ista here).

the only other color I see is silver, I think silver glitter grips with the black tassels would be better.

I understand that they probably already picked and delivered the grips, so I can't blame you,,,,

BTW: I've been racking my brain since finding this place, trying to remember what the old balloon straight bar was that I had as a kid delivering newspapers.

That head badge is the one. Now I can't remember what style chain ring it had.

 

[udallcustombikes]

the purple grips bother me, they clash with the pink. (mister fashion-ista here).

the only other color I see is silver, I think silver glitter grips with the black tassels would be better.

I understand that they probably already picked and delivered the grips, so I can't blame you,,,,

The grips are actually a lighter pink than the rest of the bike. The customer wanted pink grips with black tasked and the customer is always right?

 

[udallcustombikes]

Some finished pics for you. I delivered it to my powder coater today.

He paid me for my work, now he can't get ahold of the customer. You might see the bike in the For Sale section in about 90 days.

 

[pick]

Wish you would have had your daughter take a pic of you riding it! I would have entered it in the 2012 Calendar Photo contest! :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[udallcustombikes]

No road test on this one, didn't want to get the tires dirty before delivery.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I'm not crazy about the pink but for a girl it does look awesome. The pink and black just screams feminine Hot Rod.