How do you buy and fit a new/used groupset?

[beetle]

This is a bit of a stupid question and I'm going to ask it even though I'm actually happy with my bike at the moment. But how do people get a new groupset on their bike? If I was buying from the LBS it would be easy as I'd just get them to put it on. But if you pick up a used (or even new) set from ebay or elsewhere would it be really poor form to take it into the LBS and ask them to set the bike up? Do they normally charge heaps to do it? Is it possible to read up enough and do it yourself?

[mimitabby]

But if you pick up a used (or even new) set from ebay or elsewhere would it be really poor form to take it into the LBS and ask them to set the bike up?

nope, they have standard fees for this.

Do they normally charge heaps to do it?

to put together an entire bike, a shop i like charges 300 bucks
a shop in texas charges 100.

Is it possible to read up enough and do it yourself?

yes, but not me, i'm chicken and not mechanically inclined.

[Kallisti]

It's not the easiest thing that you can do. If you're not mechanically inclined, take it to a shop that you know and like.
Here are a few things you'll need to know how to adjust if your attempting it yourself:
-exact positioning of front derailleur, both z-direction and x-direction
-position of the b-screw
-positions of the limit screws (front and rear)
-chain length
-cable tensions, etc.

The process well described in a number of books, but these are the subtle adjustments that make the final difference of a "finely-tuned" drivetrain. And if you can get someone to show you how to do it the first time out, then it becomes a lot easier to keep it tuned from there on.
Hope that helps.

[Brandy]

I bought a used groupset from a friend (he had the Ultegra on his Madone for a month before he NEEDED to upgrade to Dura-Ace...lol) and I just had my LBS install everything. They were great, I had just had the bike in for a tune-up the month before and they credited me the $100 (which they had also discounted...have I mentioned that I love Surf City Cyclery in Huntington Beach, Ca??? ) and applied it to the cost of installing the groupset. I think that my total was around $160 but that included new bar tape, new cables, etc.

[DebW]

If you are going to swap the bottom bracket, you need to know if your frame takes a British or Italian bb.