The Bad Banana was Bicyclious’s entry in the Cheap Bike Build-Off 2025 — a challenge to build the most rideable bike for the least money. Total cost documented in the spreadsheet photo. The answer might surprise you.
The Build-Off
Rules were simple: find a frame, build it up, make it actually ride. The yellow paint was not planned — it arrived that color and the name arrived immediately after.
Sightings
The Bad Banana has been spotted locked up around town, at the Tacoma Dome, leaning against lamp posts. It gets around. That’s the point of a cheap bike — you ride it everywhere without worrying.
The Cost Sheet
The cost breakdown photo tells the real story. Every part sourced, priced, and documented. This is how you build a rideable mountain bike on a tight budget.