Northern California - The new toy...

Well, I jumped on the BD group buy and got the Bottecchia CF frameset for Xmas and originally planned to swap my old 9spd parts from my Allez to that bike. But of course, I got bit by the bike bug and ended up getting the Ultgera SL brifters, FD and RD. But I did scavenge a few parts from my old bike like the Compact crank, seatpost and stem and black 105 brakeset and Kysrium wheels. Oh, and pedals too!

BTW, this is my first build. Except for the headset, I did the rest myself. :)

There's a little gap between the top of the headtube and the dust cap on the Cane Creek headset. It seems the bearing is too tall or the headtube wasn't reamed out enough. But others (also from the PF GB) have the same thing and have reported no major probs with it.

Although I did strip the allen bolts to the bottle cage on the downtube. (They were over-tightened) So I'll be buying a set of screw extractors to get those out. Doh! and the cable guide under the BB wasn't long enough so steelblue gave me the idea to install a small section of cable tubing to keep the cable from rubbing the frame.

I thought about getting the RT700 but I decided that I'd rather get a cheaper frame and use the extra to buy the Ultegra stuff... So the price tag including the frameset came in under $1000! (thanks to PBK mostly!)

Now I just need to find the time to go and ride. I'm not as brave as you guys to go riding in inclement weather! It also doesn't help that I don't have warm or waterproof stuff either!

(Sorry for the incorrect Fred photos... and please don't mind the dates on the pics! Oops!)


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Looking good man! Now go RIDE that thing!

I can understand not wanting to install the headset yourself.

I installed a headset on one of my bikes. With a hammer (okay, a rubber mallet). It was nerve-wracking, and that was on a steel frame!

Looks good, though! I'm not a huge fan of carbon fiber, but when you don't have all of the giant logos that most CF bikes tend to have, I think it looks a lot better.

Looking good man! Now go RIDE that thing!

I know, I know! haha! Thien (aka AzurDrpTp) has been trying to get me out but with the new baby it's been difficult to do anything, let alone cycling! Oh well... one day soon!

I can understand not wanting to install the headset yourself.

I installed a headset on one of my bikes. With a hammer (okay, a rubber mallet). It was nerve-wracking, and that was on a steel frame!

Looks good, though! I'm not a huge fan of carbon fiber, but when you don't have all of the giant logos that most CF bikes tend to have, I think it looks a lot better.

The headset was the easy part, it was the star-nut and the tube cutting I couldn't do due to lack of correct tools. Then again, not ever touching an integrated headset before I didn't know it was that easy in the first place. Doh!

And yeah, the nekid CF was an added bonus. If anything I'll just put my kids names on it somewhere.

one day soon!Hey, Saturday is a day soon! ;)

The headset was the easy part, it was the star-nut and the tube cutting I couldn't do due to lack of correct tools. Then again, not ever touching an integrated headset before I didn't know it was that easy in the first place. Doh!Ah, no integrated headset here. King headset into a plain ol' steel tube. And yeah, the star nut was harder than pounding in the various pieces of the headset itself. I ended up screwing the top cap bolt into it and carefully tapping it in... twice. :o

And yeah, the nekid CF was an added bonus. If anything I'll just put my kids names on it somewhere.There you go.

Nice bike, G3, it's clearing a bit so maybe you'll be able to get out and put some miles in.

Are you using a star nut to secure the hs and steerer? It's generally better to use a CF-safe nut so you don't get failure from the star part cutting into the CF

Good job Gary. Want to ride Saturday AM if it's not raining?

Very nice looking build indeed.:) You can help build mine when I get around to it. If you don't time to ride it, I'll be happy to do a shake down ride for you. I can make myself fit a 50cm. :D

That's a sweet ride. It's so clean!
How about a smaller seat bag?

Nice bike, G3, it's clearing a bit so maybe you'll be able to get out and put some miles in.

Are you using a star nut to secure the hs and steerer? It's generally better to use a CF-safe nut so you don't get failure from the star part cutting into the CF

The steerer is aluminum so the star nut should be okay. :)


Good job Gary. Want to ride Saturday AM if it's not raining?

Henry, I'll have to check with the wife first. But with the new baby here my gut feeling is that I probably won't be able to! Doh! If I can you'll be the first to know!!

Very nice looking build indeed.:) You can help build mine when I get around to it. If you don't time to ride it, I'll be happy to do a shake down ride for you. I can make myself fit a 50cm. :D

G1 - You are more than welcome to give her a ride! Plus I still need to meet with you to get that bike stand! :) Maybe this weekend...???


That's a sweet ride. It's so clean!
How about a smaller seat bag?

Thanks Curtis! Post up a pic of your RT700. Now that's a sweet ride. I love the colors. Luckily you aren't having the issues other are with the cable routing rub.

As for the seat bag... I scammed it from my old bike. Plus, I'm one of those people that need to carry everything, JUST IN CASE! hehe!

Looks good! I really like the black brakes I am lookin at getting a set for my bike right now.

Looks good! I really like the black brakes I am lookin at getting a set for my bike right now.

They are Shimano 105 brakes I got from Performancebike.com for under $40/set new a while back. Look around the net and you'll find them for a good price too! Although PBK has the Ultegra SL Ice Grey ones for about $90/set right now, which is on my wish list. But the 105's do stop much better than the old Tektro brakes on my other bike and the price fit perfectly into my budget. :)

Looks good, though! I'm not a huge fan of carbon fiber, but when you don't have all of the giant logos that most CF bikes tend to have, I think it looks a lot better.

I wholeheartedly agree. I wondered what my CF frame would look like without all the TREK logos all over it and I like what I see in yours. However I think I'm stuck with them since they are clearcoated over. I don't see any threads about decal removal for decals under clearcoat. Did you take off the decals or did it come that way? The frame looks really cool en des nude.

I also agree with ccorlew about the bag. It looks big enough to be checked-in. ;)

I wholeheartedly agree. I wondered what my CF frame would look like without all the TREK logos all over it and I like what I see in yours. However I think I'm stuck with them since they are clearcoated over. I don't see any threads about decal removal for decals under clearcoat. Did you take off the decals or did it come that way? The frame looks really cool en des nude.

I also agree with ccorlew about the bag. It looks big enough to be checked-in. ;)

It came butt nekid, no decals. We got them seperately and could put them on if we'd like. But I decided not to. Although I do have a black and white Hawaiian Island Creations logo (surf) sticker on the front to confuse people. hehe!

I did read that on the normal bikes they sell the stickers are clearcoated. So unless you strip the coat off going skinny dippin' won't be possible. ;)

As for the bag... I was at Performance today "looking" at smaller bags! They had one with red accents for only $8! D@mn the peer pressure! hahaha!!

Although I'm limited to the styles due to the leg rubbing I get on my inner thighs on the velcro. So I'll have to look elsewhere that has a bigger selection of Topeak bags with the clip on feature.

So no small bag yet. :)

Don'y go buy a new wedge/bag just because someone else thinks it's too big. If that is the one that works for you, keep it. Who cares what they think!

Just take it off for the pictures. :D

Don'y go buy a new wedge/bag just because someone else thinks it's too big. If that is the one that works for you, keep it. Who cares what they think!

Excuse me while I got stick a luggage rack on my Ferrari :rolleyes: :D

Excuse me while I got stick a luggage rack on my Ferrari :rolleyes: :D

You got one on your Ferrari too! hahahah!

Yeah... I was thinking more about getting a new wedge bag. I'll have to assess the amount of stuff I want to carry. I've only had to use my multi-tool once. (knock on wood...) Other than that I've been pretty lucky on the road.