Dan Burkhart 

Education is valuable, but never cheap.

CustomSteel

Ironically, most of the voices in my head strongly urge me to continue working on multiple projects.... so yeah... I don't see anything wrong with it. I mean hey, there are plenty of other less commendable things we could be doing with our free time instead. Btw, I'd love to get my hands on a World Sport to build up for my dad some day. He used to have a Varsity when he was a teen and really loved it.

Kopsis

Some people will drop $100 or more for a dinner at a nice restaurant that provides a couple hours of relaxation and enjoyment. Most bike projects, even when they don't break even, have a much better recreational ROI

jj1091

Great decision. That brand-new powdercoat doesn't need anything except the occasional waxing.

Duane Behrens

How do you keep parts straight between the various projects? Left to my own device, I'm afraid I'd end up trying to install a Cannondale brifter set on a Huffy BMX bike.

Duane Behrens

This. Thanks. It's ALL a joke, after all. Have fun with it. In truth I'll have around $300 into this project when I'm done. I might sell it for $200. I don't care, cause it's fun. Posting progress here has been a great way to mark that progress, and the tips and advice from others here have proven invaluable. GREAT fun.

And when a few someones here anonymously criticize my approach or reasoning . . . I'll laugh, since their approval isn't required. And that's the most fun of all.

CustomSteel

I'm sure you're jesting, but wow that's a bit extreme! Seriously though, I use Ziploc freezer bags in gallon and quart size to keep all of the parts organized. You can use a sharpie to write a note about the contents and which bike they belong to on the white label and it won't rub off. Keeping a box handy to place all of your bags in will stop them from growing legs and wondering into weird places.

HillRider

Ohhh, a bit defensive are we?

The "naysayers" at the beginning of this thread, myself included, correctly pointed out that ECONOMICALLY the project made little sense as you would never recover your investment when you sold it and the bike was unusable for you due to it's size. That said, as a learning experience and investment in the future, the project certainly has been worthwhile and I'm happy it's gone well so far. Even if you don't need our approval, you pretty much have it anyway.

Dan Burkhart 

Yeah, these projects can get kind of out of hand, and in the end, you end up with nothing but a conversation piece.

Duane Behrens

Thank you for THAT! DB, laughing and cleaning expelled coffee from keyboard.

Duane Behrens

Word. That's how I did the Nishiki, except I put my component-specific freezer bags in a plastic bucket and I didn't label them. Then when I started re-assembling it all, I had fun guessing. "Lesseenow, did this come from the bottom bracket, the front axle or the rear freewheel?" :-)

I guess I worry about having too many buckets lying around. I'd probably have to make a bucket list.

Duane Behrens

Nicely put. Thank you. DB

CustomSteel

Bucket list? Isn't that why we're all here!?
Use your phone or a digital camera and take pictures of everything before and even during disassembly. This will help eliminate confusion later down the line when you are in the process of assembly.

CustomSteel

You say that like it's a bad thing!
Err... btw, just what exactly are we looking at here?

clarkbre

That comment is the most dead-on thing I've ever read. Two people that give me crap constantly for spending my paycheck at the bike shop do this.

One has a Harley Davidson that must have every chrome piece add on known to man because it "personalizes" the bike...just like every other HD.

The other guy has spent $30k+ outfitting his boat for saltwater fishing. He could easily go buy the same fish many times over at the grocery store. He pays for the experience and thrill of the hunt.

Justifying bicycles is fairly easy for me. I get a project to tinker with and in the end, the more I use it, the more it helps motivate me to live a healthy lifestyle. As cheesy as it is, it works for me.

The Nishiki is looking good. Can't wait to see it stickered.

Dan Burkhart 

Why, that's a time trial oma fiets.

Duane Behrens

Still need to flip the seatpost clamp, install new brake pads, install the Nishiki emblem, etc.

But as much as these projects are ever "done," this one is getting close.

Thanks to Safety Cycle in Torrance for engineering a reverse cable stop for the low-normal FD. Good folks, great bang for the buck.

And thanks to all who provided timely and excellent advice here. This was your build, too. DB

Duane Behrens

Dan Burkhart 

Nicely done. If it works as good as it looks, you shouldn't have much trouble finding a buyer to recoup at least part of your tuition.

Phil_gretz

Sorry to say it, but your brake levers are mounted "too high" on the hooks. If you place a straight edge beneath the flat portions of the drops, running forward, and then align the bottom tips of the levers to that edge, you'll have it better. Of course, this will also affect the safety lever reach from the tops.

My suggestion would be to untape the handlebars and try the lever placement again. PG

Wanderer

And, dont forget the turkey levers......... all important for that vintage..... lol

jj1091

That looks great, Duane, a nice classic ride. I agree with Phil on the lever placement. I always ride my bike on the hoods, so mine are mounted just a half-inch or so higher than most riders, and usually I have the turkey levers, so the lever placement is more restrictive than without them. I place my bars with the ends pointing a bit above my rear axle and raise the levers above horizontal so that my hands use the hoods as a stop. It's much more comfortable that way, to me. Like this:



Most riders seem to have the bars placed so that the flats and the first forward curve forms a line parallel to the ground. Mine are close, just a bit raised. But heck, it should be about comfort. I say, do what's comfortable to you. Great job, Duane.

bikeman715

Nice job Duane !! , I agree with Phil_gretz about the levers on the handlebar .

fietsbob

Or, Velo Orange for an example of Goidonnet brake levers

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...s/br-0024.html
then the turkey wings become an effective brake lever..

add these so you have a hood like hand grip & your hands wont slip forward..

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...nob-grips.html

Duane Behrens

Phil, "JJ", et al, thanks for the useful tips. Gonna place the levers per Phil, then rotate the bars back just slightly per JJ. Remember, this is a smaller bike, so I may also find a seat assembly that will slide back a bit more. I don't want to sell this one right away; would prefer to ride it for awhile.

I took it out for its first real ride today. It was fun and performed perfectly. I was able to climb the 1200 foot ascent back to our home without trouble, although with a bit more effort than I'm used to with the Tarmac. And on the flats along the ocean, it just sang. Oh, wait, no, the bike was actually silent. I was the one singing. . . . "Call me the Breeze, I keep rollin' down the road . . . " :-)