Robert Foster

As some of you know I have done my first build from the frame up recently. I have been riding with a bike club for a bit more than a year and the urge to upgrade hit me. I planned on buying a new Bike when I had saved enough and they came on sale when I got the chance to pick up a Lapierre Xlite frame and Carbon Fork. I had the advantage of knowing three or four good friends that are very good at building bikes and they took me step by step through the process. I now know how it is done and realize I now need to start investing in tools. With access to my friends spare parts bins, going to blowout sales and a few online site I think I got it pretty close. All I need now is a new pair of road shoes so I can mount my speed plays and I’m in business. Anyway here is the parts list.

Lapierre xLite frame.
Aero carbon Fork and new Head set
Giant Carbon Drop Bars
Shimano Compact Ultrgra Crankset and Chainring
SRAM Force 10 Shifters
SRAM Force Front derailleur
SRAM Force Rear Derailleur
SRAM 11-28 Cassette
Mavic Aksium rear wheel and Hub
Shimano RS20 Front Wheel with 550 Hub
Wipperman 10 Speed Chain.
GatorSkins
Selle SMP Glider Saddle

I can now put my old parts back on my Jamis.

For your inspection

McQz

Very nice! I might be inspired to try to build an around-town bike if we had access to more deals and knowledgable friends. Maybe an automatic

Louis

Oh-la-la! She's a beaut.

I'm betting that putting her together turned out to be easier than you thought it would be.

Robert Foster

Well to tell the truth it was a good experience except for the fact I had no clue what it was going to take. I didn't have most of the tools needed. I am glad I am in a bike club. But the best part is I am no longer afraid to service my bike myself. I now realize with the help of the park Tool Site and the right tools I could build another one. And that is pretty much what I plan on doing with my Jamis. I have the frame and all the parts sitting in my shed. All I need is another brake set and I am in business. I have a line on some Ultegra Shifters and Dura Ace Derailleurs so I might have to wait till they are available to start working on it. But I could get it back on the road with the parts I already have. But it does give me a feeling of confidence I didn’t have before.

Robert Foster

If you built one then maybe you could say, “it’s a girl my lord in a flat bed Ford slowin’ down to take a Look at me.”

Yes I like the Eagles

Retro Grouch 

Oh - oh! Hooked another one.

Welcome to the world of compulsive bike tinkerers. There's no going back and there's no known cure. For you, N +1 means building, not buying an additional bike. Hearing about the fun you had assembling it and the pride you have in your finished product, you'll never be able to stop.

FWIW, I'm going to start a 12 step group for people like us - just as soon as I decide that I'm ready.

McQz

STEP #1
Acquire frame

curdog

Where do you start with a project such as this? I really have no access to expertise except my LBS. This is something that I think I'd find great satisfaction with, I just don't know where to start.
Any info or suggestions would be appreciated.

Robert Foster

Do you find yourself looking at big blowout sales on bike parts even when you don’t need any? How about the fact I had the Carbon bars well before I ever thought of building a bike? Is the fact that your parts box seems to magically grow for no reason at all? Or is it a sign if I have three extra rear wheels and hubs and am thinking I need another front wheel to make things even? Is looking on line for the best deal on extra Chainwheels a bad sign? Am I doomed?

BluesDawg

Or Jackson Brown.

Back on topic, nice looking build. How does it ride?

gcottay

A fine bike and nice alternative to the traditional photographic background.

stapfam

Buy a cheap bike- and take it apart- then put it back together.

Not many tools required but aquire them as required. Chain whip and cassette remover tool- Cone spanners-Bottom bracket tool- Cable cutting tool and a good set of Allen keys.

All you need extra is a pair of pliers and about 3 different weights of hammers

And heard about this Lapierre. No ride report yet and over 12 hours since first post

robtown

Very sweet, clean build. SRAM - one day I'll build with an entire new groupset.


Oh yeah! Another one bites the dust.... another one gone...

soon you'll gaze over at a spare dropbar and an extra set of wheels. A 20% sale at Nashbar, Jensen, Peformance, or all three. You'll think - this stuff is useless by itself but I could build a bike - cheap. Trust me, it doesn't end, even after you have backups to your backup.

cyclinfool

Only one word for this build - WOW!

Thats a white bike I would consider riding!

billydonn

Good choice with the SRAM parts, compact, and 11-28. What are the brakes? I can't quite tell... 105?

"Am I doomed? "

Yes.

Robert Foster

Yes the brakes are 105s.

Today was the first ride with a group. The difference between this and my Jamis is like a sports car and a sedan. The bike is about at least 4 pounds lighter than my Jamis and has more a bit more race geometry than the old bike. It is responsive almost to a fault. I can accelerate much faster than I could before and my average speed over the same course is 1 to 1.5 MPH faster. But I could credit that to more gear choices. It is climbing where I notice the most difference. Today we only had one real “A” rider with us and I decided to attack on a rather short 6 percent grade. I picked the short hill because I still have 60 pounds on the guy and he has much better spin than I do. He caught me just before the top of the hill but even then I dropped onto his back wheel and made it to the top about the same time he did.

I am still getting used to the double tap so my shifting could be smoother but it is getting there. In the first few flat sprints I was concerned with what I thought was a wobble as I approached 27 MPH. But it turns out that the problem was not with the bike as much as it was with how I was peddling. When I started spinning with my cleats rather than mashing on the peddles the wobble went away. I think when I mash I favor my right leg and the bike picks up the uneven stroke.

I am looking forward to riding with the bigger group we normally have on Monday but this is a lighter, stiffer, quicker bike.

For my efforts today one of our better climbers came by the house and gave me two carbon fiber water bottle cages. Seems the A riders felt the Aluminum cages just weren’t cutting it and he had just bought new ones made out of petrified smoke.

So in a nut shell the Lapierre allows me to accelerate faster from a stop and out of a corner. It has helped my climbing, something I may never learn to enjoy, and it transmits more of my meager power to the wheels so I cruise about 1 to 1.5 MPH faster over a 40 mile ride. I know because I log every ride I have made over the last year.

As far as anyone wanting to build one themselves? The Park tool page tells you just about everything you ever wanted to know and were afraid to ask.

Robert Foster

BD all I can say is my jaws hurt from smiling

Digital Gee

That's a beautiful bike. I envy your skills.

Robert Foster

The credit goes to my friends without them I would either still be tinkering around or something would have fallen off on my group ride today. I cannot thank them enough for showing me how it should be done.

billydonn

If you get to dabbling in the future, try the SRAM brakesets. The Rivals can be had for about $100 these days (black 2009 or polished 2008) and work extremely well in my experience. Again... nice ride!

Robert Foster

SRAM brakes? Oh man, now I have to start looking for a sale on line.

billydonn

Indeed... I like to think of my home as a "shelter" for orphaned and neglected frames.

jppe

Good job! If you had not ridden a heavier bike you would not have known how nice and quick a lighter bike will accelerate-the benefits, etc. Isn't it sweet!

Good choice on the Shimano Compact Crank-I know some others might disagree but based on everyting I've read, anecdotes and experienced it's the most functional CC out there. It just shifts better-very, very reliable and little to know dropped chains.

the 11-28 cassette is a really, really good gear for a 50-34 compact. The 50/11 allows you spin at speeds up to 35+ and the 34/28 gives you an easy enough gear for just about any hill.

On your Jamis, if you can pick up a used set of Dura Ace 7800 10 sp shifters I'd highly recommend them. That's the one piece of equipment you operate the most on the bike and it's "nice" having the little better feel. Because they are now an older model I've seen them at good prices as well-I even bought a pair just to have.......waiting on my next bike???

jppe

I'd like to hear about the saddle-let us know what you think after doing a 60+ ride.

Retro Grouch 

Yup. That describes me - all except the parts box growing. My parts box is continually shrinking. I used to fit all of my spares into it easily but I can't anymore.

You're doomed all right but, trust me, it isn't too bad. The hardest part is deciding what kind of bike you need to build next.