Gus90

Nope, it's a helmet. But you probably knew that. Are there family crests out there with cross eyed monkeys? I can think of a few surnames that deserve one. It's the exact same helmet as whats on my crest. An odd helmet, granted, but it is what it is. Probably the reason my ancestors didn't conquer Sweden. Bad helmet design.

Gus90

I imagine most people here aren't, but I'm not going for street credit regardless. The rear tire is fixed or freewheel depending on how it's flipped so brakes are necessary on this build.

prooftheory

It isn't the fact that you have levers that bugs me. It is what kind of lever and where they are positioned that bugs me. Why are you using mountain bike levers on a road bike? I can't see your bars to tell, but if there isn't a more comfortable place to put them the I would consider getting different bars.

Gus90

I see what your saying, I considered "one finger" brakes, I think they were diatech gold finger or something like that. The bars are bullhorns btw.

I posted the full shots a few posts back. Didn't think I'd horrify the people here again with reposting them . It evoked some interesting reactions. But that's what this thread is all about after all.

nametagnarly

"Man, those Aventons look so ugly!" said the kid with the ****ty Schwinn.

Scrodzilla

Personally, I'd rather ride the Schwinn.

Scrodzilla

I agree. Traditional cross levers would've been a much better choice for that lever placement.

Gus90

That's actually a great idea, I may look into that. It would clean it up a lot

europa

That could be a nice bike when you've finished it

Sorry, that handlebar position (and style for that position) just looks wrong and uncomfortable while those purple cranks look out of place. Keep everything as is, change the bars for road drops with road levers and put alloy coloured cranks on her and she'd be nice.

rex615

Don't know, I kinda like the bars, they have that old timey look, especially with those grips. I do agree about the amount of drop though, they would look better a bit higher.

Soo__Fuego

I like that old school look but I agree with cross levers. The cranks can easily be stripped down to silver with a can of oven cleaner.

europa

I think the problem for me is that they aren't being used in an old school way - the saddle is way too high, the frame too small. That sort of bar makes more sense when you're trying to gain a bit of drop because the frame puts the head set up high. Still, it's only visuals and the OP needs to remember that one man's opinion is just that, an opinion.

nametagnarly

Thanks for the hate!
I only bought those cranks because they were the cheapest that my LBS had. I had no idea you could strip them with oven cleaner, sooo looks like I've got myself a little weekend project. My lower back and neck agree with you guys on bar drop though.
No comment on the excess front brake cable? Come on guys, step it up.

europa

I didn't comment because I thought you wanted to hang yourself when you braked too hard and went over the handle bars ... either that or it was a neat new way to capture cute blondes.

hairnet

I haven't made any changes since and I don't think I will be making any soon, besides adding a rear brake, so here

europa

From the size of the frame and the amount of seat post showing, you must be a big *****cat.
Does that slight downwards tilt on the bars bother you?
Nice mix of colours though, very sweet bike. Maybe a more silver crank rather than the grey, but that's being picky for the sake of being picky.

LesterOfPuppets

I would also like it better with a more silvery crank. mebbe 6500 or year 2000-ish Record square taper.

Soo__Fuego

The blue/black camo bar tape. The dark crank doesn't really bother me too much tbh.

hairnet

It's just the photo. The bar is tilted slightly up.

TejanoTrackie 

Yeah, those modernistic cranks are plain ugly on that bike. I'd go for some 70s to early 80s classic Sugino, Sakae, Shimano silver cranks.

50voltphantom

Is there a tutorial somewhere for doing this? My black cranks need to be silver.

SquidPuppet

@ Hairnet. Something more old and silver for the crank/chainring and she'd be a supermodel. She's so tall and leggy, she needs to be in nice jeans.

hairnet

Yeah. I have a very nice crank that I could install but I don't want to use a 170mm crank again.

Soo__Fuego

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNAB45zQUtk

Having done the black crank thing recently I can say that you need to leave it soaking for a long long time.

rex615

So I am assuming with your height, you prefer longer cranks. Longer than 175 ??