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Old 04-09-17 | 11:31 AM
  #8  
Prowler
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Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Near Pottstown, PA: 30 miles NW of Philadelphia

Bikes: 2 Trek Mtn, Cannondale R600 road, 6 vintage road bikes

Originally Posted by Velocivixen
I do it in a logical order, meaning headset and bottom bracket prior to cables and housings. Once I'm done, though, and before I ride I do a quick check of things like wheel attachments, headset & stem, saddle/seatpost, brake levers.

Sometimes I will leave those items not at their final torque specs since I'm adjusting, but before I ride they all get checked.
This is quite similar to my method. Bear in mind that "build" is after I've completely taken a bike apart (winter work) and individually cleaned, lubed and prepared each component for the reassembly. IOW wheels done, derailleurs done, pedals done, alignments checked, etc. Then my primary objective is to create a roller since my shop is multi purpose and I cannot leave a bike build sitting in the middle of it, even overnight.

So, like VV, headset / fork first so I can, then, put in the wheels and the bar/stem and move the bike around , store it elsewhere. Next BB and the cranks. Like VV, I often do not final torque anything as I'm also checking fit and alignment and the interaction of the parts - which may require I back up somewhere to rework.

Then its a mind game so I hang all major parts - brakes, levers, shifters, RD, FD, chain, etc - so it really looks like a bicycle, like the final result will be. This keeps me motivated to stay at it and allows me to, sometimes, just sit on a bucket and stare at the thing and contemplate. All the details after this are as I feel like it, housing, cables and adjustments last.

Do the final torque of everything and ride it down to the mail box and back. Check it all over and see what was missed or loosened. Then ride around the block. Check it all over again. Then ride 10 or 15 miles and check everything again including re-true the wheels and check spoke tensions, BB play, HS play, hub cones. Should be AOK then but I make it earn my trust over the next few weeks.
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