Progress (finally). I've had the frame back together for a while now, but hadn't been happy with the work on the fork. For some reason, I set it to 90mm OLN instead of 80mm, and also noted that one blade was still about 3mm ahead of the other. Not really eager to struggle with a loose-bearing headset again, I procrastinated for three weeks. Admittedly, this gave me a moment to re-dish the front wheel after realizing the truing stand was out of whack; I finally got my fingers on a Unior alignment tool to sort that out.

Whatever the case, I tore everything apart again today, perfected the alignment, checked it, reassembled it, realized the blades appeared to be kinked forward too much, tore it all apart again, brought the blades back to the headtube centerline, verified it, and buttoned it all back together. Then a friend came by with a 1960's Bianchi with the integrated Campagnolo headset, and I wound up dealing with no less than 56loose bearings in a single headset. Oy vey.

There's still a slight bit of play in the headset that I can't seem to nail down, but I'm pleased with what I've got so far. If I have to take it all apart to knurl the crown race sea- well, never mind for now!

No pictures of the pain, just the pleasure of the results:




















Also - if anyone can help - I'm still looking for that early Sturmey rear axle washer for the rear wheel. Also a period Raleigh seatpost binder bolt, Raleigh Industries kickstand, and perhaps a spare aftermarket SA shifter cable if anyone can spare it - the last one at the LBS went on my Moulton and I don't get why an el-cheapo cable kit should cost $20 on Amazon - when all I want is the inner cable and nothing else.



-Kurt