This one is really pushing the bounds of C and V, but I thought a few here might appreciate it. It's a parts bin Frankenstein winter build, but I think it came together nicely.

There are a few things I need...the main one is that I have to pick up the studded tires from Holiday. I'm putting some Huffy decals on it to detract thief appeal and the build came in so low that I'm going to spring for a custom head badge. Darth Vader's head in a Star of David - or, as a wag called it - Darth Seder. Maybe Darth Nader?

Pretty cool! Did you get it indexing?

I did! It shifts very smoothly down, less smoothly up. It's actually better jumping multiple cogs up than a single space. Sometimes you have to over shift slightly and sort of slip back into it.

Nice! How does it ride?

Spray can of black Plasti Dip and some Huffy decals and it will be good to go. Nobody will know it is ti and nobody will touch it--and you can peel the paint off should you want to return to original.

Well - the knobby tires on pavement are hard to get past, but otherwise, it fits well. Very sluggish accelerating. Once you're moving it feels good. The fit is great. It's extremely stable, but I'm getting some fork shudder braking.

This is a pretty good is good enough bike - it won't be ridden that much; it's a snow bike and I wanted to keep costs down. That said, I think it's kind of unique and interesting. It's not photoing well with the shadows and dark ti, but it looks slick - evil almost.

I like the plasti-dip idea!

Great job. Just what I would have done. Forget the Huffy decals. Won't do any good. Just take it inside.

I think the Huffy decals are going to be funny on this...and I'd like something I feel a little safer locking outside the times it's necessary.

The Darth Seder head badge is going to be a thing of beauty.

Nice job! Since you built this and I got a snow blower, there will be no snow this year............

Good job! I love those Deore DX/XT comps, they've always worked very well. Is that a titanium frame?

Southpaw - yes - it's an older Litespeed.

Fender - so true, but we can dream.

I'm surprised the reaction to this is so positive, I was expecting to be burned as a heretic for this one.

Some more photos:

That's one sick winter setup.

I rode a ti cross bike in the winter for years. Not nearly as nice as yours--it was an Airborne Carpe Diem--but it did have nice Campy Centaur 9 speed. Put a stainless chain on it and it was 100% no fuss.

Somewhere I have a photo taken by a co-worker when I arrived at work one morning, both the bike and I were covered in snow. Fun stuff! I'll see if I can dig it up.

Here it is set up for the other 3 seasons:

Good idea! - I have a 93 litespeed obed and it never dawned on me to put drop bars on it.

ok - checked the parts bin and I have the parts, just need some skinny city tires and I'm good to go.

Slick. I like it.

I'm not getting how this is less nice than mine...I'm digging it. Awesome Gruppo!

jealous , would love that as a winter ride.

Darth Nader? As in Ralph? That would be ironic since I think he is Lebanese.

I had no idea he was Lebanese (and am not sure how that's ironic), but I thought him in a Vader helmet was pretty funny. He spoke at a local Synagogue and I just sort of assumed he was Jewish.

Ironic because I thought his image wearing the Darth helmet was to have a Star of David background? Maybe that's more of an Alanis Morrisette (sic?) sort of ironic (i.e. I am dumb?)

GOT IT! I was doing Vader's actual head in the star of david - I just thought Darth Nader sounded funny (and I thought he was Jewish).

Your Sachs are going to puke. Don't park it to close to them or they might rust.

Yep... in any case, sweet build. Similar to my mb-3 with drop-bars, but much nicer.

That looks both fun and practical! I like the saddle.

You're not going to lock it up outside, are you?

Are you planning to put fenders on it? Those tires will kick up a lot of slush.

I'm going to use it as a winter/beater...which means it gets locked up outside at times. I don't think it screams valuable or steal me.

No fenders because I think they get gummed up with snow and junk. I'll likely be using it with rain pants most of the time, so fenders shouldn't be 100% necessary.

I'd rather use a Brooks, but I don't want to expose one to the elements and these aren't too bad for me.

That is such a cool build Aaron, brilliant! A couple of questions as my winter project is going to be a Saracen MTB frame with drops and Deore - how do the V-brakes work with aero levers? Sheldon seems to indicate it's a "no - no" but if it can work I'd like to go for it. I know cantis will work but V-brakes are so much easier to set up. Also, are the shifters part of the levers, or an additional part? Never seen them before. Great job anyway.