I won't injure myself on it. It's very stable.

Last night I decided to swap out the bottom bracket from the one that I repacked. It was feeling gravelly on the left side again, so I chucked it and replaced it with an FSA MegaExo ceramic BB.

While the bike was torn down, I also chucked the 54T chain ring--it was at the end of it's service life, too. I had a brand new spare 53T Ultegra chain ring just waiting to be mounted.

After cleaning up the crank, installing the new chain ring, checking that the FSA BB would work with the Shimano spindle, and installing both the BB and the crank, I yanked the rear wheel off, opened the hub and cleaned/greased it.

While the wheel was off, I yanked off all but the first layer of Gorilla tape from the seat tube and rewrapped it again, this time with more re-enforcement to the aft side of the tube. I finished the work with a good cosmetic wrap of electrical tape--same stuff I use to finish my handlebar tape. The area is very stable and since that tube is in compression most of the time, as long as alignment is maintained, it should be relatively "safe".

In the meantime, I will look for a new -something-. I keep vacillating between building up a frame on my own using parts from the Giant or getting a brand new pre-built complete bike.

NR-Why don't you head down to Velocipede and grab a frame from them? just need to put in some shop hours from what I understand. I've been meaning to swing by there and drop off some old wheels, 105 drivetrain stuff. Their hours seem limited. I don't think you would find carbon though.

I like my carbon, just need to ride it more.

^^^^^^
Thanks, Harry, but I've made a commitment already. I have a new frame coming--going to do the build myself. I may need to have a LBS cut the steering tube and cap it though. Other than that, I think I can handle the rest of the build.

It's a carbon cross bike that will be geared high for the road.
.

details ??!!

Oh... all right. Here's the plan:

Hopefully the frame will come before Christmas. The order has been acknowledged.

New parts:
=======
Frame: Ridley x-Fire (carbon, black) w/fork and headset
Easton EC90 carbon seatpost (31.6mm)
Zero Gravity GX Ti Cantilever Brake Set
Problem Solver seat clamp (31.8mm)

Need to acquire:
===========
31.8mm clamp on front derailleur (might use Forte)
cable set
cap for steering tube

Parts to be transferred from Giant (for now):
=============================
Ceramic BB
Mixed Ultegra/DuraAce crank and chain
Speedplay Zero peddles
Easton EA70 stem
Richey handlebars
Topolino wheels w/Ultegra cassette
Forte saddle

On the fence:
Shifters - thinking about trying the new carbon shifters by Forte (I may go with their FD too) or use my beat up Ultegra shifters for a while longer.

So, I'll put everything together, then run the cables, tune it, get a local bike shop to cut and cap the steerer tube and I should be good to go.

Simple... right?

.

Sue- wheet! Good job NR. I'm gonna start re-routing my rides to include more unpaved. :)

BTW: welcome to the world of squeaky brakes.

Thanks and no thanks to the squeaky brakes. You can WD40 the squeaks out, right? ;)

BTW, from my commute home--does this look like speeds by someone worried about their bike exploding soon?

NR nice build. Glad to see you are replacing the old beast. We should have a funeral for it. Is it environmentally safe to cremate a CF bike? How many miles did/does the frame log(ged)? 50K? 60K?
As to your commute yesterday, mile 4 looks like you were a little worried. Is that how fast you always ride home!

It's a 2005 frame, so compared to most other bikes, it's not that old since many bikes last decades. It claims about 98% of the mileage shown in my sig.

Mile 4--don't know what went on there since it seems to be downhill. Maybe I was just playing around. Dunno.

My average speed going home is usually about 17.5 mph.

http://bimactive.com/ba/ui/chart_get..._route&units=1

Not to lessen the hardcore status of any fellow MD Bike folk but here's a contest that we wouldn't have a chance of winning. I will think of these folks whenever I think it's too cold to ride.

http://www.veloist.com/profiles/blog...age=2#comments

NR-It's always exciting to get a new bike, especially if you're building it up, something I haven't done yet but hope to when I get my Cdale back from the painter.

Thanks, Harry.

If you need any help (goes for the rest of yoos guys too! Josh?) feel free to ask.

Here's a picture of a black built-up Ridley X-Fire:

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...e/PICT1251.jpg

Dang it! I just realized that my fenders aren't going to fit over fatter tires.

FIRST COMMUTE ON SCHWALBE STUDDED SNOW TIRES
Forecast for today looked like it would be well below freezing this morning so I mounted up the new 700 X 35 Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires I'd picked up about a month ago. There's been patchy ice up around Glen Rock off and on for the past week so I thought it best just to get on with it and ride 'em.
True to the forecast it was 18 F when I pulled out of the driveway. However with all them studs I now fear no ice! The rolling resistance is another story. Seems like I have to run about 1 gear lower than normal in most places just to maintain forward motion! Reminds me a lot of the $79 Wal Mart bike I bought when I was working in Arizona a couple of weeks ago. Only ran over a few patches of ice on the way in today and to tell you the truth I think it could have been 100% ice cover and wouldn't have made a lot of difference.
Anybody have any experience in how much mileage I can expect to get out of a tire like this without wearing the studs to nubs?
Thanks, Andy

Hey Andy! Nice to hear from you.

You may want to check the Winter forum for an answer to your question.

I haven't tried studded tires, yet, but maybe in the future. The bike I'll be building up should be able to take the studded tires that I mistakenly bought a couple of years ago. How's that for bassackwards? Tires first, then bike. :rolleyes:

Andy,
the schwalbe's are carbide studs so they should last a while. At least two seasons so they say.
However, I haven't tried them. I ordered Nokians for my Kogswell in 650b, but alas they will not be sold in the US until next season.

I might buy some Nokian A10's (32mm) in 700c for my fixed Miyata. They are available this year.
The fixie crowd seems to argue that fixies are pretty decent on ice because of the more direct connection to the drive train.
$38/tire ? hmm... might give it a whirl.

-GB

It's done
 

Just got these pics from the painter. Time to start shopping for parts. I have my oldish Dura Ace stuff, shifters, BB, deraileurs. Need brakes, bars, new quill stem, cables etc. and wheels of course.

Oh snap! (yes, I did just write that)
That is very cool. Totally HC graphix style. Kinda '70's Soviet too, no?
Nice

Nice, Harry!

Now tell those guys to use rubber tubing on those hangers so they don't scratch up the new paint.

GB-Yah, that would be a good description 70s Soviet circus with flames. Hey, can you post your circumnavigation route? Been a while since I've ridden with you guys, I can almost feel the pain-of being dropped.
NR-I'm hoping to build it up myself so I'm taking notes.
The frame originally had a quill stem and I've since chopped the bars into bullhorns for my fixie. Harris Cyclery has a nice chrome quill, I'm thinking that, chrome bars with orange tape.
I have on all my bikes gotten rub marks on the steer tube from cable rub, is that what you're referring to? Think I can get red or orange housings?

No, I'm referring to the wall hangers the painters used to hang your frame on the wall with. They're metal with nothing to keep the tectonic movements of earth's crust, let alone local traffic rumblings, from scratching your newly painted frame.

I just saw a picture of a bike with Barney purple housing on it. I'd not be surprised if you could find orange or red.

Snow!

:winter2:

http://twitter.com/NoRacer/status/6794273767

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/u08lr.jpg

Hey Harry nice frame. You and NR got me thinking about an early 80's Peterson Bridgestone MB I have in my garage. It is my first mnt bike that I have wanted to restore into a winter/rail trail ride for a long time. It won't be as pretty as your repainted C-dale though. Perhaps a winter project.
Speaking of winter...get out the studs. I see Andy has already mounted his. I too have had some issues with black ice. Yesterdays commute had me move way left onto the double yellow lines due to black ice. Luckily I had enough room to take the whole lane. Cars coming toward me slowed down as well.
GB, I hear that fixies do well with ice and studs but I can tell you that freewheel/cassette bikes have no problem with studs on ice. Much easier than walking on ice.
I'm sure NR will be out in this stuff this weekned but I think I might be pulling a draft, stoking the fire. Been a cold commuting week on these old bones. Enjoy the fluffy stuff.

I don't have the K2 anymore, so I may have to throw some Tufo tires on to the Giant and run them at 40-60 PSI if I want to play in the snow.

It looks like my frame is scheduled to come in on Monday. Hoping the storm doesn't affect the delivery date. AND... I'm off after today until January 4th! Yeah! There should be no reason for me NOT to have the new bike together before the 3rd.

I can't believe I'm pushing on 15,000 miles for the year. Sheesh!

I'm really "sucking wind" this month, though.

http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/u0qxh.jpg

<Jim Carey "The Mask" voice>Somebody stop me!!!</Jim Carey "The Mask" voice>