Advice on my first bike building project please

[Goldfiinger]

Hi as you can see this is my first post, i'm a total newbie to the world of bikes, well since i was a kid anyway.

But i'm wanting to ride to work approx 7 miles (very hilly kent 7 miles) and have decided to build a bike from scratch, well almost scratch i did have an old bike rusting away in the garage but to be honest i'm quickly finding out not much will be savable.

Anyway after picking up a new frame on ebay and some other bits im getting started, bits i have so far are:

• claud buttler urban 400 frame
• two 700cc wheels from my old bike
• shimano gear and brake levers
• shimano brakes (in the post)
• claud buttler seat and a seat suspension seat post
• cassette sprockets from my old bike

What i dont have is the following:

• handle bar
• handle bar grips
• front forks plus (bit that joins the forks to the handle bar)
• seat post clamp
• crankset
• Derailleurs (maybe salvageable from my old bike)

So basically im looking for advice about what to buy, i dont want to spend a fortune but at the sametime i understand if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

I'm having the most trouble understanding what forks would fit my frame and wheels and i'm not sure what exactly i should be looking at or avoiding?

(the bit the fork goes through measures approx 40cm diameter but everything i see advertised is for smaller tubes 1-1/8 inches these would all be the wrong size right??)

Once the bike is finished ie ride-able i might look at adding a rack and metal mudguards so anything i buy now should be compatible. Also would it be possible to find something to meet the above that also has some kind of suspension in it?

So thats the main part i'm struggling with right now but apart from that all the above that i've not yet bought i'd be happy for advice on?

Thanks in advance

 

[accountantpete]

Tackle one bit at a time. The forks are the first step.

From looking at later models you probaly have a a-head system,so there should be two rings within the headtube (at the top and bottom) which centre the steerer(the tube that goes through the headtube). The inside diameter of these is the one to measure.

 

[Goldfiinger]

Nope nothing inside the tube, think there is a sticker in their looks like it says 2. Think that means anything?

 

[Goldfiinger]

This is a link to the frame:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280376174020&_trksid=p2759.l1259

 

[chris667]

1 1/8", ahead or threaded depending on which type of headset you buy. Modern bikes are almost all ahead.

The steerer tube on the fork needs to be longer than the head tube on the frame, measure before you buy and remember with ahead the highest bit of the steerer is where the stem for the handlebars is.

 

[Goldfiinger]

How do i know which headset would fit,

thanks for the help by the way

 

[accountantpete]

Best bet is a visit to the LBS and get the headset/forks supplied and fitted as it's quite complicated and you might need spacers etc.

The rest (stem etc) can be picked up more cheaply off eBay.


The sheldon brown site is quite usefulhttp://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ha-i.html#headset

 

[Goldfiinger]

I'd like to do this if possible without a trip to the LBS, the diameter of the head tube is approx 40mm, this should be able to lead me to the right headset right? once i've got that the forks should be simple.

 

[accountantpete]

Right - Inside the tube there should be what is known as the frame cup for a ring of ball bearings to sit on - you first need to measure the inner diameter of this.

It should be 30mm

 

[chris667]

That frame doesn't have a headset.

It's a 1 1/8", get an aheadset if you want to use ahead (AKA threadless) forks, or buy a threaded headset if you want to use 1 1/8" threaded forks.

Pete's right, though, it is a complicated job and you can mess up your frame if you get it wrong. Plus you need special tools to fit it, unless you make your own.

Is there anyone near you who would help you build up your frame? Are you in your local CTC group, where perhaps one of the members would help you build it up? Much easier to start from there.

 

[accountantpete]

Whoops -my fault for being so thick. It's definitely a job for the LBS then Goldfinger.

 

[Sittingduck]

As others have said take it down the LBS and get them to install the headset to the frame and fit the crown race (part of the headset) to the forks. A-Headset 1 1/8 will work.

 

[Goldfiinger]

Ok, I'll talk to LBS on this one lol thanks for the advice.

While im here anyone have any knowledge/advice on how to remove a crankset from an old bike so i can clean it up and transfer it to the new bike.

Again would rather have a bash at this myself rather than succumb to using the LBS, (not got anything against LBS but just interested in learning)

Thanks,

 

[Sittingduck]

You need a crank puller tool and some brute strength. Can be difficult to get them off!

 

[chris667]

You need a crank extractor, and bottom bracket tools as appropriate for your bottom bracket. Nothing to do with working on bikes is rocket science, but you need a few specialist tools, hence I suggest you try your local cycling club.