Build your own Road bike :O

[Sittingduck]

Has anyone ever used Shiny Bikes?

Shame I don't get paid for another 2 and a half weeks

 

[Chrisz]

It is only the 10th and I have already parted with £ 120 for so called "essential items"

If only my bike bill for this month were so low

I can't say how much I've spent this month on bike bits as the Mrs is a little too close for comfort . Suffice to say - it's considerably more (thankfully she has yet to learn the true cost of bike bits)

 

[4F]

If only my bike bill for this month were so low

I can't say how much I've spent this month on bike bits as the Mrs is a little too close for comfort . Suffice to say - it's considerably more (thankfully she has yet to learn the true cost of bike bits)

haha, that and the delivery to work cough cough <ahem>

 

[Chrisz]

haha, that and the delivery to work cough cough <ahem>

Who told you about that

(she hasn't noticed that my black wheels are now red!!)

 

[jayce]

i bought a frame and built it from scratch just before chirstmas and i prefer the bike as i built it. I used all new parts bought the new frame (dolan mythos)then bought the components which i think a good enough for the bike

 

[Sittingduck]

Progress Report:

The frame has arrived and it's nicer in the flesh (so to speak) than it looked online

Also it seems MUCH lighter that I was anticipating. When I lifted the big box it was packed in I couldn't of believed a frame, forks and stem were all in there!

Stem's going to be too long for me though, as I thought (it's 130mm) but no biggie. Forks and the *stearing tube?* are steel I think but look okay. The tube extends a long way up and out of the headset. Is this normal e.g. stearing tube cut down to size by the user? I presume I will attach the new stem (when purchased) and any spacers I might want then put a mark in the stearer, remove the stem again and use a hacksaw to cut the stearing tube down to size. Should I be cutting just a few mm from the top of where the stem would rest?

Hope this isn't too confusing...
Here's the frame

 

[gbb]

Progress Report:

The frame has arrived and it's nicer in the flesh (so to speak) than it looked online

Also it seems MUCH lighter that I was anticipating. When I lifted the big box it was packed in I couldn't of believed a frame, forks and stem were all in there!

Stem's going to be too long for me though, as I thought (it's 130mm) but no biggie. Forks and the *stearing tube?* are steel I think but look okay. The tube extends a long way up and out of the headset. Is this normal e.g. stearing tube cut down to size by the user? I presume I will attach the new stem (when purchased) and any spacers I might want then put a mark in the stearer, remove the stem again and use a hacksaw to cut the stearing tube down to size. Should I be cutting just a few mm from the top of where the stem would rest?

Hope this isn't too confusing...
Here's the frame

I had that too...unfortunately, by the time you get all the components on..its a different matter.
The frame on my 80s 531 seemed light (and it is light)
The frame on my Via Nirone seemed like a feather

 

[gbb]

Damn you eyes SittingDuck....
I feel an urge coming on now ...started looking at frames already

Anyone here got the new Raleigh 501 frame on ebay yesterday. I put in a low bid...it went for a good price (for a buyer)

 

[andy_wrx]

When off work for several weeks after an operation a couple of years ago, I decided to build-up a TT bike as 'a project'.
I fancied the idea of 'building my own bike' and it would be something to do with all the time I had on my hands.
I bought the frame and all the bits on eBay over several weeks, as I could be patient and wait for decent prices.

When eventually I had everything, I screwed it together and hit a major anti-climax : it was far, far quicker and easier than I'd anticipated !

Even with lots of take-it-slowly, working-out how things go together, playing around and experimenting, it took less than an afternoon to assemble the basic bike, plus the following morning to cable it and fit the bartape, etc. - the stuff where there's a choice of just shoving it on quickly or taking time to do very neatly and precisely.

I think if I were to do it again, now understanding how to do it, it would take me only 2 or 3 hours...
I'd kind of imagined it as a project like building a kit car, but it was far simpler, easier and quicker than that so I was left a bit disappointed.

I've seen bike shops charging £20 or £30 to assemble a bike, presumably they can do it in an hour or two.

What was fun about it was that everything was clean, nothing was covered in roadgrime, nothing was seized or stuck and wouldn't come out of the frame, and there was no worries about staying up late at trying to fix it so that I could get to work in the morning
- a bit like those car Haynes manuals where all the photos are of a shiny new car, when what you're trying to fix is a rusty filthy 10 year old one...

 

[andy_wrx]

The tube extends a long way up and out of the headset. Is this normal e.g. stearing tube cut down to size by the user? I presume I will attach the new stem (when purchased) and any spacers I might want then put a mark in the stearer, remove the stem again and use a hacksaw to cut the stearing tube down to size. Should I be cutting just a few mm from the top of where the stem would rest?

That steerer tube does look very long !

Yes you'll probably need to cut some off, but just remember that once cut off, you can't add it back....

You don't actually need any spacers, you can cut it to the right length, but yes adding a few spacers under the stem and then cutting off means you can lower things a bit at a later stage by removing some spacers - if you've cut to length without any spacers you can't make it higher (except by getting an upwards-angled stem)

Remember how a headset works - you tighten the bolt on top and that clamps the top cap down, compressing the stem and the spacers against the headtube, thus compressing the bearings.
Thus you want to cut it a few mm lower than the top edge of the stem.
If the steerer protrudes above the stem, you can tighten the bolt as much as you like but it won't compress anything.
If it's too short, the stem can't grip it and that's dangerous.
So a few mm short of the top of the stem - not too much, not too little (like Goldilocks !)

 

[Sittingduck]

Stem and handlebars now ordered and as I had a day off work Today, I took the opportunity to pop over to Decathlon at Surrey Quays. Got myself some carbon style spacers & a bike workstand

I will have to carefully assess the height of the bars etc before lopping off the stearing tube

More updates to follow...

 

[Sittingduck]

Hi

Has anybody had any experience with using Apollo Cycle Sport of Tenterden, Kent? They seem to have some good deals on groupsets - almost too good... hence my query

Cheers
SD

 

[Chrisz]

Yes.

I used to use Apollo all the time - very good service and nice, knowledgeable staff

 

[4F]

Hi

Has anybody had any experience with using Apollo Cycle Sport of Tenterden, Kent? They seem to have some good deals on groupsets - almost too good... hence my query

Cheers
SD

Hmm I like the look of that veloce groupset for £299

 

[BigonaBianchi]

me to and if i had £299 I'd get it b4 you guys could