New Project - the spare bits bike -

[cyberknight]

Frame kindley doneated by @TK421
Came with a felt fork but the steerer is very long , not even sure how to go about cutting an alloy post so i dug out an old fork i had in the back of the shed that seems to fit better although its very tatty.
1st job was to use the vacumn cleaner to suck a string through to aid in installing the brake cable at a later date .
I then moved onto the headset as it came with 2 sets , i bodged together a working set which i hope works as i kind of mixed the bits up when i 1st opened all the parts i received . Quickly followed by the front and rear derailliers . Then i dug out a set of wheels to get it looking bike shaped .
After that i added stem and bars quickly followed by the shifters which are just set up so they are not final , the same with the seatpost and saddle , this lead to adding the brakes which was a bit of a task as i have a selection but only the last pair was a long drop which this frame needs.
Unfortunatly the chainset i have i dont have a proper length BB so thats the next task

 

[TK421]

not even sure how to go about cutting an alloy post

It's quite simple place the frame onto the forks, then fit your desired stem and spacers, then mark the top of the post level with the top of your stem/spacer combo, then dismantle the whole thing.
Now mark a line 5mm below your first mark and cut with a hacksaw. This will allow the space for the headset cap to pull down and compress, holding everything in place.
Then simply rebuild and job done
That's is what I do anyway .....
Looking great already👍

 

[cyberknight]

It's quite simple place the frame onto the forks, then fit your desired stem and spacers, then mark the top of the post level with the top of your stem/spacer combo, then dismantle the whole thing.
Now mark a line 5mm below your first mark and cut with a hacksaw. This will allow the space for the headset cap to pull down and compress, holding everything in place.
Then simply rebuild and job done
That's is what I do anyway .....
Looking great already👍

its the steerer bung thats my concern , its not something i have ever mucked about with .

 

[TK421]

The bung in a metal steerer is usually looks like a pair of star washers that have been bent. This is done on purpose to get them to grip the inner wall of the steerer tube as the steel digs in to the softer aluminium. This means that normally they are a single use item.
If you cut your steerer tube down and find that you have removed the bung with the cut piece then pull it out and reinsert it into the steerer or use a new one.
If your cut line is around the same area as the bung then push it down to clear the cut line, make your cut and then push it down to the correct depth (about 20mm below the top of the steerer) and your good to go.
If all this scares you*, which is quite understandable, just get your LBS to do the work.
* this doesn't scare me as I once passed a test and got a certificate saying I'm an engineer, which tells me that I don't have to read the instructions for anything as I know what I'm doing

 

[TK421]

Reusing a steerer bung is dependent upon your faith in the quality of the condition it is in. My motto in situations like this is "if in doubt, leave it out".
It won't hurt to fit a new one if there are any concerns.

 

[TK421]

Anyway, if you watch enough YouTube videos then eventually it will look easy

 

[biggs682]

Why not just leave it longer than you need as I doubt it's a bike for life the next person might like the ability to have the bars a bit higher.
No great weight saving either.
Not a lover of slammed stems

 

[dimrub]

Why not just leave it longer than you need as I doubt it's a bike for life the next person might like the ability to have the bars a bit higher.

I second that - cutting the steerer tube down is a non-reversible procedure. I'd leave it be with some spacers on top for a while if only to discover the optimal riding position - it would be a pity to cut it down, only to discover you're missing that one additional centimeter.

 

[ColinJ]

I second that - cutting the steerer tube down is a non-reversible procedure. I'd leave it be with some spacers on top for a while if only to discover the optimal riding position - it would be a pity to cut it down, only to discover you're missing that one additional centimeter.

Indeed... I have just raised the stem by 1 cm on a bike that I built from spare parts. I rode it for over 5 years with the spacer above the stem but have decided that I prefer the handlebar a bit higher.

 

[cyberknight]

The provided fork which of course im grateful for is another 4 cm more than the one i put on

 

[ColinJ]

The provided fork which of course im grateful for is anoither 4 cm more than the one i put on

Yes, that is a bit excessive!

1 cm of spacers above the stem doesn't look too bad, but 4 cm would look awful.

 

[Gillstay]

Yes, that is a bit excessive!

1 cm of spacers above the stem doesn't look too bad, but 4 cm would look awful.

I never see it as a aesthetics problem, but one of saving on waste and keeping options open.

 

[ColinJ]

I never see it as a aesthetics problem, but one of saving on waste and keeping options open.

I agree that leaving some spare length is a good idea but the extra on my CAADX is about as much as I would want to look at...

That is only 1.5 cm.

 

[cyberknight]

A bit more work today , installed the chainset and i was starting on the cabling and realized the frame has no barrel adjusters for the shifters , oops an oversight by me .
I know i can do the back with the RD adjuster but the front is a bit tricky to set up without one EDIT .. found one in the odds and sods jar so i can get the FD done and the RD can live without one for now

 

[cyberknight]

OK...
just needs tyres, tubes, pedals and bar tape otherwise its done .The wheels need trueing but thats not a major job and next time i cable the rear brake i probably could do with taking a bit out of the outer going from the shifter to the frame as it looks a bit long but it works , i did try to do the outer through the frame and it would fit but couldnt get it out the other end ( next time leave the inner in as a guide i guess) .
Total spend £40