New to the forum, and cycling. Need some guidance.

[Oddbot]

I'm going to re wrap them today and space the tape out more. Also going to mount the brake lever and finish the whole bar.

Now as for mounting my front brakes. The screw on the back is to short for the nut to reach through the forks. I'll open the hole I the back of the forks up a little to let the nut go through and see if this helps, just hope it will be stable enough. The last thing I need is my brakes to go flying off. Lol then I'll be forced to do that back wheel skid thing.

 

[Cycleops]

Yes, you have wrapped it overlapping too close together, but don't worry, you can just re-wrap it as you will need some on the top of the bars. You will also need a short length to go at the back of the lever. You'll get there in the end!

 

[Oddbot]

Yeah I figured it was to close. But you can't replace the experience you get from your mistakes lol. Also I'm going to put a base layer of purple electrical tape under it. It's probably pointless but theirs slight surface rust that i don't want to get any worse.

 

[4F]

Yeah I figured it was to close. But you can't replace the experience you get from your mistakes lol. Also I'm going to put a base layer of purple electrical tape under it. It's probably pointless but theirs slight surface rust that i don't want to get any worse.

If you have an old inner tube you can split it and then wrap the bars first as a cheap alternative to gel pads

 

[HovR]

Now as for mounting my front brakes. The screw on the back is to short for the nut to reach through the forks.

By this do you mean the bolt on the back of the brake caliper is too short to go right through the fork crown? If you have a recessed fitting brake (as shown below) that is normal. The hole on the back side of the fork crown (if mounting on the front) has to be drilled out to 8mm to allow the recessed nut to fit.

 

[Oddbot]

Drilled that bad boy out and it still doesn't fit, I'm going to the bike shop now and I'll let them take a look at it. Also going to have then set up my chain and learn how to do it myself.

In other news I wrapped my handle bars and put the brake lever on. Then I cut the 47t off of my original crank set and bolted the 36t back on. Now for pics.

 

[HovR]

Drilled that bad boy out and it still doesn't fit, I'm going to the bike shop now and I'll let them take a look at it. Also going to have then set up my chain and learn how to do it myself.

In other news I wrapped my handle bars and put the brake lever on. Then I cut the 47t off of my original crank set and bolted the 36t back on. Now for pics.

Ah, I see what you mean. It's possible to get longer recessed nuts for use with carbon forks, but it sounds like it would fix your issue in this situation now.

Try taking some wire wool to that crank, you should be able to get it nice and shiny. Works a treat for removing surface rust. The build is really coming along well, the new bar tape transforms the look of the bike!

 

[Oddbot]

At the bike shop now. To achieve the proper chain line I needed a 1 1/2mm spacer on the back. Glad to have a local place with the know how to get this thing going.

Edit: just left and we got the front brake mounted . Left my bike with them to have it finished for tomorrow. So expect a completed photo shoot come this weekend if the weather permits. Oh and I picked up a helmet too, lol can't forget that.

 

[Oddbot]

I don't know what it is with Americans and their need to be peanuts to everyone but damn. Just joined road bike review and a troll has already come strolling out from under their bridge to shoot on my day. I think I'll stick to this forum.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

We're a fairly friendly bunch on here,If you'd had asked for advice on lfgss forum
they'd have ripped you apart,utfs is the standard reply there.
I'd replace that crank too,get a modern square type and replace your bottom bracket,
cottered cranks really belong in the past,Don't forget your foot retention,you need to be able to
resist the pedal stroke with one leg and pull up with the other simultaneously.

 

[Oddbot]

Lol yay more money to spend.

Edit: yeah I intended to replace the crank too at some point. I just want to get it working for now.

Edit2: what's mechanical mechanism makes a cotter crank? And what is the current type of crank used, and what mechanical mechanism is used in that?

 

[Old Plodder]

A 'cotter pin' is that bit of metal going through the 'crank arm' by the 'bottom bracket' (bb), it has a flat tapered side that is drawn tight by the nut & washer against a flat area on the 'bottom bracket spindle'. When you want to replace it, & you don't have to, get a square taper bb & alloy 'chainset' with cranks of the correct length, approx one fifth of your inside leg measurement, (usually 165mm or 170mm).
As long as you buy normal/regular bits, they can be re used if/when you upgrade.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

You may struggle finding new cotterpins and the quality is fairly poor these days,
Not really worth the extra hassle anymore,especially with loose bearings in the bottom bracket as well
Cartridge bottom brackets are the way to go and a matching track chainset as well

 

[Oddbot]

It's finished for now till I come into more money.

 

[HovR]

That's looking very nice! A massive improvement over when you first had the bike.

You might consider some sort of foot retention in the future (pedals with straps can be had for under $20 - never used the dealer before but he has a good presence on YouTube) and possibly a new saddle if you don't get along with that one. Great job though!