Thor and Aquaman - planning the costumes

First step in my Halloween costume construction is to plan out the elements. I do this to get an idea of the scope of the work as well as supplies I'll need. At this point I have procured most of the supplies with just a few items yet to arrive (ebay purchases). I hope by drawing things out (despite my lack of designer level sketch ability) that I won't discover at the last minute that I overlooked some critical element and be forced to spend too much money, compromise, or even do without.
The basic Aquaman costume, represented on the left, should be pretty simple, except perhaps for the gloves (which I plan to sew rather than purchase). I have a fingerless glove pattern that could be adapted for fingered gloves - alternately I could design a simple pattern by cutting out two (flat) glove shapes - but I will lose the dimension offered by the fabric piece that runs between the fingers (but may be pretty tricky to sew). The most complex element of Aquaman is going to be the seahorse - which I visualize for this costume as a stick horse although I plan to attach a tail at the bottom end of the stick. Again I have a pattern to adapt but it will require reshaping for the head. I will have to draft the tail pattern from scratch myself.
Thor, shown on the right will be more complicated. I expect to make his tunic/jerkin from suede cloth(with silver lame circles) but I haven't decided how best to fit the top. Options include: open in back to fasten with velcro; open in back to fasten with snaps/snap tape; incorporate stretch panels in the sides so the top can be pulled on. The suede cloth is one of the supplies I'm awaiting so I will see how much stretch, if any, it has before making a final decision. I am not going to style the tunic as a bodysuit (fastening under the crotch) due to comfort concerns but I will shape it so that it hangs down in the front coming to a point so the visual image is similar.
I have not yet decided exactly how I will make the two character's belts, but both are yellow and I have some yellow fabric for Thor's boots (which will in fact be spats or gaiters for this costume). I have one thick elastic belt with plastic buckle that I can cover with the yellow, making a sort of applique design for Thor's logo. I''ll likely fashion Aquaman's "A" buckle out of a scrap of plastic or heavy cardboard (milk bottle, etc.) and then cover it with a coating of fabric.
Next - fabric choices; making the tights.

End of the season

Although I didn't blog about it, I had what I consider to be a good racing season with the TT bike I built. I competed in 3 duathlons, 1 medium-short triathlon (shorter than Olympic distance but longer than Sprint) and my first half ironman race.

The Fetish bike became a road bike but now sports Oval Concepts clip on aero bars.
I have ordered an Oval Concepts Jetstream Fork after reading what Zinn had to say about it on Velo News. Other than trying it out when it arrives, I have given that bike some vacation time. The fork sounds impressive and my only qualms are in replacing the fork that has been custom painted to match the frame. My next tentatively planned multisport event will be a duathlon in April.

I've done some more work on the KHS cyclocross bike shown in earlier posts - it now has Easton EA 70 bar and stem (to match the seatpost) and Bike Nashbar cantilever brakes both front and back (lost the squeal that comes for no additional charge with Avid Shorty 6s).

Next on the bike project list will be a replacement of the drivetrain of my KHS road bike. At this point I am leaning toward a Campy Chorus groupset but may use some or all of the parts from Centaur instead due to cost concerns (as well as the fact that Centaur should now have the ultratorque crankset in carbon available). I plan to have the road bike frame repainted in the next couple of months.

Next on my other project list are Halloween costumes and I have decided to try to document this process from start to finish. I sew a lot of my own work out and racing clothing, and since I do a lot of modifications to patterns (or even make my own), I have decided to start keeping track of some of the more interesting things (to me) I've tried. Pictures and plan detail for Halloween stuff to follow over the next couple of days...

What I think about pedals

Although, over time, I have developed a preference for one type of clipless pedal, I do not, by any means, have experience with the variety available. I have not, for instance, ever used Speedplay Zeros or Look pedals so I may be missing out on some pleasurable riding (or performance enhancing) experiences although, for reasons I'll outline shortly, I'm not planning to try out anything different in the foreseeable future.
My first clipless pedal was the Shimano SPD - R (105 version). I put these first on a touring bike I used to own (Schwinn Sierra), then moved them over to the green Schwinn Supersport pictured in an earlier post. I had a lot of problems with these pedals - most notably in unclipping the right one. It took a real jerk and pull of my leg to get it out. I probably have an unevenly developed leg muscle on that side to this day from that. I finally started to adjust the tension with the allen key/hex wrench about every time I rode, which helped minimally although it seemed to 'stiffen up' during the ride. I 'crashed' more than once when I couldn't get unclipped coming up to an intersection. But I was convinced that I could 'learn' to use these since so many other people rode clipless. At this point in my life, I didn't have any close friends or acquaintances who rode bikes and most of what I learned I got off the internet or out of magazines. Thinking back, I had a uniquely independent approach to my entrance into triathlons and racing as it seems like a lot of people are influenced by friends or family members. This may be why I particularly like the sport of triathlon - since it is (in its "pure" non-draft legal form) a truly individual sport. At any rate, when I bought the blue KHS cyclocross bike (also pictured earlier), it came with Shimano standard SPD mountain pedals. I used those for a time and I also began to ride with others on group rides and to notice that a fair number of them used either that pedal, or a slightly modified version with the same clipping mechanism. Compared to the SPD - R, the SPD, a two-sided pedal with smooth action, was a dream to use. The SPD - R, no longer made, was perhaps the Windows ME of pedals (or maybe the Windows Vista of pedals, time will tell....).
At this point in time (late 2002, early 2003), I was becoming more and more interested with cyclocross, a sport (as I mentioned earlier) I have yet to participate in. And it appeared that the pedal du jour, so to speak, for cyclocross was the Crank Brothers Egg Beater. (I briefly considered the Speedplay Frog after reading reviews but it was pricier at the time. (Not sure how they compare now, though as the Cranks keep introducing new models, decreasing weight, and increasing prices.) At around the same time, I finally found, back in the midwest where I used to live, a LBS that was helpful. (One time early in my riding, I walked into a big store, part of a chain, not Performance Bike, during my lunch hour with a credit card prepared to spend whatever to buy clipless pedals AND shoes and I couldn't get anyone to help me, so I went back to my workplace that afternoon, purchased the SPD-R pedals online, bought shoes on ebay and thus began a long tradition for me of buying bike parts online, although not generally while I was at work.) This other LBS, an independent store, was conveniently close to the starting place for some of the weekly or monthly rides in the area. I walked in with the SPD pedals as I was assembling the cyclocross bike because they came with a plastic platform (for regular shoes) that I couldn't get off (I had started dissembling the pedal in the process) and they pried it off for me. It was this same shop that helped me when I couldn't get tires off the original rims. It was also this shop that special ordered a pair of SPD - R compatible shoes for me when I originally bought the wrong type (SPD compatible) on ebay because I didn't know what I was doing, and also explained the difference to me. They also installed the SPD - R pedals when I couldn't figure out how to get the original pedals off (torqued tightly and I had no idea about reverse threading). So when I was complaining about my issues with the SPD - R, one of the guys working at this store recommended the Egg Beater. I was told that it was a very easy 'first' clipless pedal. New models were due out (the triple ti was being introduced that fall), so the current year's model was on sale.
I tried the Egg Beaters out on the cyclocross that fall and winter, riding through some mud and snow, and I found them confidence inspiring. At this point, however, I had three pairs of shoes with three different sets of cleats - SPD - R for the road bike; Egg Beater for the cyclocross; and SPD for spinning class which I was participating in during the cold months at the local YMCA.
I started to lean toward making a change on my road bike, I had a little bit of a mental battle over giving up the SPD - R pedals because the Egg Beaters were technically 'mountain' pedals. At this time, I wasn't interested in trying yet another road pedal (and setting up another pair of shoes). So when I moved to New Mexico and found myself stopping frequently at the foot of a hill (or the base of one), the desire for confidence in clipping/unclipping won out and I swapped the pedals on my road bike to Egg Beaters. Later on, when Crank Brothers started branching into 'road' versions, I replaced these with the Quattro. Only downside with the Quattro is that not all shoes (mountain/walkable) work with them, but I really like the road shoe cleat mounting that came with the Quattro.
Now that I'm used to having a four-sided pedal that I can slide into or out of without even thinking
about it, I cannot imagine a reason to try something different. There are a couple of other advantages for me, as well. Since I alternate among bikes and use bikes for commuting/transportation, it is nice to have all of my (too many) pairs of shoes work, for the most part, with all of the bikes. (Some mountain shoes and the Quattro are the only exception; otherwise all of my road shoes work on road/cyclocross/other road/TT/singlespeed bike, as do any of my mountain/winter boots/walkable shoes.) I've found, especially with the new road cleat, that I can run through triathlon transitions just fine with these shoes (a disadvantage might be that they don't stay well on the pedals if you want to remove your feet; something I have never really learned how to do, and seeing the state of some of the transition areas with pebbles, sand, debris, etc., I'm not certain it is prudent to take them on in socks or bare feet as you prepare for the run portion of the race). I suspect, although I do not know for certain, that you have to leave Speedplays on the pedals as I can't imagine walking/running on that cleat set up. Actually, though, in this area, at least one of the races allows you to bike into transition - a practice that probably should be discontinued and didn't lead for me to much of a time advantage as I had to ride pretty slowly to avoid everyone else.
Where I now live, the pedal of choice appears to be the Speedplay in part because that is what is sold by the LBS. It is, in my mind, the "triathletes' pedal" just as I see Zipps as the "triathletes' wheel." Of course, everyone used to think that 650 cc wheels were better/faster, too. Looking at what the pro (cyclists) ride, one sees a strong relationship between sponsorship deals and products of choice (duh). My red Quattros are the team Lotto model. Shimano's newer road model, the SPD-SL, is, I believe, nearly the same pedal as the Look. (Nashbar and Performance's own pedals are likewise similar.) The only other road pedal that I will confess a temptation to try is the Campy Pro Fit, based in part on Zinn's praise, although it seems to be, again, a variation of the Look (or the other way around, perhaps.) And this would be another big investment, not to mention refitting cleats on many (too many) pair of shoes plus losing my (almost) "every shoe works on every bike" advantage.
Bottom line, to me, is what works for me and what I'm comfortable in. I still recommend the Egg Beater to anyone starting out with clipless. The first question people usually ask is something like "How easily can you get clipped in them?" IMO, based on my own experience, that question isn't nearly as important as "How easily can you get unclipped?"

The "Mighty Schwinn"

Finished (sort of)!

The bike is put together (pictures to follow). I taped only the ends of the cowhorn near the brakes (for grip) but am going to wait until I ride a little before taping the extensions in the event I want to adjust the length. I guessed on seatpost height so all of the adjustments may change.
I can only get into 8 of the 9 cogs - the shifter is only clicking 8 times. (I re-read the packaging; it is in fact a Dura Ace 9 speed bar end shifter.) I will look into that more after I ride assuming that I'll need to do more adjusting on brakes and shifters as the set up was all done on a repair stand.
I'm hoping to get in a little test ride later this afternoon and will update and post photos later on.

Cables and Housing

The worst week of the school semester (so far) was last week, with just one week of classes until spring break. Although I am by not means 'caught up,' I found some time Friday and Saturday to start making some progress.
I mounted the tires on the wheels. It was not easy to get the last couple of inches on and I broke a Crank Brothers Speed Lever (it is not the first time) in the process. Another argument for tubulars! The Vredstein Fortezza tires are rated to 175 psi so I'm anxious to see how they feel.
With the wheels on the bike, I made some tentative adjustments to the aero/base bar (combination of visual and physical assessments) and torqued everything down to recommended levels. I also went back and checked the torque on derailleur fastening bolts, brake lever attachment, and shifter attachment.
The brakes are fully functional. The only tricky thing was getting the housing through the base bar. In the previous post, two badly focused pictures show a portion of this process - what finally worked was using a very small hex wrench to catch and insert in the center of the housing like a hook, then tug downward through the hole. I ran the brake cables through the housing and into the brakes; using a Park Tools 3rd hand brake tool to hold them closed. I finally got the cables tight enough (I don't like sloppy feeling brakes) by sliding the top part of the brake slightly upward on the cable (while pulling it downward and tight), and quickly tightening the bolt with my other hand. Both front and rear will likely need re-tightened after some riding but should be safe for now. I also torqued the brake calipers and brake cable bolts to manufacturer's recommendations. The directions (Shimano) with the brake calipers weren't bad.
Today we've been hit with another blast of cold weather (60s - 70s all of last week up until yesterday). Instead of doing something outside, I started up again on the bike relatively early. I ran the shifter housing (it was easier than the brake housing as the aero extensions are a straight line; the base bar had a major curve that the brake housing had to go around) and have put both cables through. I had purchased an entire set of Jagwire racer cables and housing and I am very pleased with it. I didn't know until I looked at their site that this same kit is available in hot pink (I have standard dark grey; close to the Shimano Dura Ace color) which would have gone pretty well on this bike. I'll keep that in mind for the future. This kit had most of the things I needed (other than bigger brake ferrules for the Cane Creek levers) including little bumper pads (red things in the photo) for the cables to keep them from putting rub marks on your frame.
The housing cut easily and pretty neatly. This is the first time I've ever sized and cut housing and also the first time I worked with brakes that aren't cantilevers. (Dual pivot road brakes appear to be much easier to install and adjust than cantilevers.)
I'm going to need to put the chain on the start adjusting the derailleurs so I will do that this afternoon. I'm dreading working with the shifters because it has been my experience in the past that getting smooth shifting can be time consuming. I'll need to set up my workstand and there really isn't room inside, so working on the shifting may be out of the question for today as it is a little bit on the cold side (40s I think) today. Still, it looks like the first test ride may happen as early as next week.

Progress!

More Progress, and....Another Stopping Point!

The fork was sawed; I left it slightly long as a precaution - about 3/4" beyond the stem. It should give me ample range for stem placement, and I can always have it cut down more should I decide to in the future. (I read up on this and found that the star nut can be pushed down with the proper tool. This would be another bike shop job.) I need more spacers (keep using them on other bikes) but some are on the way. It is getting hard to find alloy (not carbon) headset spacers, but I sort of prefer the look of the plain black, especially as the aero set up is all flat black.

I purchased mountain cables (for the Cane Creek TT brakes) and ferrules (probably not enough I determined late in the day, but that doesn't really matter as I'll detail shortly) but LBS did not have 60 mm presta valve tubes (sold out and it doesn't appear that there is great demand). The best deal on tubes I continue to find at Bike Tires Direct where I made an order this a.m. (Great prices/selection on tires, too!) One of the reasons I went with Clinchers (the main one was unfamiliarity with tubulars) was the perceived cost savings on tires/tubes versus tubular tires. I am beginning now to wonder about that, even given what I think is a good deal on the tubes and a pretty good deal on my tires (Vredstein Fortezza). I am glad I got the 38 mm rims and not the 48 mm which I assume would take 80 mm valves which are really expensive and not that common, making tubular tires look yet more cost effective, especially if they don't flat very often. I guess now the main argument I can find against tubulars is the question about adhesive working with carbon rims (that Zinn speaks about in the most recent edition of his book) but I haven't kept up on this and don't know what the present thinking is about gluing tubulars to carbon. (There is also the issue of pricey brake pads for carbon rims, too). Bottom line is that I would not be quite so set against a tubular wheelset if I had it all to do over again.
I purchased two valve extenders at the LBS (have hated these in the past!) after I was convinced that the metal ones are better than the plastic ones I used to use and that judicious application of plumbing/pipe tape will secure the extenders. The point of tubes, of course, is so I can mount the tires (in fact, they are 'half mounted' at this point) and fit the wheels to adjust the brakes. You might note, however, in the photo above that only the rear brake is shown. That is due to the fact that I discovered last last night (hours after the LBS closes down not to open again until Tuesday a.m.) that I need an extra long (22 mm) brake nut which apparently doesn't come standard with the brakes (at least it didn't with mine). This is due to the width of my fork (which is about the same width as any carbon fork used on any bike these days..). This part costs $7.99 and won't be here until Wed or so (purchased along with some other odds and ends from Excel Sports, who have been quick, reliable and seem to carry many of the unanticipated necessities. So I can wire one brake partially maybe (miscounted how many housing ferrules will be needed), I can finish the derailleurs (and if I put on the valve extenders, wheels and chain, can work on the shifting) and it is still (today) pretty cold outside (32) although I have a commitment for the bulk of this afternoon and really quite a bit of schoolwork to get to. Spring break (mid March) as a completion date is unfortunately again beginning to look more realistic. And I can always ride my road bike for the late March short duathlon I have planned.
On the positive side, I am quite pleased with the look of the integrated headset despite my apprehension about using one. It is ironic to me that the 5-6 year old frame I was determined to use ended up being a very early use of this technology. But I think it looks neater and sleeker than a standard threadless with caps, and doesn't interfere with the paint job between frame and fork. Also it probably makes my bike look 'newer' as integrated appears to be state of the art these days and was not in 2000-2001.
A surprise to me is how much noticeable weight the aero bar/base bar set up adds to the bike.
I had thought riding with clip ons in the past that I descended faster because the bike was so front heavy. No wonder people get fanatical about saving weight on TT bikes - it reminded me of the feeling of lifting a light bike before and after putting two full 24 oz fluid bottles and a seat bag packed with tools on it.
The more I look at shifters, the more of them I see that are right-side up (the way I put mine on) including a Cervelo at the LBS for service yesterday. Maybe some people have been looking at the directions upside down.
More to come later or tomorrow, including my promised but still unwritten 'rant' about pedals....

Bar End Shifters - Upside Down???

As I was in the process of installing the bar end shifters, I realized that they didn't look quite 'right' to me. Referring back to a catalog showing an built up Cervelo Dual, I noted that the shifters on that photo were pointed up. (I looked on the Cervelo website and found only pix of frames). I also recalled seeing other people ride bike with the shifters going up. I started a web search and I won't bother placing the links as I don't know that many of them will be valid for long, but I found shifters placed both ways on various brands of bikes. Most, based on my search, are pointing downward, like mine, which I believe is the technically 'correct' way. (Park tools backs me on this; and the Shimano lettering is facing the correct direction.) I have to admit that I haven't watched the pros that closely (or even noted how racks of TT bikes look in triathlons) to see what the 'norm' is. I will be looking at this from now on with more interest. I honestly do not know which will be easier to use. I have a feeling that it has as much to do with what you get used to as anything. And, I made the transition from twist shifter (Schwinn Sierra hybrid) to brake/thumb trigger (Shimano Sora/Tiagra) to brake/beside the lever (105; Ultegra; Dura Ace) without any difficulty, so I tend to think I can get used to about anything within reason. (I still regularly alternate between Sora and Dura Ace shifters.)
The drilling on my aero bars does make a variety of alignments possible. I could possibly even flip the extensions themselves (twisting the cables a little perhaps) if I wanted to try out the 'other way' without rerouting the cables. For this reason, I may wait until after a couple of rides before taping the bars or extensions.
I don't monitor bike forums or the like regularly, so I don't know what the thinking is on direction of the shifters. I will be keeping an eye out for more information about this, though. I should be getting some stuff together with the help of the local bike shop today (they are closed on Sunday/Monday) so I can make more progress on this.

Finally Back!

The integrated headset has been in my possession for weeks now, but I didn't get back to work on the bike until yesterday. I've been too busy with schoolwork and trying to keep to some sort of a training/workout schedule to have any 'spare' time. I also took a look at the crown race and the fork and it appeared that it wasn't going to go on smoothly; that made it easier for me to put off working on the bike.
When I finally did start knocking at the crown race with a very reasonably priced crown race tool, it went on in about 45 seconds. "Installing" an integrated headset was easier than working with a regular threadless; the cartridges fit in the ends of the headtube. Unlike lots of other parts, the Cane Creek IS integrated headset had great and explicit directions.

In the meantime, another member of the household bought a Fetish frame, Campy (mostly Centaur) groupo, at the Excel Sports Custom Bike Configurator Record bar end shifters, and Richey aero bars, and made some progress. In fact, because the fork was already sized, the Fetish may well be finished before my Schwinn (I'm hoping to get the fork cut tomorrow.)

The Campy groupo has the "Ultra Torque" combination crank and bottom bracket (which required the purchase of another tool). As I'm considering changing over my road bike from Dura Ace 9 speed to Campy (I guess it is a matter past consideration since I already bought Campy compatible wheels) I am interested to see how the "Ultra Torque" will work out.

The Campy bar end shifters didn't seem to be quite as easy to work with as the Shimano. (I didn't actually work on or really watch the installation of the Campy.) There is a real lack of information about putting together a triathlon/time trial set up on a bike, based on my searching. None of the bike repair guides we have cover it in detail, and I didn't find much on the web, other than, of course, on the Park Tools website which actually shows a photograph of bar end shifters on aero bars here. And they appear to be the Dura Ace. (Directions which came with the product were minimally helpful and did not show any illustrations other than installation on the ends of drop handlebars.)

The Cane Creek TT aero brake levers have presented a couple of challenges. Getting the rubber 'thumb cap' off without using a flat-head screwdriver (that put a couple of minor scratch marks on the black paint) didn't appear possible. Upon reading the directions (I had all of the parts in a box until I was ready to start building), I (we, the Fetish's builder, too) realized that I/we don't have the proper brake cables as these require mountain (barrel shaped) rather than road. Housing and ferrules may also need to be purchased. I personally would have been happy to pay $10-$20 more for the brake set if it had included cables, etc. One very positive thing I can state about the Dura Ace bar end shifters is that they came with the appropriate accessory materials - cables, housing, casing stoppers and the little plastic cable router that goes underneath the bottom bracket (Campy Record bar end shifters, at about twice the price of the Dura Ace, did NOT come with the last item mentioned - one is one its way via 2nd day air from Bike Nashbar; cost of the item was $1.85.) Back on the subject of the Cane Creek brake levers - I tend to think that these type of products should come with the other necessary accessories, especially when they require something non standard, like, for instance, mountain bike cable.

With any luck, the local bike shop will be able to set us up with cables, housing, ferrules, etc., tomorrow. As mentioned earlier, despite my thoughts of getting the bike mostly put together before determining the steerer tube sizing, I'm going to make a determination of length, and probably err a little on the long side, and have it cut so I can go ahead and put everything together without worrying about having to take things back off to get to the fork. I also discovered today that we have no tubes with 60mm stems which is what I need for my wheels to avoid using valve extenders (which I really dislike). So hopefully the LBS will have at least a pair of those too, so I will be able to install the wheels to fit the brakes.

Bad (cold!) weather is in part responsible for my renewed efforts on this bike project, as well as a holiday break for the university (Monday and Tuesday off for Mardi Gras) unique to this part of the country. I also have a plan to race in a short, small duathlon at the end of March and would really like to have some ride time on this bike before that, weather permitting. (Spring break is in middle March; but if I don't get the bike done until then I'll have pretty limited training time on it.)

We are far enough south to be out of the killer bitter cold, but, as far as I'm concerned, there isn't too much difference between temps in the teens (or lower) and temps in the 20s (as we've had here); I'm not that inclined to bike much in either. I've done some early morning riding (just a couple of miles) during the past few weeks and on two occasions found that my most extreme weather gear ('claw' gloves with liners, thermal tights; layered balaclavas and ski goggles) was barely warm enough. This, I remind myself, is why I have a trainer. This is also why I don't have any plans of moving in a northward direction anytime soon....

With any luck, I will be back to some regular bike working (and blogging). Still to come, my thoughts on pedal systems, progress on the Schwinn and the Fetish, and whatever else pops in my head...

Headset Surprise

(Picture above: Members of the "Credit Aquatique" cycling team start some early season conditioning)

You would think I would have noticed that there were no headset cups visible on the fully built Schwinn Factory that hangs on a bike rack in my living room. (In fact, I actually did, the bottom one at least, but somehow didn't make the connection). Had I really been thinking and done the research, I now wonder if I would have been so determined to use the same frame for my TT bike as I have mixed feelings about and no experience with integrated headsets. Apparently, beginning in 1998, Schwinn bikes used some of the first integrated headsets. Mountain bikes and many of the 2001 Factory road bikes came equipped with an ICBM headset. (Researching other Fastback Factory road bikes has shown me that some instead came with, perhaps installed by the shop or dealer, a Cane Creek IS integrated headset. Of course the ICBM was made by Aheadset, which is in fact Cane Creek.) I located sources for ICBM, Cane Creek (various models) and FSA integrated headsets (there are a couple of other non compatible standards) and I'm hoping, despite not finding any absolute assurance, (the ICBM absolutely works on certain Schwinn "mountain bikes" without mention of the homegrown road frames) that the Cane Creek IS 2 now on order (in fact on backorder to get what I thought was a reasonable price) will fit this frame. I have seen enough positive reviews on integrated headsets to counter my fears about the negatives (seen a lot of negative comments from Chris King) although I tend to think that this is one of those technological 'improvements' that has a basis more in trying to force everyone to change what they have than in a multitude of realized benefits. Since this bike should be used, for the most part, only for racing and optimum condition training (i.e., on the local rails to trails and not generally on actual roads other than in races) I'm less concerned about having the type of damage to the headset that might ruin the frame. And, I'm (sometimes) up for trying out something new and different, as long as it isn't prohibitively expensive (like switching to tubular wheels and tires seemed to be). I have to admit that, aesthetically speaking, the IS system is a plus in that it won't interfere with the excellent paint job on the frame/fork. Headset cups do tend to look sort of 'clunky' when you see then next to bikes with IS. But my progress is going to slow waaaay down, not only due to waiting for the headset to arrive, but also due to the fact that the school semester begins next Tuesday. There are two breaks this semester - one of about 2 days (plus the weekend) in February, and spring break in March. I *should* be able to get the bike built by the end of spring break (hoping that the longer I can't work on it, the more inspired I will be to work all out given the opportunity). One advantage is that in warmer weather (March should be), it will be easier for me to set up my workstand outside (on the covered patio) and have more space to work in. DST starts in mid March this year as well, giving me longer working hours. I also 'lose' one class in March as it lasts only half of the semester; although I pick up a class (to teach) in the second half of the semester although it is only 2 1/2 hours a week and class I lose takes up almost 6 hours as week which eats up a couple of mornings. No point in getting the fork sawwed off as I'll also have the bike shop set the star nut and (possibly) the crown race; both of which will arrive with the headset. No point in getting started on possible work on my road bike as I needed to have the TT bike built (to have something fast to ride) before I start disabling my road bike. What I can do is double and triple check everything else I have planned to make certain I haven't made any more errors (like I already did in buying a regular threadless headset), working ahead on school stuff (ha!) to the degree I can once I have my course syllabus information next week, and getting some of the odds and ends of parts laying around 'just in case I needed them' together to sell on ebay. I've also been taking it easy somewhat with training (in the middle of a 10 week cycle of strength/weight training that is kicking my a#s) and I'm going to need to start upping miles and intensity in all three triathlon disciplines to get ready for the race or races that I wanted this bike for in the first place.
Like everything else I've done in working on bikes, this has, so far, provided several learning experiences which should, in turn, better prepare me for doing things in the future (I tend to think I learn better by making mistakes than I would if everything somehow fell into place perfectly).
Coming up: pedals; which cyclometer to use

About the Parts

I finally can report some progress on the bike build job. Bottom bracket, crankset and derailleurs are installed (although no doubt much adjustment will be needed to the latter once chain and cables are installed.) For the most part, I referred to Park Tools' website for building order and general directions. Another favorite source is Lennard Zinn's "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance" (2nd edition, new in 2006). I have three volumes of the four volume Barnetts manual, but, unfortunately began to accumulate these just before the update to the current 5th edition so find the older version (dates about 1996 I believe) a little less helpful than some newer information I can access. I am at a stopping point, however, as I await a headset (more on this in the next post). I am also, sooner rather than later, going to have to make a decision on the sizing of the fork steerer tube which may be a little difficult as I have never yet had a bike set up exclusively for time trial/triathlon riding (i.e., with bar end shifters installed in the aero bars rather than clip on aero bars on a road bike).

DISCLAIMER: Any product information included in this and other posts is, for the most part based, on my own experiences and/or opinions. I attempt to describe the rationales behind my decision-making, but my experiences and needs are unique so I hope no one takes anything I say as a recommendation to use (or not to use) given products. I provide links for further information and reference only, not as suggestions for purchase. I attempt to research thoroughly before making purchases (looking at both product/performance reviews and price comparisons) and I would encourage everyone else to do the same.

In the previous post, I assembled and photographed the various components. I was surprised as I accumulated parts how well most of the pieces of an entire bicycle fit in a small box. Bars, aero bars, stem and seat post are all by Profile Design, who have a large presence among triathletes and also manufacture accessories in what I consider an affordable price range, although you can spend quite a lot if you want on some of the carbon parts. Over time, I've grown to like the Fast Forward seat post, and used one when I was riding a road bike with clip on aero bars last summer. I chose the T2 + aero bar and companion T2 wing base bar as I prefer two piece aero bars and I wanted to give myself as flat a position as possible. The T2+ satisfied both of those conditions. I am still not certain as far as stem length goes as I was most recently riding aero position on the 2001 Schwinn Supersport mentioned in a prior post, as it has a quill stem. I'm using a 110 mm on my road bike so bought a 100 mm to start with - it is a Profile Design Lava (OS) which I chose largely because it is looks good with the base bar.
The grouppo for this bike is largely Shimano Ultegra 9 speed. I made this decision based on the fact that I could get 9 speed components for a great price since Shimano has shifted (no pun intended) to 10 speed. The price difference between Dura Ace and Ultegra, even looking at 9 speed components, is still significant, and I've observed great performance and reliability from Ultegra parts. The minimal weight difference just doesn't seem terribly significant to me. The most expensive part of a normal road grouppo, the shifter/brake levers, aren't relevant in this situation. The bar end shifters I purchased are Dura Ace (I don't believe Shimano makes any other model) and I have both a Dura Ace and an Ultegra cassette, each 11-23. (I plan to use the Dura Ace on my 'good' wheels and put the Ultegra on another set of road wheels I'll use as training/back ups for this bike.) I have ridden with an 11-23 9 speed cassette for a few years now (although I swapped it for a 12-28 in New Mexico), and it seems to provide a good enough range for me, especially in the relatively flat part of the country I live in now. I'm using Cane Creek aero brake levers (the less expensive ones, not the carbon ones), and I have my choice of a Shimano Dura Ace or Sram Power Link chain. (The power link is a lot easier to work with if you have the Park Tools Master Link Pliers.)
I will be riding on Neuvation C 38 C carbon clincher wheels.
I raved about another set of Neuvations in a prior post - I had already decided to buy the carbon wheels and bought the M28s for my cyclocross bike at the same time. I considered going with tubulars but I have no experience at all with tubular wheels/tires, the tires are really expensive, and I had read that there aren't great adhesive choices for carbon rims yet. I also preferred having a non carbon braking surface which these clinchers offer (pads for carbon cost quite a bit more). Neuvation makes a deeper rim clincher (C 48 C) but I have never liked valve extensions and I figured it would be easier and cheaper to find tubes to fit the 38s. (Another factor is that there is a price difference between the C 38s and the C 48s as well.) I have had lots of flats, including flats in races, so I tend to think not only of prevention to the extent possible, but also of speed and ease of changing tubes should it become necessary. If anything, I erred on the side of being conservative when choosing wheels. I think the Neuvations are about the most competitively priced carbon wheels around although they are still, relatively speaking, quite expensive. I was also very pleased with the service I received dealing with John Neugent; it was nice to deal with a small business and the business owner rather than a some corporation. And I got a free wheelbag, too!
coming up: headset surprise! what I think about pedals; two cyclometers to choose from

Pieces and Parts

Why a Schwinn?

Some may wonder why I decided to build my TT bike using a 5-6 year old Schwinn aluminum frame. Price definitely had something to do with it - the Factory frame was an absolute steal when I purchased it. But I had some prior knowledge of and experience with Schwinn bikes, not only the Factory, but also the 2001 Super Sport I've photographed for this post. (It has the distinction of being the 'trainer bike' during the winter months.)
When I decided to buy a bicycle in February of 2002 after not having one for 20 years or so, the closest bike store to my apartment was a Schwinn store. (It was also a landscape business.) I bought a 2002 Sierra hybrid bike with 700c wheels, smooth but large tires, z-brakes and twist shifters. I was, at that time, put off by the idea of 'skinny tires' and drop bars although my last bike had been a standard 1970s style ten speed. I enjoyed riding the Sierra that spring and started to get interested in both touring and trying a sprint triathlon. It was during a 36-mile 'Tour de Cure' that I started to see the real limitations of the hybrid. No matter how hard I tried, I could keep up with the road bikes, even rolling downhill. That bike was just plain slower. (I had no idea about how chainring and cassette sizes came into play at this point, it was simply the difference in rolling speed that I noticed.) About a week before my first ever triathlon, I stopped back at the Schwinn store to look at the 3 road bikes they had when I bought the Sierra. To the credit of the original bike salesman, he tried to get me to buy a road bike - he must have seen something in me that told him I wouldn't be satisfied with the hybrid. At this point, in early June, the road bike stock was down to 1. (It wasn't a very large dealer in a fairly competitive city; I imagine they sold far more hybrids or cruisers than anything else.) The original guy I bought the Sierra from wasn't there and had been replaced by two people who I guessed were mountain bike riders as they seemed to know very little about road bikes. When I asked about size, they assured me that medium, which was what the one road bike was, would be fine. I was given an explanation of how to shift with STI levers, took the bike for a spin in the parking lot and bought it. While it wasn't the fastest, best, lightest (ha!) or even state of the art (quill stem; 8 speed Sora components with Tektro brakes) for its time, it was a comfortable, faster (esp compared to the Sierra), reliable, seemingly well built bike that took me through my first season of sprint triathlons/duathlons and some progressively longer touring rides (longest that season was just under 80 miles). I didn't have any great triathlon results, but can't blame the bike; my mediocre running and awful swimming had a lot to do with that. I did have an age group win in a late season duathlon, largely thanks to much improved running as well as the extremely hilly bike course kept the pace down overall. Even after replacing this bike with a Dura Ace equipped (9 speed) with carbon fork and chainstays (that is pounds and pounds lighter) I still like the 'feel' of the Schwin Super Sport, and have found it especially well suited for riding with clip on aero bars and a Profile Design Fast Forward seatpost. It has a compact frame with a sloping top tube and sometimes I think it is faster than my good bike, and not just at rolling downhill. So, when deciding to build a bike just for time trial/triathlon riding, I wanted something more similar to the Super Sport in size and shape. The Schwinn Factory frame doesn't have quite as much slope in the top tube, but is more similar than different when compared to the Super Sport. I didn't really want an all carbon bike; still have mixed feelings about going that direction. While weight is important, at a certain level it becomes a little less significant for me as I have averaged about 110 lb in weight and sometimes, especially in high wind, I like to feel a solid amount of bicycle weight under me. Still, my good bike is just over 17 lbs (unencumbered by water bottles and the seat bag with tools and tire change gear I carry) and I'm not expecting my TT bike to build up to be much different than that. And, I took the advice I've seen a few times and put way (waaaay) more money into the wheels than the frame.
Next post: pieces and parts.

Finding a Frame Painter

It didn't turn out to be all that easy to find a frame painter. I had begun making inquiries in New Mexico and was told to try a paint/powder coat shop (not bicycle specific) and also given the name of a frame building who 'might' paint or know someone who did. Other suggestions included trying auto body shops. However, since my residence in NM was temporary (18 months) I put the bike building process (more parts just meant more things to pack and move) on hold for the time being. Due to issues (including hurricane Katrina), I didn't get going right away after relocating either. But, after about a year living in the southeast, I finally had slightly over survival level income, and could anticipate having some time, and had developed some specific goals relating to my amateur racing so I started to again explore frame painting options.
This was a project I had never considered doing myself. I have known a couple of people in my life who worked on cars and am aware of not only equipment but environment (dust free) issues. I had also read enough to be aware of the need to prepare and paint a bike frame carefully (keeping paint out of the insides of the tubes) so I had a sense that, while an auto body shop might present an low cost option, it wouldn't necessarily be a good one.
I searched frame painters on the Internet for some time. I also had the added issue of trying to determine what paint job I wanted. I knew that I didn't want a re-creation of the original Schwinn Factory paint (yellow with black 'racing stripes' in the decals) and I was leaning toward something black or silver. I liked the way matte finishes looked (I've seen Trek bikes in both matte black and matte dark blue) and had pretty well decided that I wanted a matte black until I determined that was too close in appearance to many of the Kestral frames I'd seen, and I wasn't trying to make this bike look like something else. (I had likewise rejected silver because that figures in the standard Litespeed color scheme.) I spotted a dark purple paint job on one frame painter's web site and had basically decided to go with an all over purple and hope that the decals could be reproduced without the black stripes. I found no locationally close frame painters (although there may or may not be one in the New Orleans area which isn't too terribly far for me; but I couldn't determine if they were back in business post-Katrina) so I started inquiries via email. Between the time I began my search (Sept-Oct) and the time of my serious inquiries (Oct-Nov), two the painters' web sites disappeared. Another web site had a home page only but none of the links worked. I'll admit to some laziness (or lack of time) at this point; I didn't go through a lot of effort to try to track these businesses down or call them. But I figured that either: they were not doing well and/or were out of business, or; they were keeping so busy that they no longer needed a web presence. I fired out emails to the active sites giving the basics and asking for quotes for the paint (and return shipping) and go only one (prompt) reply. (I heard from some places much later on.) Jack Kane not only emailed me back quickly but also recommended that I not go with a 'plain' paint job. He referenced his gallery
and I began to see this paint job in a whole different light. If I had had the money to buy a whole new bike, the custom build options from Kane Racing Bicycles are about endless and definitely unique. (One of these days, after I'm through with school.....).
From start to finish, the painting process was a smooth as possible. I sketched out a design, based on some of the gallery bikes and also using the project one feature of the Trek web site
to look at color combinations, sent it via priority mail, called with a CC # after it was done, and quickly got it back via UPS. Not everyone wants a frame that is mostly purple with bright pink and green accents, but I'm happy with it (the color scheme was entirely my idea). Jack also carried the design onto the fork and had decals made in white to show up on the dark background. I'm really pleased to have found someone who does quality work because there are a couple of other bikes in the house that suffered some nicks in their paint from transport (including a couple of long distance moves) and may well be candidates for frame painting in the future.
Once I got the frame back, I was ready to get started (I had been accumulating pieces and parts since September) but for two things: Xmas travel and no derailleur hanger.
I took care of the latter with the help of derailleurhanger.com
which may not have the lowest prices, but has a great selection of derailleur hangers for slightly older frames like this one and provided excellent service and prompt delivery. I returned home just before the beginning of the New Year and found all of the bike parts anxiously awaiting my attention.
Coming up: why this frame? the rest of the parts; getting started with the build job

Paint Job