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...