Project #JensBikeBuild is complete!

Wow, I've missed blogging a lot of steps since my last post!! I had installed the BB, Cranks, MRP chain guide, SLX rear derailleur, etc, etc....too much to list! I'll cut to the chase and just show how awesome it came out :)

RaceFace Ride XC Single Speed Crank and MRP Chain Guide installed!

I just got my RaceFace Ride XC Singlespeed crankset and MRP Chain Guide in the mail a couple days ago and finally got the time to install it! Woot! I went with the RaceFace XC crankset because I'm going to go 1x10 on Jen's bike and also because it looks great! :) For the chain guide I was torn between the MRP, Origin-8, and e.18 guides, but I think the MRP one looks the best so I went with that. The installation was very straight-forward, the only concern I have is that since I went with the bottom bracket mounted chain guide, I hope I got the angle right on the guide, otherwise I *may* need to pull the crank, and loosen the BB in order to change the angle which would be a hude pain in the rear...that said I do think I got it right. I also removed the raceface backguard that came on the crank so I could use the MRP guide, but that was a sacrifice I knew I would make anyways, if I really wanted a bashguard I would have went with the MRP g2 mini. Look great to me!

Fork installed!

So I finally got my X-fusion Enix fork, and got the crownrace installed, the star fangled nut installed, and cut the steering tube! In order to install the crown race, all I did was purchase a 1-1/4"-1' Galvanized steel pipe, I had them smooth out the ends after cutting, and I gorilla taped one end to "soften" it so it would be less likely to damage the crownrace. This thing was so heavy i didn't even have to whack it with a mallet to set the crown race...all I did was put it over the steering tube and slammed it down onto the crown race a couple times, and it was as flush as it could be - perfect! Next was the part that worried me.....having to mark and cut the steering tube... First, I got all the headset spacers I needed (3x10mm, 1x5mm), put everything except for the 5mm spacer on the fork: headset parts, 3 10mm spacers, stem - then I marked with a pencil, took everything off the fork, and went outside and cut it with a hacksaw. Next I had to install the star-fangled nut. After looking online It seemed like the simplest way to do this was to put a topcap on the the compression screw, then put a 15-20mm spacer on it and then screw the star fangled nut onto it. This would allow you to hammer the top with a mallet all the way down and it should "theroetically" be flush and spaced down the optimal 15-20mm down in the head tube. What I did for the spacer was I took an old plastic bar end I had, and drilled a hole through it big enough for the compression screw to fit through it. Next, I cut the bar end to roughly 15mm, and put it all togeher...it looked something like this.. I started to hammer this in, but it started going in crookeed, all I did was take a screw driver and hammer the side down that was higher - no big deal....once it was low enough for good blows to the top cap, it set in flush :) Now all i had to do was put it all back together on the frame, and this time include the 5mm headset spacer and it all was perfect! Now its starting to look like something!

Well....I got the stem!

So I ordered a RaceFace ride stem from Jenson mostly because it was a killer deal, and if it didn't fit on Jen's bike I figured I would put it on mine, and let her have the one from my bike if she needs a longer stem (I've been thinking about shortening my stem to quicken up the steering, but that's a different post :))

This was the RaceFace Ride 70mm stem with +6/-6 degree angle.

I also ordered a Salsa Cromoto 26" canti/disc rigid fork from Jenson, but unfortunately it got backordered and finally they sent me an email saying they were having problems getting one so I was able to cancel that order.   To my surprise I found a *killer deal* for a 2012 X-fusion enix 26"/650b (black) fork on eBay, so I'm very happy the way this fell out :)

$5 DIY Headset Press!

Built my homemade headset press for $5!    I followed the advice in this thread on MTBR: DIY Headset Press

Parts List:
1/2"x1' Threaded Rod - $1.52
1/2"x2" Flat washers (x8) - $1.92
1/2"x1" Flat washers (x3) - $0.60
1/2"      Hex nut (x3)        - $0.60
Total - $4.64

Here is the final product!

Clearly I could have gotten a better picture, but you get the idea :)

Installing the headset was pretty easy, the hard part was getting it to go in straight, but I think I would have had the same problem with the $70 Park tool headset installation tool.    I slowly did it and any time it appeared to be pressing in crooked, I would back off the hex nut, and realign everything to get it to straighten out...the key was to go slowly and take your time.

Looks good to me! :)

Faced and chased!

This past Saturday I went out and got the frame faced and chased by the good folks at Swallow Bicycle Works!    They're a great shop and really friendly - talking to Tom made me even more excited about this build :)  Now that its faced and chased, I should be able to start sticking on parts as I get them.

First order of business will be to craft a homemade headset press :)   Why? Because it will be fun!

I haven't found any *great* posts yet for how to build one but essentially it will be 18" long 5/8" threaded rod with washers and nuts to press it in.   I'll post a follow up after I do some research and find some great links.

Meanwhile here is my new "new to me" road bike!

It has great components so I don't plan on doing any upgrades, however I would say it needs a few things done:
- New tires (current ones have cracking rubber)
- New bar wrap (current one is really beat up)
- New brake & derailleur cables.

That's pretty much it....however I dont really plan on doing much to it until jen's bike is done :)

The Headset Arrived!

Just got the headset for Jen's bike.  I went with the Cane Creek 40 Series, because it seemed like the obvious choice between price and quality - it seems most folks use this headset for typical builds.   The only issue I had to think about was what size of the headset to buy - I didn't know if I needed an EC34 or an EC44, but after taking a look at the specs for the head tube, etc - I'm certain I got the right one.  (Bonus points - it was $20 cheaper on Ebay than anywhere else!)

Now I have a reason to get the frame faced and chased!  Of course without a fork there I can't install the crown race and get it starting to look like a bike...all in due time I suppose :)