Amen to 5 and 7. 5. I attach the (drop bar) brake levers snug-but-loose, and ride the naked bars around the neighborhood, and kind of wriggle them up, down, toe-in, etc, until they're good. Then I lock them down and ride farther, to make sure. Then I tape. 7. I have indeed adjusted fiddly things while balancing the bike with my head. Now I use the stand if I'm just changing a tire, and it's just holding the bike off the ground while I work nearby.
- I like to keep my cable housing "short but graceful." I hold the housings where they need to run, and turn the bars all the way, both ways, and mark the cable against the stop. I cut it at the mark, and it seems to work. I assume everyone does this, but I did learn the hard way. - Oh! I rebuilt the cockpit on someone else's bike (flat bars to Albas), and only had to buy one brake and one shift cable, because I reused the old rear brake and shifter cables as the new fronts. - I reuse cable ends by pinching them "open" again, then pinching them flat. - Anytime the bike shop asks if I need cable ends or "bolts with that," I say yes. If they charge me, fine, if not, even better. Philip www.biketinker.com On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 7:13:18 AM UTC-8, Patrick Moore wrote: > > 1. Think it through, first. Test it first, before committing, if you can. > If there are instructions, read the instructions. This applies in great > heaping spades to cable housing. (And how do I know that???) > > 2. Decent tools. I have built complete bikes and hacked drivetrains with > the crudest of tools, as a boy, but it is far, far easier to have box > wrenches instead of vise grips and pipe wrench, chain tool instead of > hammer, nail, and large-ish nut, and a bench vise instead of the hammer > again and a stump. And using nail and hammer on the adjustable cup and > lockring on an old bb assembly may require patience. > > 3. Keep track of little parts! Oh, my! I now have a series of small, steel > bowls and sardine cans in which to temporarily store those little ball > bearings, shifter tension washers, and chain master links. > > 4. Have a favorite drink handy and pleasant music on the hi-fi. The last > drowns out the cursing. > > 5. Don't tape your bar before you've ridden the new bike at least a few > miles. This mistake often goes with cutting cable housing to the wrong > length. > > 6. Know and acknowledge that not all parts work together on all frames. > No, you cannot get standard reach calipers to work on a 700c wheel jammed > into a rod brake roadster frame. No, an old, worn, coaster brake will not > modulate well with a 50/15 gear. No, you cannot salvage that 125 mm bb > assembly to use with your Grafton crankset, at least if you expect the > chainline to be remotely normal and the front derailleur to work properly. > > 7. Lastly, a good stand. Hell, even a bad stand. I've torn down and > rebuilt dozens of bikes, they either lying on the floor or leaning against > the wall -- have you tried to adjust the offside lockring on an old, cheap > cup'n'cone bb while propping the bike up with your head? > > > On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 7:04 AM, Tony DeFilippo <vpi...@gmail.com<javascript:> > > wrote: > >> Whether it's an application of beeswax, a dab of a specific grease, >> quirky cable routing... What is your own favorite tip or trick when >> building up a new bike out replacing components...? >> >> I'm pretty new to the game but I notice small mentions in some if the riv >> products of arcane or fancy installs, and I've seen all manner of custom >> work at my local co-op. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Rob at >> Ocean Air Cycles and was impressed at the attention to detail in his builds >> and the small bits and pieces adapted to make fenders and lights melt into >> the frame. >> >> I'll start, not that it's much of a secret but I've come to really like >> starting my handlebar wrap with a layer of recycled inner tube... Cheap and >> available, more cush than cork under cotton. You can also run with it >> without cotton on top as you are trying out different brake/shifter >> configurations or bar height. It's really easy to work with and you can >> even cut it in half canoe style to reduce the'thickness' in some areas or >> add thickness in other places. >> >> What do you have!?! >> Tony >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> To post to this group, send email to >> rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com<javascript:> >> . >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> > > > > -- > *RESUMES THAT GET YOU NOTICED!* > Certified Resume Writer > http://resumespecialties.com/index.html > patric...@resumespecialties.com <javascript:> > http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ > > Albuquerque, NM > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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