The Miyata frame. The third time is the charm. Miyata is a large and respected Japanese company that makes, uh, fire extinguishers and bicycles. Really. Best I can tell from their very Japanese looking website, they also make blue skies and puffy clouds. Miyata makes quality bikes and frames that aren’t very well known by…
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This is the freshly laced front wheel. I love the curvy spoke pattern. It’s only curvy because the spokes haven’t been tightened yet. After they’re tightened, they’ll straighten out and look more normal. Bicycle wheels are amazing things. I’ve actually built a few wheels before. It’s considered relatively advanced. I find it amazing to take…
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When I first tried to lace the wheel last night, I thought the spokes were too short. The first cross spoke wouldn’t reach the nipple in it’s whole. I took the wheel apart this morning and did it again today. Turns out the spokes are just right. Maybe that’s why master wheel builders don’t drink…
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A wrong frame. This one I found on the street outside Tamara’s. Here it is all locked up after I claimed it: A steel Cannondale frame with all rusted parts. Perfect frame! A girl’s frame at that! Ali threw it in his car and a few days later I took from his (unlocked) car. After…
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The chain guard (too keep your pants from getting greasy from the chain) is awfully pretty, I say. I bought it on e-bay. The front hub is sitting in the middle. I don’t undestand why 95% of new bikes are sold without a chain guard. Or fenders, for that matter.
More parts! The UPS man made it through on a snowy, ice day. Here’s the chain ring, chain, and cranks. These are BMX parts. Not road parts. But since I’m building a single track bike (meaning the chain will never shift–in common with but not to be confused with a fixed gear or single speed…
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Here’s the first shipment: wheels, hub, spokes, chain guard. Most of the money for this bike goes in the wheels. The rims are $50 each. The tires are $50 each. The front hub is about $40. And the rear hub, my fancy internal-shifting baby, is $200. Spokes cost 80 cents each. That adds up. Add…
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I’ll be adding technical specs here as I built to bike so I can keep track of them (And if anybody reading this actually cares): Used Miyata 312 frame w/ Hatta sealed 1″ Vesta Nutted Headset. Magna Light front fork w/ magnesium steel tubes, butted reinforced crown, towing safety tabs front fork. Triple butted cro-mo,…
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So here’s what a bike needs: framefront wheel rimrear wheel rimrim tape (goes on the rim so the spokes don’t stick out and pop the tube)tires (2)front fenderrear fenderfront hubrear hubbottom bracket (that’s the part between the peddles)crankspeddleschain ringchain guardchainbreaks (including brake levers and cables)seat postseathandlebar stemhandlebarsrear racksaddle bags I’m planning on re-using Zora’s peddles,…
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So I bought the hub and started looking on e-bay for a frame. I wanted a used steel frame. I don’t like aluminum frames because they’re too stiff. Steel gives, and riding a steel bike is comfortable. Steel bikes are also prettier. Steel bikes also last longer. I’m all for choice in bikes. I respect…
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