Laying Down Smooth

Should I really use the term, "Laying Down" in a bike blog? Hmm. I am referring to the primer and the fabulously smooth surface it left on the frame. Check it out for yourself. Now I just have to block sand, during which I'm likely, er, definitely going to go through the primer, which will require yet another coat of the smooth stuff. Then maybe the frame will be ready for the basecoat/clearcoat combination.

Headset Ready To Go

In documenting every facet of the build, sometimes tedium can strike. BAM! Here it is, in the form of not one, not two, but THREE pictures of the headset cleaned up, ready to grease and install. Not a bad Tange unit here, but it's no Campy.

Stem Quandary

Well after the crankarms polished up so nicely, I just couldn't stop. You probably know how it is. So out of the box came the crusty stem, and onto the buffing wheel it went. Cleaned up nicely for the amount of effort I put into it. See, I'm not really sure this stem will be on the bike for very long, if at all. What I'm looking for is a nice 58-or 65-degree 120mm quill stem. That, I think, will take this bike toward the direction I want it to go. Track, baby!! For more track style, enter http://www.oldskooltrack.com/, click on pix and prepare to be hooked. Pista bars, here we come!

Cranked UP!

Spent some quality time with the crank today. A little sandpaper, a little rouge and a buffing wheel. I think these might look okay on the bike.

Decent Looking Raleigh Crankset

Nice to have a decent looking crankset to start with. Maybe I'll polish the crankarms to a high shine...

Flat Crown Fork

I guess flat-crown forks are popular in some circles. I haven't checked into it much yet, but I already appreciate the craftsmanship that went into this somewhat critical part of the build.

"Before" Pictures

I just got these pictures tonight from Eric. Thanks so much for saving these! I got the frame home and just got carried away! Before I knew it, the paint was stripped, braze-ons had vanished, the deraileur hanger was MIA, and so on. But here's what the Super Sport started out as. Well I should say, here is how it looked when I brought it home.

Stems and such

Anyone have an idea if you can still get new stems like this? These things are hot and look like what I see in my head when I dream about this Super Sport.

Needs vs. Wants, Part I

Okay, here's your first chance to get involved in the build. I am in need of a few parts. A seatpost is probably one of the top priorities right now. Anyone got a 26.8mm seatpost lying around?

Since I'm begging here, I just have to ask...does anyone have a crankset? I have a nice, narrow square-taper unit with crankarms and a sweet 52T chainring, but I also have a Truvativ bottom bracket that just needs crankarms to be golden. It takes the 8-spline arms. if you think you might have something, hit me up. Thanks.

Why Chemical Strip the frame?

Seems most every time you hear of someone repainting a bike frame, they go one of two ways. The first camp is what I'll call the "scuff and shoot" set. They usually have frames with decent paint on, but maybe they want to change the color or make it shine again. The second camp, which I'm in, is the "strip and refinish" camp. So many times I have seen these types just sandblast the frame, prime and refinish (powdercoating is popular with this camp) with no misgivings. I would like to offer a second opinion.

Sandblasting, by its nature, does two things to steel. For one, the process actually eats away some of the steel, and this problem can be compounded by an inexperienced technician. Secondly, all those tiny flakes of sand hitting the frame at God-knows-how-many miles per hour can in fact heat-treat the frame. Or part of the frame. You can see where this may take you. One minute you're out for a spin, the next you're lying on the road wondering why your frame just snapped like that. Bike frames are tempered at the factory in a controlled furnace, and the sandblasting can quickly undo this.

Chemical Stripping removes only the paint from the steel (well I did have to sand some of it off), and preserves both the wall thickness of the tubing and the heat-treating performed at the factory. I believe that I have chosen the proper method for refinishing my frame and fork. Oh, the fork! I can't believe I haven't shown you the fork yet! And just wait until I pull the components out of the cardboard box! :)

A Little History

I have been digging for information on this bike, and so far I have only found one picture. So here it is. This is probably the same size frame as mine (standover at a claimed 36") but I have no information on the bike itself, other than that it is a Schwinn.

A wealth of information...

02-25-08 - ...only some of it chronicled. I am referring of course to the late Sheldon Brown, who passed away last week. His comprehensive website, www.sheldonbrown.com, and periodical articles have been part of my inspiration and most of my knowledge base for this build. My personal thanks go out to his family and community, many of whom must have sacrificed countless hours without a father or husband or friend while he chronicled his knowledge for the greater good of cycling. Godspeed, Sheldon.

Meet the steel beast, Part II

Meet the steel beast!

Teaser Shot

2-25-08 - Okay, here is a teaser pic of the project as it sits right now. Currently. Until something changes, or I get five minutes to sneak into the garage (honey, I'll take the trash out...) and execute my next attack. This poor thing never knows what's next. So far the deraileur hangar is MIA, as are the shifter cable guides on the BB shell, the cable stops on the chainstay, and a couple other braze-ons I felt like liberating the frame of.

Wasting Little Time

02-24-08 - This morning when I woke up I had in mind to strip the frame of all its paint, however the 7-year old can of Kleen-Strip just wasn't up to the task. Rats! Now I need to find an excuse to go to the auto parts store. I just want to see that bare steel, and let it breathe for the first time in 22 years!

Diving Right In

2-23-08 - Well, today I went and did it. I found the perfect frame (read: cheap) for my project bike. It just happens to be a 1985 Schwinn Super Sport, and it is a lugged and double-butted steel frame. The plan is to make a single speed road bike that I can swap to fixed gear if need be. And YES, I plan to put brakes on it. Maybe. I think...