My first bike building project

penexpers

So after my previous good bike got stolen, I decided to build up a decent bike for myself. I'm not sure exactly what I want the bike for, so I've tried to be as flexible as possible.

So far I have

Frame : Surly Crosscheck (looks to be very versatile and can be built up in many ways)
Wheels : Mavic Aksium 2008 (all my budget would allow)
Tires : Continental Gatorskin
Pedals : Look Keo Classic
Saddle : Brooks B17
Handlebars : ITM road handlebars
Stem : Pro-Lite Pro-Torque Ahead Stem

Still not sure what seatpost to get.

Obviously the biggest choice left now is what groupset to get. I am leaning heavily towards the Shimano 105 but I'll need to wait a while till I have the money to buy that.

After I build it up as a road bike, I might try and build it up as a fixie, the Crosscheck has semi-horizontal dropouts espeically for this.

kona

i agree with 105, best bang for buck tbh!! get it on chain reaction cheap before their sale ends!

penexpers

Yeah I started off looking at Sora then went to Tiagra, I reckon it's only a matter of time before I seriously start thinking about getting Dura-Ace

kona

tiagra or 105 would be perfect for you, anything above that and your just paying more money for lighter stuff, 105 is strong, ive a 105 rear mech on my jump bike for the past year, its scraped and battered but still works sweet.

Itsfixed

For the same price as 105, why not consider campagnolo mirage or centaur? Word on Shimano STI levers is that you can't fix them if they break, wheras with Campag Ergo levers you can. Sustainability and all that, plus it looks much nicer.

penexpers

I've read mostly negative reviews about the lower end campy stuff. Mirage is sort of in the same price range as Tiagra. Centaur is well outside my budget.

Itsfixed

Fair nuff. The Surly cross check is a lovely frame, good luck with it.

fish-head

You can count on Surly alright. Let us know how it goes and how the prices pan out. I'm thinking about a road bike in the future, something steel too.

penexpers

Prices so far are

Frame : 369 inc postage (bike-components.de)
Saddle : 54 (bike-components.de)
Wheels : 136 (ebay)
Tires : 40 (ebay)
Pedals : 40 (ebay)
Handlebars : 14 (ebay)
Stem : 26 (ebay)

So that's just under 700. Groupset will probably be another 350-450, and I still need to get a seatpost and tubes so I reckon 1200 max.

penexpers

Frame came today and it's sweet. Where is the best place in Dublin to buy the 105 groupset? Wheelworx is 430, Cycleways is 450. Any other places I should be looking at?

rob1891

If Cyclesuperstore.ie (Tallaght) had any 105 groups they would probably be cheapest, they are often cheaper than CRC on Shimano bits (i.e. a touch cheaper on Ultegra and Durace double groups).

But alas, no 105s listed on the website at the moment, call them and see what is happening, perhaps there's stuff in the shop not on the site .. ..

penexpers

I got the rest of the stuff in Wheelworx today. The complete n00b in me has just realised that I need to get part of the fork cut off to install the headset. Does anyone know where'll do this in the Kildare area? Thanks.

rob1891

Just get a small hack saw and go through it. If it's aluminum it will melt like butter, if it's carbon ... I wouldn't breath! Leave yourself some spacers on top of the headset to be sure you have room to change your handle bar height. Once you have it set and are happy after a few months go and cut it half a cm below the top of the stem and fit the cap nice and flush with the stem, but not until you are dead certain!

To get a straight cut across the steerer tube, clamp the stem under the point you want to cut at, slip on 1 spacer, and cut using the spacer to guide you (it will get a bit scored).

rob1891

Read through the threadless section on this link to have an idea of what you have to do:

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=111

They recommend having the steer tube 3mm short instead of half a cm :-)

penexpers

Thanks, just reading through the guide now. I'm be a bit afraid of stuffing up.

Do you need a headset press to install a threadless headset?

kona

penexpers wrote: »

Thanks, just reading through the guide now. I'm be a bit afraid of stuffing up.

Do you need a headset press to install a threadless headset?

yup,you need a press to put it in get the bikeshop to cut the fork too and put the star fangled nut in, and face the frame. head tube and BB shell

penexpers

Yep, I shall be off to the shop in the morning.

penexpers

Nearly all done now, just trying to get the feckin shifters to shift accurately, which is proving to be pretty difficult.

Overall though, I highly recommend doing it. It's worth learning about how the bike works. I know I won't be going near a bike shop for repairs in future.

Oh and I also got a copy of "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenence". Great book, well worth picking up.

blorg

Post pics!

kona

penexpers wrote: »

Nearly all done now, just trying to get the feckin shifters to shift accurately, which is proving to be pretty difficult.

Overall though, I highly recommend doing it. It's worth learning about how the bike works. I know I won't be going near a bike shop for repairs in future.

Oh and I also got a copy of "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenence". Great book, well worth picking up.

what groupset did you get in the end??
ive a 105 derailleur on my jump bike and it doesnt shift into 9, because the frame leaves a bit of a gap between it and the cassette.

penexpers

Went for the 105 in the end. Interesting about what you say, pretty much the same thing is happening to me.

billyk

there's 2 phillips screws on this dereulleur one above the other, unscrew the top one a bit(half a turn or so)

penexpers

Yeah I've been messing with the limt screws alright. Not having much joy.

kona

i eventually got it up to the top chainring, but took a hell of alot of fiddling, as it messes up the lower chainrings.
mine still clicks, tbh, it doesnt bother me as i dont use that gear ever, just annoying as i want it to work!:D
is your gear hanger bent??? they are so soft they can bend in the box new.

penexpers

Gear hanger doesn't look too bent. Had another stab at it last night and it seems to be shifting ok now. Even on the bike stand, the 105 groupset feels so much more smoother compared to anything I've used before.

kona

penexpers wrote: »

Gear hanger doesn't look too bent. Had another stab at it last night and it seems to be shifting ok now. Even on the bike stand, the 105 groupset feels so much more smoother compared to anything I've used before.

if im in doubt i always use a special tool, dont know the name of it, but you screw it on where the mech goes, and it will straighten it up for ya, any proper bikeshop will have one, might even do it for free if you ask nice!:D
if they are working now then there is no point, make sure you still have some adjustment in the barrel adjuster left.

penexpers

Finally got around to taking the bike out for a spin. Feels really good and quite fast. I'm particularly impressed with the Brooks saddle - definitely the most comfortable saddle I've ridden. I still have to cut the fork and fit the rest of the headset. I have some pictures to put up once I get them developed (yep old school 35mm camera!).

Hermy

rob1891 wrote: »

Just get a small hack saw and go through it.

I prefer to use a pipe cutter.

penexpers

I ended up getting it done in a shop. I got a hacksaw but I couldn't get a straight cut. I also got a small pipe cutter from b+q but it was too small. Where do you get the bigger pipe cutter?

In any case, I brought the bike out for a proper spin today and it's an incredibly smooth and sturdy ride. My only reference points are the Specialized Sirrus and the Kona Dew Deluxe, both of which were aluminium. The Cross Check absored alot of the bumps that would have my insides shaking on the Sirrus or the Dew Deluxe.

I don't know how it compares to carbon fibre, cos I've never ridden CF. I imagine CF would probably be faster, especially up hills (the CC tended to slow down a bit on hills) but I definitely think that steel is a (n affordable) step up from aluminium and ideal for someone looking for a sturdy but fast bike without spending a fortune.

Anyway, on to build the next bike.