New Build: After the forum's heart

[dannyg1]

I started this project a bit ago, with the intention of building a performance commuter out of a frame and parts, mostly sourced from the forum classifieds. I'd previously asked for some opinions/suggestions via the thread referenced below:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=44717&page=1&pp=15

If I could please, have another round of comments from you all, I'd appreciate your thoughts on what I've wrought. Some photos:

I've replaced the Cinelli Grammo stem, which I still love, with a stem that matches more closely, the lugwork on the frame:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9669.jpg

As per another suggestion, I've changed out the saddle and seatpost as well (the saddle is both brown and black):

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9691.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9671.jpg

The rear derailleur was changed from a short to a medium cage:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9672.jpg

and I removed the anodizing + polished the lock rings on the grips, as well as added silver end plugs, to best sum up another suggestion I received:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9687.jpg

The wheels were changed as well, to a matched and mismatched set that I love, first the front, a radial spoked Campagnolo mini-aero rim with a Dura Ace 7400 hub:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9674.jpg

and the rear, again a Campagnolo mini-aero rim, matched to a 2005 Record 10 hub in silver. Hand laced, tied and soldered spokes:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9685.jpg

Contnued in the next post as a reply.

[dannyg1]

The brakes were hand polished twice again:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9676.jpg

And I've added some sterling silver flourishes to the frame:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9678.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9670.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9677.jpg

I need to take a prettier photo of the overall than this, but it's almost finished, and is both significantly more expensive and a little heavier now:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/IMG_9695.jpg

Danny

[M.Sommers]

The modern crankset throws me off. But I KNOW the frame = Viva Ireland

So it's all good.

:beer:

Viva Ireland.

[Fixed]

bro cool idea i dig the bike a bunch
cheers

[rpm]

You done good, bro. Looks sharp!

[dannyg1]

Thank you guy's for the positive energy. I don't have a lot of time to write this now, but I do want to talk about a few of the things I've done. M. Sommer's brought the crankset issue up and, especially since I recently (after I'd built this) found this B. Gordon photo, below, I have to say I like it very much. I still think that the 105 crank is the prettiest shape Shimano currently makes and I'm really taken with it.

I cut the H'bars to a pretty ridiculously skinny width, in keeping with the city-fixed influence this bike is built in the style of, and they're a blast to ride (very skittish). It's amazing the handling difference 6 inches of h'bar makes. The seatpost is the pretiest Campagnolo ever made ATMO/IMO and other than being a tad heavier, is very little different than the Thomson (they both function identically. So much for the straight vs layback argument, at least for me).

The saddle is hard as a rock but quite comfy. I like that it's smaller than the Brooks (had a Swift titanium previously) and it's only a little heavier. It's much better aesthetically but still needs to be a lighter tone, so probably will change again.

The stem I was most reluctant to change. I really do love the Cinelli Grammo and had to take this stem from my 60th anni Paramount. It does though, as was suggested in the previous thread, really change the character of the build for the better, so I'll just have to buy another for the match Schwinn. At the moment, its chrome is too 'spectacular' (it's easily the shiniest thing on the bike) and hopefull it'll wear into a touch less shine.

Gotta go to work.

Hey Fixed! Thanks my friend!

Danny

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/BruceGordonRando.jpg

[mike p]

Funky, I like it!

Mike

[KeithNYC]

I loved it before and I love it now. But to my eye the Swift looked so much better. Orders of magnitude better. Infinitely better. Put it back on.

**Great** bike though. I'm about to do something similar with a steel LeMond.
:cool:

[Fixed]

bro this cat thinks outside the box
imho cheers
.. i dig the colors you used it is pretty much perfect imho

[eddief]

Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Superman, and Perry White all in one single bound.

Oh the days of Perry White.

bitchen bike.

the stem alone with the Ritchey silver top cap...well it's the frosting on the cake.

[dannyg1]

I loved it before and I love it now. But to my eye the Swift looked so much better. Orders of magnitude better. Infinitely better. Put it back on.

**Great** bike though. I'm about to do something similar with a steel LeMond.
:cool:

I'm with you on the love of the Brooks but it was the size of it that did it in. This saddle is much smaller and balances the lines of the bike with delicacy, rather than looming on top of it, as the Brooks seemed to do. Were I to suggest a new design to Brooks, it'd be a chrome railed (polished titanium thanks.) B-17 Narrow that was slightly minaturized in surface area.

That'd float my boat for this bike (in gray!).

Thanks,
Danny

[dannyg1]

Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Superman, and Perry White all in one single bound.

Oh the days of Perry White.

bitchen bike.

the stem alone with the Ritchey silver top cap...well it's the frosting on the cake.

Thanks for that quote. Can I use it if I ever sell this?

Danny

[dannyg1]

bro this cat thinks outside the box
imho cheers
.. i dig the colors you used it is pretty much perfect imho

Thanks Fixed. What do you think of the silver bits?

Danny

[dannyg1]

Funky, I like it!

Mike

Thanks Mike. I'm liking it too and it rides great, though something Dave Kirk said in the last thread is worrying me a bit (thanks for the guidance on what to look at/for Dave).

As I said, I'm almost done with this and I'm excited to see how it'll turn out in its finished state. I'll reshoot and post some finals this weekend once I'm satisfied tht it's time to move o to another frame.

Danny

[bnewt07]

I was pretty critical the first time you posted this bike for us to see, I have to say it looks a lot more consistent and 'intgerated' now. The wheels are a big improvment.

Somehow I 'get' the overall colour mix more now, the polished highlights make it sparkle and give it a more retro feel.

Details matter on a build like this (the polished bar ends make a real difference for example) so I'd still like a polished rear mech and brake levers. You also really ought to have matching cables!

[dannyg1]

The wheels really are a big improvement. At $700 for the set, they damn well better be! :cool: (I have the matching Record hubbed, tied/soldered front wheel on my Ross/Kellogg for now. It's probably better if I don't explain).

I'm glad you like it better; I do as well. On the cables: All the brake cables match (Jagwire sterling, which I think are very sexy and far better looking than he plain Jane DA cables would be IMHO) and all the derailleur cables match at least themselves (Dura Ace).

Thanks,
Danny




I was pretty critical the first time you posted this bike for us to see, I have to say it looks a lot more consistent and 'intgerated' now. The wheels are a big improvment.

Somehow I 'get' the overall colour mix more now, the polished highlights make it sparkle and give it a more retro feel.

Details matter on a build like this (the polished bar ends make a real difference for example) so I'd still like a polished rear mech and brake levers. You also really ought to have matching cables!

[Volant]

So that's where that Badger went to! Looks good.

[dannyg1]

Some new candidates for 'better overall photo':

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/Attherestaraut9729.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/Infrontofpubwider9702.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/Anotherparkview9739.jpg

Danny

[FMS_rider]

The details on your bike are absolutely stunning. I have been trying not to look at bike shots and post until I get caught up at work, but I couldn't help myself this time. My favorite whole-bike shot from your series is the one in post #2 with the flowers in the background, although I enjoyed the later ones as well.

Thanks for making me look.
Lew